Sean Trane As you can easily guess, the further down we get into Gale’s discography, the further away we get from quality music and the more we delve into insipid pop/muzak, however well made it might be. Of course the arrival of that dreaded 80’s decade did not make things easier, but at least the Gale Gang wasn’t about to cede into the awful technology trends that abounded in that sad era. Indeed, no Casio synths, no Rhythm machine or awful Synclaviers that dulled every fiery note. It also helps that Bob James was still around for the production and writing of some tracks (would you believe that these are easily the best on the album?), and that the usual suspects McDonald brothers (percussions) are still around.

Opening on the BJ-penned Boardwalk, we are facing a lukewarm instrumental Latin jazz-rock piece that simply won’t be matched for the rest of the album. And to make matters worse, the following We’ll Make It is an awful honey-dipped sugar ballad with Sandy Barber holding the spit receptacle. Some might actually like that kind of shallow musical crud, but I’d rather not meet them – and more than likely, it’s reciprocal. The following My Momma Told Me So is an acceptable instrumental light funk-jazz. However, the title track presents a shallow soft-calypso or other Caribbean–origined rhythm, but outside the kitsch or not considerations, the music is flawless and enjoyable if you’re into tropical dance club scene. As soon as the first note of the BJ-penned and produced Dark Romance, you’re instantly pleased with the depth of the musical landscape that had disappeared since the opening track: not that the mid-paced but lengthy piece is all that enthralling, but BJ’s Rhodes and synths make the difference and allow Gale’s brilliant guitar some respectful counterattacks. Easily the second-best track of the album. As for the album-closing I Know That (Not) Right, it’s an awful disco-funk that will get your “booty” moving on the dance floor, but you’d better rely on better stuff (though it’s not that bad either) if you want to pack her into your bed.

Well, despite the old CTI usual suspects’ presence IB is an album that doesn’t hold enough excellent material to really want to keep this album in your shelves: two relatively good BJ-penned instrumental tracks, two more instrumental bordering on the nauseating and two awful sung dreck, though the later disco thing is better than that soppy ballad… Better pass on this one.

Sean Trane The perfect companion album to Ginseng Woman, Multiplication was released the following year and features many of the usual suspects present in its predecessor, with the noteworthy addition of bassist Alphonso Johnson, who opens the album on fretless bass. To nsay that the album is inducing excitement enough to provoke its title would be the overstatement of that decade. We’ve got an honest soul-jazz-funk album, with its strengths (impeccable musicianship) and its weaknesses (failure to really enthral and horn and strings over- production)

While relatively interesting in its musical developments, the lengthy opening Morning Glory track will never give me one, despite many gorgeous Bob James arrangements, because its lacks the necessary energy and excitement. Good but not awesome or excellent. Past a promising intro, Gypsy Jello is a mid-tempo boring slightly funk-jazz featuring a good Grover sax solo that had been done hundreds of time before and thousands since. The smooth lo-paced Sometimes holds moments of brilliant musicianship. The gospel blues Mary Don’t you weep is graced (or marred) with a massive church choir section, where BJ’s piano and Gale’s guitar sharing the spotlight. While not bad a track, it’s definitely out of topic with the rest of the album and overstays its welcome halfway through. The more powerful track on the album is the aptly-titled Thumper, with plenty of energy and vitality, but still failing in the spunk dept. Maybe the album’s highlight, it doesn’t suffer from the usual over-production that plagues a lot of the CTI albums. The closing title track is a boring upbeat over-brassy compo that doesn’t prompt you to replay the album.

Don’t get me wrong, this album is filled with the occasional brilliant moment (more so than the preceding GW) and all the musos are absolutely flawless in the execution of the album.

Sean Trane Yet another typical CTI-label recording artiste, guitarist Eric Gale’s mid-to-late-70’s albums are your typical soul-jazz-funk album that emanated by the precursor of the not-yet born soft-jazz. Produced by Bob James on composition and keyboards, GW features other CTI artistes like Grover, McDonald and others like the Brecker bros and even Steve Gadd on drums for two tracks. With an evocative artwork, the album could hint at fiery JR/F, but it’s anything but fiery or even exciting… just barely enthralling at times.

Opening on the BJ-penned and typically over-produced title track, the album starts out with a funk and slightly disco feel, but the short following Red Ground fails to hold the tempo or/and the interest. As for the Hall & Oates cover of Sarah Smile, it’s adapted in a reggae groove, but the over-sweet soft vocal arrangements make it nearly laughable. Gale fools us with his soft bluesy intro guitar solo, as the De Rabbit track veers into funky crap that will embarrass you if you pull the album over the turntable in front of your music buddies. Excellent brass arrangement and guitar solo, but overall, this is a pure waste of talent and studio space. The soporific She’s My Lady is best forgotten, unless you like that kind of over-sweet and over-produced ballad. Brilliant guitar and flawless execution, but ultimately, it’s utterly boring stuff. The closing upbeat funky East End is rather interesting at first, but by the brass chorus, it’s already overstayed its welcome

A typical later-70’s CTI label product, don’t say I didn’t warn you. But I guess if you’re investigating Gale, you’re probably already familiar with the label’s average output, so it’s not like you’re in for a mega surprise. Your call on this kind of stuff, but I’ll pass on this for much more exciting stuff.