Definitive Listening Desert Island Collection
The high octane second album “Elegant Gypsy” from guitarist Al di Meola finds him taking a nod from the band Return to Forever for which he was still a member. An incredibly strong guitarist, this album is exceptionally rock-ish with blazing solos built on the fusion jazz genre. His later recordings became a bit more tempered and mature , but the playing with the like of keyboardist Jan Hammer, electric bassist Anthony Jackson, and drummer Lenny White, along with percussionist Mingo Lewis all who help show off their technical prowess. There are some hints of di Meola’s future direction with the brief “Lady of Rome, Sister of Brazil,” an acoustic guitar solo, plus “Mediterranean Sundance,” which is an acoustic duet with fellow guitarist Paco de Lucía. The release is so high energy that it is a perfect addition to your Desert Island Collection. However, you’ll probably also want to pick up his following albums “Casino” and “Splendido Hotel” too.
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About the Author
Wesley is a lifelong music enthusiast. He started his career in the recording industry in New York City as an audio engineer, producer, and studio manager. Subsequently he toured across America as a guitarist with the short-lived band Land's Crossing. After many years in the technology sector and amassing a substantial vinyl and CD collection, he delved into immersive audio and created Hi-Res Edition to share with other listeners about the sound quality and discrete mixes available on many formats. He recently upgraded his system to 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos and continues to seek out and share about the best sounding releases.
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