VINIL MOV Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy

[AllMusic] Guitarist Al di Meola's second record as a leader is generally an explosive affair, although it does have a fair amount of variety. With Jan Hammer or Barry Miles on keyboards, electric bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Lenny White (Steve Gadd takes his place on the "Elegant Gypsy Suite"), and percussionist Mingo Lewis on most of the selections, di Meola shows off his speedy and rock-ish fusion style. He was still a member of Return to Forever at the time and was a stronger guitarist than composer, but di Meola did put a lot of thought into this music. The brief "Lady of Rome, Sister of Brazil" (an acoustic guitar solo) and "Mediterranean Sundance" (an acoustic duet with fellow guitarist Paco de Lucía) hints at di Meola's future directions. A near classic in the fusion vein.

[SPUTNIK] What truly shines on this record is the varied, textured soundscapes presented with each track. There is an eclectic cohesion of styles at hand. The jaw-dropping flamenco acoustic guitar on 'Mediterranean Sundance' gives off an iridescent aura, one of a Greek coastal city basking in the sparse, pastel-purple light of the early evening. On the other hand, the opening bass line to the album’s lead track 'Flight Over Rio' could easily have been snaked into a Tool song, its dark effect pulsating through a chaparral scene of sound.

The instrumentation, as with many other jazz fusion groups, is nothing short of phenomenally top-notch. The shredding, abrasive guitar slithering through the album's best track and centerpiece 'Race With Devil on Spanish Highway' never misses a beat, never falters for a second. An interlude of faultless guitar and drum synching segues into a beautiful bass-driven groove as Al works exquisite magic with his instrument, for this track feature some of the best guitar tones you're likely to find in any variety of music. The entire rhythm section on 'Midnight Tango' are as prevalent as they are anonymous, perfectly complimenting one another, as well as with regards to DiMeola's wildly cascading guitar lead. Beauty unmatched abounds to no limit on the short but oh-so-sweet song 'Lady of Rome, Sister of Brazil.' The dueling acoustic guitars lull one with the strength of a child's nursery rhyme, ultimately progressing into a relaxed, almost jam-like quality. The ambience given off by those guitars is unbelievable, as if the entire ensemble is present.