Jazz Articles about Al Di Meola

Al Di Meola: One Of These Nights

by Mark Sabbatini
March 24, 2005

Al Di MeolaOne of These Nights Music Video Distributors 2005

Guitarist Al Di Meola proved it's possible to evolve from raw groundbreaking fusion to mellow contemporary arrangements and still excel. His 2005 concert DVD One Of These Nights takes the concept to a visual level, offering a minimalist view of an exceptional performance instead of capturing viewers by showing off.

DI Meola works a range between chamber music and symphonic rock, all ...

Al Di Meola: Live at Montreux 1986/1993

by Jerry D'Souza
February 1, 2005

Al Di Meola Live at Montreux 1986/1993 Eagle Eye Media 2004

Al Di Meola has been a contrast in terms of music. He has taken his guitar into various streams with different levels of success. His playing has been marked with a gentle lyrical air just as it has been infiltrated with an abundance of technique; the latter at times at the expense of an emotional connect. The two performances captured here show both ...

Dance of the Infidels: Some Jazz Musicians Take Aim at Critics

by Marshall Bowden
March 29, 2003

There have been a couple of incidents recently of jazz musicians striking back at critics who they feel have wronged them that have gained some degree of notoriety, at least in the small circle of people who are avid jazz fans or who actually read jazz criticism. While it is not new for musicians and critics to be at loggerheads, the particularly vitriolic nature of the responses in these cases seems shocking, at least at first glance. ...

Al Di Meola: Flesh on Flesh

by Dave Nathan
September 1, 2002

Pioneering fusion of rock and jazz more than 25 years ago, guitarist/composer/arranger Al Di Meola continues to bring his special brand of music to the recording studio. For his third CD for the Telarc label, the electric guitarist has put together a play of list of eight melodies, five of which he wrote. One of the more interesting is “Innamorata" which features jagged rhythms interspersed among long lyrical lines produced by a wide variety of instruments, including different guitar models ...

Al Di Meola: Flesh on Flesh

by C. Michael Bailey
August 13, 2002

Virtuosity

Al Di Meola has successfully meandered through Fusion as the wunderkind guitarist for Return to Forever, as fellow guitar god with John McLaughlin, and a long journey through acoustic would music. His releases have become progressively more plushly produced and engineered to the point that every release is digital perfection. In spite of this impressive, although completely contrived landscape, Di Meola’s sheer technique and musicianship cannot be denied and there is little to not recommend this disc . Flesh ...

Al Di Meola: Anthology

by John W. Patterson
November 1, 2001

Okay, okay — he’s fast, he’s suave, slick, and oh so technically clean. Di Meola’s furious, flamenco, fandango, fusion guitar work stands alone. Very few have really ever gained exact echoes of his style. That muted percussive staccato riffage with explosive lead breaks and sudden stop-n-go colorings of tone and note texture have always been impressive.Most folks came to know “Al D” via Return To Forever. He replaced Bill Connors. This gave a RTF a very different feel ...

Al Di Meola and World Sinfonia: The Grande Passion

by Todd S. Jenkins
May 1, 2001

Another luxuriant, sensual and romantic project by a master of the acoustic guitar. Di Meola has worked the “World Sinfonia” concept several times, and it seems to have reached a new peak with The Grande Passion. This disc is on a par with Oregon’s recent orchestral project, Oregon In Moscow , and may well surpass it for sheer splendor. The guitarist weaves arousing tapestries that fuse jazz, world and classical musics seamlessly, all annealed by his skittering, flamenco-inspired lines.

Concentrating ...