NEW!
CD + DVD Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
or click the link below to downlaod the
audio portion only on iTunes
for $9.99.
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LIVE! One Great Night
2012 Release
CD + DVD Package (filmed
in B&W)
DVD includes all
tracks plus a BONUS Track!
Live! One Great Night
(BFM Jazz)
captures Vital Information in its natural
habitat: On stage in front of an enthusiastic
audience of music lovers with the band in high
gear, pulling out all the stops for the entire
set.
This recording is a superb example
of the creative development in Vital
Information’s music. Most of the compositions on
Live! One Great Night were originally
recorded on the studio albums Come On In
and Vitalization. If you compare the
performances on this release to the original
recordings, you will hear significant musical
growth both individually and collectively.
Our music allows for individual expression
and re-invention. Every night on the bandstand
we want to surprise each other with new
ideas
and in the process keep our audience “in the
moment” with us.
On November 7, 2007
Vital Information was nearing the end of a year
of extensive world touring. The band played a
date at a small venue in Oregon, and we agreed to a webcast,
which at the time was a novel idea. Five years
later, as Vital Information approaches its 30th
Anniversary, I was looking for some
documentation of our various periods and I
remembered that night in Oregon. After numerous
emails and phone calls I was able to track down
the recording of the concert. As a bonus we also
found video footage of our webcast.
After
listening to the performances I was thrilled to
hear that the group played an exciting set, not
studio “perfect,” but alive and spontaneous,
with creative grooves, inspired interaction and
expansive improvisation. I felt that including a
DVD of the concert added an extra dimension to
this package and while editing the video, we
decided to add one more song to the DVD program.
I feel that Live! One Great Night
is an insightful documentation of the group’s
development. Our keyboardist, Tom Coster, has
been in VI since 1986 and Baron Browne has been
our bass player since 1998. Guitarist Vinny
Valentino joined us in 2006 and had been playing
with the group just over one year at the time of
this recording.
The results of this collaboration are
raw and exhilarating. This line-up of Vital
Information has continued to play together and
evolve over the last fi ve years. But, by going
back and hearing this performance in the
formative year of the quartet, it feels as
though we’ve uncovered an unexpected gem.
Enjoy,
-
Steve Smith
Track
Listing for the CD/DVD
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1. Cat Walk |
6. The Trouble
With |
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2. Time Tunnel |
7. Interwoven
Rhythms-Dialogue |
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3. Interwoven Rhythms-Synchronous |
8. The Closer |
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4. Seven and a Half |
9. Jimmy Jive |
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5. Khanda West |
10. Positano
(bonus track on the DVD) |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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VITALIVE!
2009 Release
Must-have special remastered version
with a bonus track and all-new liner notes!
Vital Information recorded live in 1989.
Frank Gambale, guitar; Larry Grenadier, bass;
Larry Schneider, sax; Tom Coster, keys, Steve
Smith, drums; guest Tom Coster, Jr., keys.
"Vitalive!" is
a documentation of a group that I had for a
short time in the late 1980s - this
configuration was the most "jazz" version of
Vital Information to date. Joining long-time
Vital Information members Tom Coster on
keyboards and Frank Gambale on guitar, were a
young 20 year-old Larry Grenadier on acoustic
bass and the seasoned jazz veteran Larry
Schneider on saxophone. With myself on drums the
band coalesced into a unique "jazz/rock" unit
with a sound that stands the test of time.
Originally released on VeraBra/Intuition Records
in Europe and Manhattan/Blue Note for the USA,
Vitalive! has been out of print since the mid
90s. This new version has been re-mastered with
a marked improvement in sound and includes an
added a bonus-track that I found in the vaults."ť
- Steve Smith, 2009
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1. One Flight Up |
7. Johnny Cat |
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2. Looks Bad,
Feels Good |
8. The Perfect
Drive |
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3. Jave and a
Nail |
9. Island
Holiday |
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4. What Lies
Beyond |
10. Europa |
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5. I Should Care |
11. Mac Attack
(alt. take)
BONUS TRACK! |
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6. Mac Attack |
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Your Price:
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information: Vitalization
2007 Release
Click
here
to open the preview page with extended and
unedited liner notes.
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1. Interwoven
Rhythms - Synchronous |
7. J Ben Jazz |
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2. Get Serious |
8. You Know What
I Mean |
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3. The Trouble
With |
9. Groove Time |
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4. The Bottom
Line |
10. The Closer |
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5. Seven and a
Half |
11. Jimmy Jive
(for Jimmy Smith) |
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6. Interwoven
Rhythms - Dialogue |
12. Positano |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information: Come On In
2004 Release
With the
jazz fusion quartet's 11th album, Come On In,
Tom Coster, Frank Gambale, Baron Browne and
Steve Smith serve up a veritable banquet of
sounds, from slamming funk and syncopated second
line grooves to seriously swinging, uptempo B-3
burners, South Indian Carnatic inspired jams and
sizzling fuzoid romps.
Click
here
to open the preview page, with extended and
unedited liner notes!
Click on the
underlined titles to hear a sample of that song!
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Your Price:
$12.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information:
Live From Mars
2001
Release
This is a band bootleg
usually available only at gigs. Frank Gambale,
Tom Coster, Baron Browne, and Steve Smith
recorded live during the 'Show 'Em Where You
Live' tour at Mars Music in Somerville, MA. on
November 18, 2000. The group burns through
material from 'Show 'Em...' and more.
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1. Mr. T.C.
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5. Drum Improv |
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2. Swamp Stomp |
6. Happy House
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3. Cranial Jam |
7. Soul
Principle |
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4. Listen Up! |
8. Over and Out! |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information:
Show 'Em Where
You Live
2001 Release
A
development on the direction established on
Where We Come From. This album is very high
energy, adventurous and “jazz-funk-fusion”
oriented. Frank Gambale, Tom Coster, Baron
Browne, and Steve Smith return with their unique
blend of jazz fusion performing mostly original
compositions, as well as their rendition of
Jimmy Heath's 'Gingerbread Boy' and more.
Click here for liner notes and credits!
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1. Cranial #1
Right Now |
9. Sideways
Blues |
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2. Mr. T.C. |
10. The
Blackhawk |
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3. Shagadelic
Boogaloo |
11. Cranial #4
Where We Live |
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4. Cranial #2
The Jinx |
12. The Fire
Still Burns (for Jimi) |
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5. Soul
Principle |
13. Cranial #5
Awaken the Hoodoo |
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6. Our Man in
Louisiana |
14. Cranial #6
Mata Hari |
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7. Cat and Mouse |
15. Gingerbread
Boy |
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8. Cranial #3
Azul |
16. Cranial #7
Brake Failure |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information:
Live Around The
World
Where We Come From Tour 1998-1999
2000 Release
This is a double-CD featuring Frank
Gambale on guitar, Tom Coster on keys, Baron
Browne on bass, and Steve Smith on drums. It was
recorded live in Australia, Canada, Holland, and
the U.S. during 1998/99. Fifteen live tracks and
two new studio bonus tracks. Click
here
to read the liner notes!
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1. Dr. Demento |
9. It's a Jungle
Out There (studio bonus track) |
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2. Moby Dick |
10. The Drum
Also Waltzes |
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3. Swamp Stomp |
11. Take Eight |
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4. Cranial Jam |
12. Listen Up! |
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5. Happy House |
13. Europa |
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6. Fortaleza |
14. Do You Read
Me? |
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7. First Thing
This Morning |
15. Over and
Out! |
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8. The Perfect
Date |
16. Mr. PC |
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17. Soulful
Drums (studio bonus track) |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information:
Where We Come
From
1998 Release
A transition
recording for Vital Information, the band
re-invented itself with a rootsy amalgam which
ran the stylistic gamut from James Brown funk to
Meters/Booker T & The MGs soul to searing Tony
Williams Lifetime-inspired fusion while making
further allusions to jazz icons like Buddy Rich,
Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery and Ornette Coleman
along the way. Where We Come From won
the Indie Award in 1998 for "Jazz Recording of
the Year." The eighth release from Vital
Information with Frank Gambale on guitar, Tom
Coster on Hammond B-3, Jeff Andrews on bass, and
Steve Smith on drums! Along with the groups
original tunes, they cover Led Zeppelin's 'Moby
Dick', Ornette Coleman's 'Happy House' and a
previously unrecorded Jaco Pastorius composition
'Blow Fish Blues.'
Click
here
to read the liner notes!
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1. Dr. Demento |
9. Craniac
Trilogy - Part 3: The Implant |
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2. Moby Dick |
10. Bob |
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3. Craniac
Trilogy-Part 1: Transport |
11. Cranial Joy:
Completion |
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4. Listen Up! |
12. Happy House
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5. Swamp Stomp |
13. Cranial
Meltdown: Dementia |
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6. Craniac
Trilogy - Part 2: The Extraction |
14. Blow Fish
Blues |
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7. First Thing
This Morning |
15. Sitting
Ducks |
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8. Take Eight |
16. One in a
Lifetime |
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17. 008 |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information:
Ray of Hope
1996 Release
Frank Gambale, guitar; Jeff Andrews, bass; Tom
Coster, keys; Steve Smith, drums. The recording
just before Vital Information made a transition
into being more of a “Soul-Jazz” oriented group.
Strong group compositions including Over and
Out, Ray Of Hope and Clouds. Jeff Andrews shines
on the Horace Silver tune Peace and his own
composition Fit To Be Tied. In general, this
recording is Vital Info’s “smoothest” sound.
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1. Clouds |
7. Ray of Hope |
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2. Celebrate
Life |
8. Maxed Out |
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3. Rio-Lize |
9. All My Love,
Always |
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4. Lorenzo's
Soul |
10. Peace |
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5. Sacred
Treasure |
11. Fit to be
Tied |
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6. Sixth Sense |
12. Over and
Out! |
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Your Price:
$15.00 (plus
S&H)
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information:
Orion
1984 Release
The second Vital Information album. Dean
Brown and Eef Albers play some stunning guitar
together on this fusion masterpiece. Dean Brown
and Eef Albers, guitar; Dave Wilczewski, sax;
Tim Landers, bass; and Steve Smith, drums.
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1. Future
Primitive |
5. Blade |
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2. Thank You Mr.
Edison |
6. The
Adventures of Hector and Jose |
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3. The Strut |
7. Shadows Past |
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4. Orion |
8. Blues to
Bappe II |
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SOLD OUT!
This title is
currently
out of print.
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Steve
Smith & Vital Information
1983 Release
Solo debut of Steve Smith and Vital
Information, recorded in 1983. Dean Brown and
Mike Stern on guitars; Dave Wilczewski on sax;
Tim Landers on bass; and Steve Smith on drums.
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1. Looks Bad
Feels Good |
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2. Questionable
Arrivals |
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3. V.G. |
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4. Vital
Information |
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5. All That Is |
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6. Stoughton to
Stockholm |
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7. 13th Month |
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