Gamalon is a jazz-rock fusion band from Buffalo, New York. Its founding members included drummer Ted Reinhardt and guitarist Bruce Brucato, who had played together since the 1960s. The band's self-titled debut album, released in 1987, reached No. 8 on the Billboard jazz chart the following year.
Background
Four Gamalon members—brothers Ted and Tom Reinhardt, Bruce Brucato, and Rick McGirr—previously played together in a band called Rodan (based in Buffalo, New York) during the 1970s, along with bassist Bill Ludwig. In 1982, Brucato and Reinhardt joined forces with McGirr, George Puleo, and Greg Piontek to create a band initially called Gamelon. In the mid-1980s, the classic lineup of Puleo, Brucato, Ted Reinhardt, and Tom Reinhardt was formed, and the name was respelled to the more phonetically pleasing "Gamalon." This lineup released the self-titled debut album Gamalon in 1987. Following that release, the lineup was augmented by violinist Geoff Perry. The band went on to record Aerial View (1990) and High Contrast (1991). In 1995, Puleo left the band and was replaced by Tony Scozzaro. This lineup recorded one album, Held to the Light (1996). After Scozzaro left, guitar duties were handled by Nori Bucci and Dave Schmeidler. After bassist Tom Reinhardt left the band, he was replaced at various times by Jim Wynne and Jack Kulp, before returning to the lineup in the 2000s.
Past guitarist Nori Bucci was featured in Guitar Player in 2007 and recognized by the magazine as one of the top female guitarists in 2017, in part due to her "intense yet beautiful work in the band Gamalon."
The band played a reunion show in 2012 in New York with the classic four-piece lineup.
Bruce Brucato died on January 15, 2014. Greg Piontek died on November 11, 2016. On March 4, 2015, founding and core member Ted Reinhardt died in a plane crash. Reinhardt had also played with Rodan, Taxi, Willie and the Reinhardts, Ron Locurto and the Reinhardts, the Dave Constantino Band, Junction West, Left Hand of Darkness, and Spyro Gyra.
Discography
- Gamalon (1987)
- Project: Activation Earth (1989)
- Aerial View (1990)
- High Contrast (1991)
- Held to the Light (1996)
- Live at The Tralf (1998)
Personnel
- Ted Reinhardt – drums, percussion, Chapman Stick (1982–2015)
- Bruce Brucato – guitars (1982–2006)
- George Puleo – guitars (1982–1996)
- Greg Piontek – bass (1982–1984)
- Tom Reinhardt – bass (1984–1996, 2001–2006)
- Tom Schuman – keyboards (1982–1983)
- Rick McGirr – keyboards (1983–1985)
- Jim Wynne – bass, keyboards (1996–2001, 2006–2015)
- Tony Scozzaro – guitars (1996–2004)
- Geoffrey Perry – violin, piccolo bass, guitar (1989–1996)
- Jack Kulp – bass (2001–2004)
- Nori Bucci – guitars (2004–2006)
- Bob Accurso – percussion, malletKAT (2006–2015)
- Dave Schmeidler – guitars (2006–2012)
