Eric Gale

Biography

Eric Gale, born on September 20, 1938, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, began playing guitar at age 12 and was inspired by sitting in on jam sessions at John Coltrane's home during high school.[1][2][3][5] Despite earning a Master of Science in chemistry from Niagara University, he pursued music full-time, debuting as a session musician in 1961 on Bobby Lewis' 'Tossin' and Turnin',' and soon worked with King Curtis, Jimmy Smith, and others, contributing to over 600 singles and albums across genres like jazz, R&B, and fusion.[1][2][4] In the 1970s, he became CTI Records' go-to guitarist, playing on hits by Grover Washington Jr., Stanley Turrentine, and Bob James, while launching a solo career with albums like Forecast (1975) and co-founding the jazz-funk supergroup Stuff.[1][2][3]

Gale's versatility shone in collaborations on major releases, including Roberta Flack's Grammy-winning Killing Me Softly (1973), Billy Joel's 52nd Street (1978), Diana Ross albums like The Boss (1979) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1981), Van McCoy's 'The Hustle' (1975), and Michael Jackson's Bad (1987).[1][2][4] He produced and arranged the funky Negril album (1975) in Jamaica with Peter Tosh and the Wailers, blending reggae influences, and released eclectic solo works like Ginseng Woman (1976) and Island Breeze (1983).[1][2][3] His style seamlessly shifted between jazz, funk, soul, and R&B, earning him status as a 'musician's musician.'[1][4]

Gale continued session work into the 1980s and 1990s until his death from lung cancer on May 25, 1994, in Baja, California, at age 55, leaving a legacy of 11 solo albums and unparalleled session contributions over four decades.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• Gale skipped junior high school to focus on music and visited John Coltrane's home for jam sessions after high school, shaping his style.[3][5]
• He majored in chemistry and earned an MS from Niagara University but turned down a PhD and work with Frank Sinatra on 'My Way' to pursue music full-time.[4][5]
• Gale produced the funky Negril album in Jamaica with Peter Tosh on rhythm guitar, one of Tosh's last projects post-Wailers.[2][3]
• He played on over 600 singles and albums, including Grammy-winning Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack and Michael Jackson's Bad.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• John Coltrane - inspiration from jam sessions at his home (high school jam sessions) [1950s]
• King Curtis - early recommender for studio work (session work) [1960s]
• Jimmy Smith - early collaborator who recommended him (albums in 1960s) [1960s]

Key Collaborators

• Stuff (Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Gordon Edwards, Steve Gadd) - co-founder and member of jazz-funk supergroup (Stuff (1976), More Stuff (1977), Live Stuff (1978), Stuff It (1979)) [1976-1980]
• Grover Washington Jr. - CTI session guitarist (albums including 'Just the Two of Us') [1970s]
• Peter Tosh - produced and collaborated on reggae-funk album (Negril (1975)) [1975]
• Billy Joel - session musician (52nd Street (1978)) [1978]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia