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Vital Information Live Around the World:  The 'Where We Come
From' Tour 1998-1999 (Intuition)


Drummer Steve Smith (Journey, Stanley Clarke) founded Vital
Information in the early 80s.  With Frank Gambale on guitar
(Jean-Luc Ponty, Chick Corea), Tom Coster on organ (Billy
Cobham, Santana), and Jeff Andrews on bass, Vital Information
returned to the style of their 60s and 70s fusion and
instrumental rock influences like Miles Davis, and The Meters,
on their 1996 CD Where We Come From.  This effort also
marked a change in sonic direction, focusing on Coster's
Hammond B3, supported by Gambale's traditional hollow-body
guitar and Smith's stripped down drum kit.


The double CD Live Around the World:  The 'Where We Come
From' Tour 1998-1999 extends this retro exploration with
live energy and the funk influence of new bassist Baron Browne
(Billy Cobham, Jean-Luc Ponty).  The set list primarily
includes songs from Where We Come From, with a few
covers including Zeppelin's "Moby Dick."  The live tracks,
culled mostly from shows in Sydney, Australia and Toronto,
Canada, follow in regular set order so the two CDs
chronologically represent a full show.  Each CD also includes
one new studio track.  


The music snaps along with a jazz influenced, jam band feel,
particularly the energetic first set, with Smith injecting
furious polyrhythms into a bridge section of "Cranial Jam."
The second set drags a bit, with a drum solo and an extended
synth piece, but the set closes with the raucous Coltrane
number "Mr. PC."  


The organ quartet sound ranges from slightly subdued to
boisterous roar.  Steve Smith pounds the drums, sometimes more
bombastic than suits the music.  Gambale plays smooth chording
and lines, with occasional bursts of his trademark fast sweep
picking to match Smith's drum flurries.  Coster's B3 dominates
the sound with a languid, 70s style jam band feel reminiscent
of groups like the Allman Brothers.  


Smith and Vital Information don't break any new ground with
their retrospective focus, but their originals in this style
are entertaining and fun.  According to their website at
www.vitalinformation.com, Vital Information recently completed
a new studio record with Brown, Show 'Em Where You Live,
scheduled for release in early 2001.  This record promises to
further extend the retro blended with funk development of this
most recent incarnation of the band. 


Review by Scott Andrews [sha3u@virginia.edu]

Lineup: 

Steve Smith, drums

Frank Gambale, guitar 

Tom Coster, Hammond B3 organ, accordion

Baron Browne, bass



CD One: 

Dr. Demento

Moby Dick

Swamp Stomp

Cranial Jam

Happy House

Fortaleza

First Thing This Morning

The Perfect Date

It's A Jungle Out There



CD Two: 

The Drum Also Waltzes

Take Eight

Listen Up! 

Europa

Do You Read Me? 

Over And Out! 

Mr. PC

Soulful Drums




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