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Al Di Meola: Flesh on Flesh

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Al Di Meola
Title: Flesh on Flesh
Released: 2002.08.26
Label: Telarc Jazz
Time: 50:47
Producer(s): Al Di Meola
Appears with: Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty, Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin
Category: Jazz
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2002.09.24
Price in €: 13,99
Web address: www.aldimeola.com

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Zona Desperata (A.Di Meola) - 9:25
[2] Innamorata (A.Di Meola) - 8:38
[3] Meninas (D.Gismonti) - 5:43
[4] Flesh on Flesh (A.Di Meola) - 5:56
[5] Fugata (A.Piazzolla) - 5:46
[6] Deep and Madly (A.Di Meola) - 1:45
[7] Saffire Soleil (A.Di Meola) - 4:10
[8] Señor Mouse (C.Corea) - 9:24

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


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

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2002 CD Telarc 83543



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.

Hal Horowitz - August 27, 2002
CDNOW Contributing Writer
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