Celestial Latitude, Featuring Frank Gambale – The Haas Company, Vol. 2 (Psychiatric Records, 2024)
Psychiatric Records has released The Haas Company, Vol. 2, featuring veteran guitarist Frank Gambale alongside the ensemble Celestial Latitude. Gambale, known for his dazzling, cutting edge work with Chick Corea’s Elektric Band and his solo albums, takes the lead on this release, delivering remarkable performances alongside keyboardist Pete Drungle. Together, they navigate dense, exhilarating compositions marked by their spectacular solo interplay.
The album features a rotating lineup of bassists, including Kirwan Brown, Al MacDowell, and Percy Jones, with Steve Haas providing powerful drumming. Saxophonists Pete Gallio and Jay Rodriguez, along with rhythm guitarist Samuel Hällkvist, make occasional appearances.
The Haas Company, Vol. 2 brings together the intensity of rock with jazz improvisation, highlighted by Gambale’s expressive guitar chops and Drungle’s inventive keyboard lines. The rhythm section maintains complex, driving grooves throughout, supporting the album’s nine tracks with relentless energy.
The opener, “Mekat Rock,” features a dynamic call-and-response between Gambale’s guitar and Drungle’s keyboard motifs, while “Celestial Latitude” introduces quieter, more atmospheric moments. “Ariel” offers melodic elements, and Gambale’s Spanish guitar intro on “Ultra Flamingo” provides a brief respite before the ensemble returns to its energetic pace. Tracks such as “Bug Flights,” “Drawn & Quartered,” and “Liquid Crystal” maintain the album’s explosive and unpredictable nature.
Steve Haas, a longtime fan of progressive rock and fusion, founded Psychiatric Records to document his musical explorations. His recent collaborations have included work with violinist Jerry Goodman and Sean Lennon.
Musicians: Steve Haas on drums; Pete Drungle on keyboards and musical direction; Frank Gambale on guitar; Al MacDowell on bass, piccolo bass; Percy Jones on bass; Kirwan Brown on bass; Pete Gallio on saxophone; Jay Rodriguez on woodwinds, saxophone; and Samuel Hällkvist on rhythm guitar.