Vital Information - 2011 "A Live Vitalization For Japan"

Steve Smith and Vital Information is an American jazz-fusion group led by drummer Steve Smith.
The core members of the original line-up of Vital Information — Steve Smith (drums), Tim Landers (bass) and Dave Wilczewski (sax) — met in 1971 during their high school years while playing together in the Bridgewater State College Big Band, a Boston area college band that also featured outstanding high school students, the band was under the direction of Vincent Gannon. By 1977 Smith was touring with Jean-Luc Ponty, Landers with Al Di Meola and Wilczewski with Freddie Hubbard. They met in Boston once a year for a “reunion” gig using various guitarists such as Dean Brown, Daryl Stuermer or Barry Finnerty to complete the band. From 1977–1982 the three principlal band members wrote many compositions, played a number of gigs and developed the sound and concept that became the first edition of Vital Information.
After Smith was in Journey for a few years he was able to secure a Columbia record deal for his first solo album. The group recorded Vital Information (1983), which featured Landers, Wilczewski and Smith along with guitarists Dean Brown and Mike Stern. The album was recorded in Warren, Rhode Island in January 1983 and released that summer. In September 1983 the band toured the USA with the Dutch guitarist Eef Albers replacing Mike Stern, who was on the road with both Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius. At the end of the tour the group returned to RI and recorded Orion (1984), their second album.
After leaving Journey in 1985 Steve Smith continued on as the bandleader of Vital Information with Tim Landers and Dave Wilczewski eventually leaving the group to pursue their own careers. Landers is a successful studio musician in Los Angeles and Wilczewski moved to Stockholm, Sweden, where he was a key player in the European music scene until his untimely death on August 22, 2009.
Tom Coster (keyboards), formerly of Santana, joined Vital Information in 1986 and first appeared on Global Beat (1987), which integrated hand percussion and steel drums into the direction of the music. Kai Eckhardt (bass), later with John McLaughlin, and Torsten de Winkel (guitar), later with the Pat Metheny Group, joined Vital Information in 1986 and 1987 for tours in the United States and Europe and appeared on and composed for the group's next album, Fiafiaga (1988), which generally continued with the Global Beat direction but added computer-based and funkier sounds to the stylistic mix.
A more straight-ahead jazz version of the group, with Larry Grenadier (acoustic bass), Larry Schneider (sax), Tom Coster (keys), Frank Gambale (guitar), Steve Smith (drums), recorded Vitalive! (1990). The album has recently been re-mastered and rereleased. Jeff Andrews (bass) joined the band in the early 1990s recording Easier Done Than Said (1992) and Ray of Hope (1996).
Vital Information re-invented themselves as a more organic groove-oriented band with the direction of Where We Come from (1998). Baron Browne (bass) joined the band in 1998, which further solidified their more funk-oriented approach. With the line-up of Smith (drums) Tom Coster (keys), Frank Gambale (guitar) and Browne (bass) they recorded Live Around the World (2000), Show ‘Em Where You Live (2001) and Live from Mars (2002). With the recording Come on in (2004) Smith started introducing Indian rhythms into the music. On Vitalization (2007) Vinny Valentino joined Vital Information on guitar and Smith featured himself on his recently developed konnakol chops along with integrating more Indian rhythms into the music.

Tom Coster, Baron Brown, Vinny Valentino and from me, to everyone of Japan great fan of, Greetings from the heart. The day that can be played for everyone do the tour, we have to band members all looking forward to that one coming soon. Until that day, please enjoy our album "Japan activation live" that I was allowed to provide only for everyone. - Steve Smith
One of the top drummers in the world: the latest live album of veteran all-star band that approaches the Steve Smith to the 30th anniversary of his debut in the nucleus. 3.11 earthquake - indefinitely postponed a visit to Japan tour from the Fukushima nuclear power plant of the present situation, Japan only reconstruction assistance special board that was sent for from four people and its apology. Add the 'You Do not Say' as listen !! bonus the men of the passion that has been put in seven songs and 40 minutes.
[1 bonus song]

Track listing

    1 Seven and a Half 6:35
    2 Time Tunnel 6:25
    3 Positano 5:42
    4 Interwoven Rhythms - Synchronous 4:23
    5 Khanda West 1:56
    6 The Trouble With 7:34
    7 Jimmy Jive 8:05
    8 You Don't Say 3:50

    Total length: 44:30

Personnel:

Steve Smith (drums)
Tom Coster (keyboards)
Baron Browne (bass)
Vinny Valentino (guitar)