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Al Di Meola: The Infinite Desire

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Al Di Meola
Title: The Infinite Desire
Released: 1998
Label: Telarc Jazz
Time: 63:24
Producer(s): Al Di Meola, Hernan Romero
Appears with: Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty, Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin
Category: Jazz
Rating: ******.... (6/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  1999
Price in €: 19,99
Web address: www.aldimeola.com

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Beyond The Mirage (Di Meola) - 7:18
[2] Shaking The Spirits (Di Meola) - 6:30
[3] Vizzini (Di Meola) - 4:54
[4] In My Mother's Eyes (Memory Of... (Di Meola) - 4:41
[5] Infinite Desire (Daniele/Di Meola) - 5:26
[6] Invention Of The Monsters (Di Meola) - 3:06
[7] Istanbul (Di Meola) - 8:00
[8] Azzura (Di Meola) - 2:55
[9] Big Sky Azzura (Di Meola) - 6:07
[10] Race With The Devil On Turkish... (Di Meola) - 4:03
[11] Valentina (Di Meola) - 4:44
[12] Infinite Desire (Daniele/Di Meola) - 5:27

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Al Di Meola - Vocals, Organ, Acoustic, Electric & Nylon-string Guitar, Harp, Synthesizer, Percussion, Marimba, Trumpet, Accordion, Arranger, Cymbals, Fretless Bass

Steve Vai - Guitar
Peter Erskine - Drums
Herbie Hancock - Piano
John Patitucci - Electric & Acoustic Bass
Rachel Z - Keyboards, Programming, Sound Design
Ernie Adams - Drums
Tom Kennedy - Acoustic Bass
Gumbi Ortiz - Percussion, Conga
Mario Parmisano - Keyboards
Pino Daniele - Vocals

Goh Hotoda - Engineer
Bob Ludwig - Mastering
Robert Woods - Executive Producer
Tim Hale - Photography
Bill Milkowski - Liner Notes
Anilda Carrasquillo - Art Direction, Design
Spyros Poulos - Programming, Engineer, Sound Design
Rich Tozzoli - Digital Editing
Brian Garten - Assistant Engineer

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Recorded at Chung King Studios and Right Track, New York, New York from February to May 1998. Includes liner notes by Al Di Meola and Bill Milkowski.

One of the key tracks on this album by seminal fusion guitarist Di Meola was inspired by the work of its namesake, Italian painter Andrea Vizzini, who is a great inspiration to Di Meola. With the help of great players like Steve Vai, (Weather Report vet) Peter Erskine and Herbie Hancock, Di Meola attempts to construct aural interpretations of Vizzini's canvases. Di Meola is nobody's technophobe, so in addition to delicately played acoustic guitar and piano, many tunes here feature sampling technology and looped-sounding rhythm tracks. Most of the music here will appeal to fans of smooth/contemporary jazz a la Lee Ritenour or Bob James. The '70s fire-breathing Di Meola has given way to a more contemplative artist, who explores subtleties of tone and harmony, but once in a while he still busts out with some furious fretwork, just to let you know he hasn't lost the knack. He even ventures perilously close to the realm of straight-ahead jazz on "Invention of the Monsters," which features some characteristically challenging guitar acrobatics



With the help of new generations of guitar synthesizers and samplers, The Infinite Desire finds a mature, lyrical, more expressive Al Di Meola casting his lot with Telarc, which until the late '90s had concentrated its attentions upon aging acoustic jazzers. Indeed, he makes marvelously musical use of the new devices, creating sensuous, exotic layers of sound that lay easily upon the ear, without much of the usual harshness of digital instruments generated by those who haven't bothered to master them. "Shaking the Spirits" in particular is a fascinating piece, loaded with dazzling Middle Eastern and African colorations, and the sampled trumpet sound he gets on "Valentina" is astoundingly lifelike. Also, DiMeola's playing became more unabashedly fluid in the '90s; on the closest thing to a straight-ahead track, "Invention of the Monsters," DiMeola's electric guitar curls intricately and swingingly around the bass of Tom Kennedy, Ernie Adams' drums and some synthesized brass. DiMeola's co-conspirators change from track to track, although two who figure a lot in the sound and package are keyboardist Rachel Z (a former DiMeola sidewoman) and bassist John Patitucci. Also check out Herbie Hancock on acoustic grand and Peter Erskine's drums on "Istanbul," and DiMeola's fairly good-natured duel with rock guitarist Steve Vai on "Race With Devil on Turkish Highway."

Richard S. Ginell, All-Music Guide



Al Di Meola vereint, was sich nach landläufiger Vorstellung ausschließt: "The Infinite Desire" geht so leicht ins Ohr, daß es möglich ist, nebenbei zu bügeln, zu kochen oder Zeitung zu lesen - und ist doch so komplex, daß man sich bei analytischem Hören vor Überraschungen kaum retten kann. Diese Ethno-Fusion arbeitet mit verrückten Klängen wie Samples ans Ufer plätschender Wellen. Und Heavy Metal-Sounds treffen auf Ethnisches aus Indien, Nahost und Afrika. Ein Meisterstück, das zudem nahezu perfekt klingt.

© Audio



DIE AUDIOPHILE Eine lange Wegstrecke durch das Grenzland zwischen Jazz und Pop hat der "Elegant Gypsy" Al Di Meola im letzten Vierteljahrhundert zurückgelegt. Und immer wieder gelingt es dem Italoamerikaner, in neues Klangterrain vorzustoßen. Mit einem neuen Plattenvertrag in der Tasche (beim audiophil gepolten Klassik- und Jazzlabel Telarc) folgt er seiner unendlichen Sehnsucht ("Infinite Desire") nach einer Hightech-Produktion, in der seine Fingerfertigkeit mit den aktuellsten Errungenschaften der Studio- und Samplingtechnik eine glückliche Verbindung eingehen kann - ohne daß der gewinnende Charme seiner vielgerühmten Akustikprojekte dabei auf der Strecke bleibt. So reißt Saitenwirbler Al Di Meola hier den Hörer in einen Strudel schillernder Klangfarben, vertrackter Rhythmen und pfeilschneller Läufe. Wie bei einer Achterbahnfahrt geht es mal mit gitarristischen Geschwindigkeitshexereien in lichte virtuose Höhen, dann wieder darf man in einem lyrisch-melodischen Tal verweilen. Ein Team ausgefuchster Telac-Tontechniker hielt jedes Detail fest, als Al Di Meola mit Band (u.a. Rachel Z, Piano, John Patitucci, Baß, Peter Erskine, Drums) das raffinierte "Beyond The Mirage" (vom letzten Trioalbum mit John McLaughlin und Paco de Lucia) elektrifizierte, als er in "Race With Devil On Turkish Highway" den Guitar Hero Steve Vai zum Duell forderte oder im Titelstück den neapolitanischen Stimmvulkan Pino Danielle ans Mikrofon bat. Elektrisierend, herzergreifend ist diese Musik. ** M: 9-10

© Stereoplay



Although I have only been familiar with Al Di Meola since the release of Orange and Blue a few years back, and have only a heard a few other of his releases, including this, The Infinte Desire, I can verily say that Di Meola is not your generic, run of the mill jazz artist. While so many new artists are beginning to sound the same, most noticably among saxophonists, it seems it is the jazz guitarists that blaze the trails. Think of John Scofield, Craig Chaquico, and Russ Freeman (but a few - other - examples) - neither of these gentlemen sound the same and none of them sound like Al Di Meola. Oh, sure there's going to be similiar tones, if they are playing like guitars - the guitars themselves have their own character - but Chaquico's style of play, Di Meola's style of play, etc., is so distinctive. But, even beyond that, Di Meola has a very progressive spirit to his music, exploring interesting sonic territories at every turn. The music on this album is inspired by the paintings of Italian artist Andrea Vizzini - his work is sprinkled through out the booklet, and is the cover for the album. Here, as on other releases, Di Meola's guitar tones are often warm, even as he's racing up and down the fretboard. Acoustic guitars tend to be warmer than electric anyway, but also note choice and sequence plays a big factor. Di Meola plays both here, mainly Gibson electrics; the only acoustic named is the Ovation. Playing with Di Meola on this set are Mario Parmisiano on piano and keyboards, Tom Kennedy on bass, Rachel Z on piano, Gumbi Ortiz playing congas and percussion, Ernie Adams on drums, as well as guests such as Herbie Hancock, Steve Vai, John Patitucci, and Peter Erksine, among others. The music here is so sonically rich that it takes several listens to even begin to take it in. On "Valentina" for example, bright guitar lines are overlaid upon a brassy, sweet trumpet (a VG8 sample, but I had to read the production notes to tell), deep, resonating bass lines, gentle cymbal works, and subtle keyboard phrases. "Race with Devil on Turkish Highway" is a speedy jazz track that is closer to progressive rock than anything else on the album - both Di Meola and Vai smoke here, as implied by the title of the piece (a follow up/sequel/companion to "Race With the Devil on Spanish Highway" from 1977's Elegant Gypsy). Gentle piano and soft flute notes over vocalizations give "Shaking the Spirits" a very ethereal quality. When Di Meola's clear, warm acoustic notes join in, the music swirls around, caressing in a knowing way - your ancestors have come to check in on you, reassuring themselves you're doing okay. There are so many elements taking part in this track and yet it is extremly cohesive. "Vizzini" has an air of familiarity about it, though I can't quite place it. The arrangement is open, sparing in its instrumentation - guitar, bass, piano and keys, and light percussion. Kennedy coaxes some interesting rhythms from his bass, as the tempo and complexity are ramped up - vaque Middle-Eastern patterns emerge and submerge throughout. As this is Di Meola's Telarc debut (recent past discs have been on the Blue Moon label), the liner notes not only speak of Di Meola in terms of this disk, but in general terms, refering to Di Meola as a "bona fide guitar hero." That he is, and this is just one more piece of evidence. Recommended.

Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, October 1999
www.progressiveworld.net - Your Ultimate Guide To Progressive Music
 

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