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
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.
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
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