John McLaughlin - Steel & Nylon-string Acoustic Guitars
Paco De Lucia - Steel & Nylon-string Acoustic Guitars
Al Di Meola - Steel & Nylon-string Acoustic Guitars
Bob Belden - Reissue producer
Bill Milkowski - Liner notes
Mark Wilder - Digital Mastering
Seth Rothstein - Project Coordinator
Howard Fritzson - Art Direction
Tom Copi - Photography
Randall Martin - Reissue Design
Rene Arsenault - Production Assistant
Very few albums really deserve the status of being called "classic";
this, however, is one of them. Recorded live one night, just as it
happened, Friday Night in San Francisco is a meeting of acoustic guitar
giants. The chemistry between these three guitar players is
electrifying. Starting with the flamenco virtuosity of "Mediterranean
Sundance/Rio Ancho," we are treated to the emotional intensity of Al Di
Meola, the rhythmic complexity of Paco de Lucia and the sheer technical
brilliance and speed of John McLaughlin. "Short Tales of the Black
Forest" has McLaughlin and Di Meola navigating a tight
call-and-response pattern on this Chick Corea-penned tune. Not only is
it a staggering speedfest, they slam strings, smack the sides of their
guitars, and scratch their picks up the length of their strings. Midway
through, they quote from Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther" theme, before
breaking into the most complex 12-bar blues ever recorded. Next up,
DeLucia and McLaughlin demonstrate picked and freehand style
traditional flamenco guitar licks with dizzying speed and empathy. All
three masters take the stage for the nearly nine-minute "Fantasia
Suite," in which they play musical toss the ball. The album ends
strangely (as it originally did) with a studio track that the three
guitarists recorded after the fact in a studio in White Plains, New
York. In spite of its non-live context, "Guardian Angel" contains a
hell of lot of fire and brimstone, with an added crispness to the sound
thanks to the controlled studio setting. The final proof is in the
listening. An essential recording, if ever there were one.
Lahri Bond (Amherst, MA), Dirty Linen
"Ein Muß für die Plattensammlung jedes Akustikgitarren-Fans.
..Perlend,metallisch,so,wie hart angerissene Stahlseiten eben
klingen,bringt die CD Gitarrenklänge zu Gehör."
P.Heinisch in stereoplay 10/83
Mediterranean heritages proud by opening with a medley of romantic
tunes. Their fiery acoustic guitar interplay sets the tone for an album
that is full of technique and passion from three acclaimed players who
mesh wonderfully. McLaughlin and Di Meola have some fun with hick
Corea's "Short Tales of the Black Forest", as a "Pink Panther" theme
quote segues into a slow blues. Regrettably, several quiet moments are
marred by noisy audience members.