AL DI MEOLA - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Dumbek, Percussion,
Arranger, Cymbals, Keyboards, Timpani, Bombo, Drum Programming,
Tarbuka, Klong Rammana, Roland VG8
GONZALO RUBALCABA - Fender Rhodes, Soloist
ALEJANDRO SANTOS - Flute, Bass Flute, Pan Pipes
ERNIE ADAMS - Drums
ANTHONY JACKSON - Electric & Double Bass
GUMBI ORTIZ - Conga
MARIO PARMISANO - Synthesizer, Piano, Arranger, Calliope, Marimba, Synthesizer Piano
JEAN VALDES - Alto Saxophone
GUILLERMO RUIZ - Alto Saxophone
ROBERT WOODS - Executive Producer
MARK "Anarchy" LEE - Engineer, Assistant Engineer
ROGER NICOLS - Engineer, Mastering
GERMÁN ORTIZ - Engineer
ANILDA CARRASQUILLO - Art Direction, Design
PETER ZANDER - Photography
Ever since he burst on the scene as a teenage member of the fusion
group Return to Forever, Al Di Meola has reigned as a guitar god in
jazz, flamenco, and world music circles. Those genres are well
represented on this disc, with guests Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba,
flutist Alejandro Santos, and World Sinfonia members Gumbi Ortiz
(percussion) and Mario Parmisano (keyboards). While Di Meola's
lightning licks are still in effect, they are tempered by Old World,
classically tinged settings with a dash of '70s-style fusion. Chick
Corea's "Señor Mouse" is elegantly reworked, and "Fugata" by the
Argentine tango master Astor Piazzolla retains cool and complex
contrapuntal lines. Di Meola plays a number of guitars on this date,
from a 1958 Les Paul to an Ovation model, but it's all Al Di Meola and
it's all good.
Eugene Holley Jr. - Amazon.com
Die Verdichtung von akustischer Tongebung und elektronischer Eleganz:
Das war schon immer Meolas Ding, damit glänzt der 48-jährige
Gitarrenvirtuose aus New Jersey seit Dekaden. Flesh On Flesh ist wieder
so ein Exemplar: Mit Ausnahmebassist Anthony Jackson und Meolas
Haus-und-Hof-Percussionist Gumbi Ortiz herrscht höchste
rhythmische Brillanz, in einer komplexen Umgebung aus (im weitesten
Sinne) spanischer Folklore und Kunstmusik, aus Rock und Jazz, aus
klassisch avantgardistischer Melodieführung und Satztechnik. Flesh
On Flesh ist ein temporeiches Album, voller Dramatik und
Stimmungswechsel. Es ist eine Häufung kontrapunktischer Artistik,
die von treibenden Groove-/Solopassagen oder von lyrischer Kammermusik
unterbrochen wird. Wie so oft bei Meola wirkt vieles in seinen
ausgetüftelten Kompositionen wirr und überladen: Special
Guest Gonzalo Rubalcaba bedient zwei Mal das Fender Rhodes, was ihm
nicht steht, und niemand weiß, warum bei zwei Saxofonen und einer
Trompete das Keyboard noch schlechte synthetische Bläsersätze
einflicht. Abgesehen davon gehört Flesh To Flesh zum Besten, was
Meola in den letzten Jahren produziert hat. Frei von aufgeblasenen
Sentimentalitäten greift er ins Volle: mit guten Themen,
intelligenten und diffizilen Arrangements, stilistischer und
klanglicher Raffinesse. Über allem steht Meolas
berühmt-berüchtigter Gitarrenwahn: Der Fusionhero der
70er-Jahre (Chick Corea, Return To Forever) gehört zu den
Allerbesten der Welt, seine Rhythmik ist berauschend, die Spieltechnik
haarsträubend, und seine Musik trägt stets den eigensinnigen
Charakter eines hochversierten Individualisten.
Katharina Lohmann - Amazon.de
While some might mistake the album's title as Flash on Flesh, due to Al
Di Meola's previous predilection towards frenzied fretboard fireworks,
the guitarist has calmed down since his early years where it seemed
like he was playing as if paid by the note. Though he still shoots off
lighting runs with disconcerting aplomb, Di Meola now harnesses that
energy in less frantic settings. World music, folk, electronic, and the
Spanish/Latin staccato style he practically patented, fluently blend on
the guitarist's first release in three years. The styles connect in
"Zona Desperata," the nearly 10-minute leadoff track where Di Meola
pulls out all his tricks in a frisky, passionate and unpredictable
ear-popping display that changes direction faster than a mosquito at a
campfire. Working with both electric and acoustic sounds -- often on
the same track -- the album shifts gears to include romantic covers
from Egberto Gismonti and Astor Piazzolla. A scorching, funky version
of Chick Corea's "Senor Mouse" (with Di Meola overdubbing himself on
rather basic drums and three guitars) that he first tackled on 1977's
Casino, connects the dots from his early years. Guests include bassist
Anthony Jackson, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and flautist Alejandro
Santos, who push the guitarist to provide some of his most fluid and
intricate and sincere playing. Whether you're after flash or flesh, Al
Di Meola delivers the fusion goods on this eclectic yet cohesive
release.