The Vagabonds

Just Below the Radar on the Outskirts of History


New York City jazz saxophonist and author Thomas Gambino was a member of The Vegetables, the rock band that accompanied the Joffrey Ballet during its 1974 tour of the then-Soviet Union and the first American rock group to visit that country. Gambino’s startling account of that trip was published by Prentice-Hall in 1976, and it created a First Amendment stir when the Kissinger State Department attempted to censor the manuscript. But Gambino’s tale prior to that trip is compelling, too, as are the subsequent events that shaped his life.


In The Vagabonds: A Musician’s Odyssey, Thom pays homage to those family members who came before him, and he offers an insightful history refresher course to assist the reader in understanding his trek fully. Thom also interviewed many of his friends and musical associates for their recollections, many of which have relevance in modern political and musical history. Gambino’s memoir describes his wife Lorry’s rise to a position at The New York Times and chronicles the lives of their children and grandchildren as they pursue careers in music, acting, advertising, education, law enforcement, business and fashion design. You’ll meet the famous, the near-famous, and the should-be-famous. As Thom states, “I’ve had a career just below the radar on the outskirts of history.”