Comparing early Al di Meola dates like Land of the Midnight Sun and
Casino to his albums of the 1990s, it's clear how much his playing has
softened. The exceptional World Sinfonia, an entirely acoustic CD, makes
it clear that what hasn't changed is his unpredictable, spontaneous
nature. Di Meola's right-hand man throughout this highly introspective
date is the soulful bandonean player Dino Saluzzi, with whom he enjoys
an undeniably strong rapport. A long-time lover of world music, di Meola
incorporates South American, Spanish, and Middle Eastern elements, and
makes Argentine tango a very high priority. The improvisor's reverence
for Argentina's musical heritage is especially evident on Astor
Piazzola's haunting "Tango Suite" and di Meola's soul-bearing ode to the
tango legend, "Last Tango for Astor." But World Sinfonia's standout track and
most pleasant surprise of all is a 12-minute interpretation of Chick
Corea's 1975 Return to Forever classic "No Mystery," which works quite
well in an acoustic setting. Alex Henderson
Chris Carrington - Classical Guitar
