Al Di Meola :Flesh on Flesh

AL DI MEOLA
Flesh on Flesh

Telarc

Guitarist Al Di Meola's latest CD, Flesh on Flesh is a sensual recording that immediately conjures up the sights, tastes, smells, and sounds of Latin America, Cuba, the Caribbean, and Spain. With powerful compositions from Di Meola, Brazilian Egberto Gismonti, Argentinian Astor Piazzola, and Hispanic American jazz legend Chick Corea, Flesh on Flesh offers the energy of Di Meola's fusion outings, the sheer beauty of some of his solo guitar work, and the interesting arrangements and powerful improvisation of his best jazz-influenced work.

"Zona Desperata", the Di Meola composed opening track, gets things off to a rousing start, with a sharp horn section, Al's trademark electric guitar work as well as some nice acoustic work, the bass work of Anthony Jackson, and some standout Fender Rhodes playing by Gonzalo Rubalcaba. In short, all the elements of a wonderful musical meal are present. As the tempo picks up a little over three minutes into the piece it resembles the start of a Santana jam, but then the incredibly tight horn section kicks in and takes it somewhere else entirely. Rubalcaba is present on several tracks, and his electric piano work recalls the heyday of that instrument's use in jazz. Jackson also stands out, whether playing regular electric bass or the Fodera electric contra bass; the last time he worked with Di Meola was on the mid-'80s release Elegant Gypsy.

"Innamorata" is gorgeous without lapsing into New Age or smooth jazz territory, the result of some passionate acoustic work just the right touches from the flute and pan pipes of Alejandro Santos. The give-and-take between the guitarist and the keyboard/flute/percussion section is fugue-like and helps keep the piece balanced, turning what could easily have been an exercise in self-indulgence into a fascinating listening experience. Gismonti's "Meninas" (which means "girls" in Portoguese) is up next, played by a simple quartet comprised of Di Meola , Mario Parmisano on piano, Jackson on bass, and Santos on bass flute. "This particular tune has got to be my favorite piece of his" says Di Meola. "It's a harmonically beautiful piece that contains some of my favorite melodies." Listeners will be hard-pressed to disagree.

The title track was "inspired by the heavy Cuban culture, incredible sights, and imagery that exist in Miami where this entire project was recorded." Indeed, it offers a bouncy, vigorous feeling, and again Santos' flute work is a beautiful standout. Afro-Cuban percussionist Gumbi Ortiz adds some bubbling work on congas and cajone that add to the music's authentic quality. There's quite a bit of unison work between Di Meola and keyboardist Mario Parmisano, all carried off with great precision. At times there seems to be guitar everywhere, filling every nook and cranny left open by the rhythm section, as Di Meola's overdubbed electric and acoustic work approaches the sound of a guitar symphony. Indeed, there is plenty of variety on the album, as Di Meola plays Fender Stratocaster, a 1958 Les Paul, a Conde acoustic guitar, a Godin electro-acoustic guitar, various Ovation guitars, and the Roland VG-88 guitar system. He also works with drums and percussion, his first instrument and very likely part of the source of his rhythmic inventiveness.

Next up is Astor Piazzolla's "Fugata", which is given a bit of a twist with Ortiz again manning the percussion and Di Meola supplementing the somewhat angular tango rhythms of the piece with a looser, more Cuban approach. "What I like doing with his tunes is changing the syncopation of they rhythm" says the guitarist. It is indeed an effective approach. Once again Rubalcala and Di Meola trade solos and rhythmic jabs, holding the listener spellbound. "Fugata" leads into the brief solo excursion "Deep and Madly", featuring Di Meola on an Ovation acousti-electric guitar, the VG88, and drum programming. The piece is an effective intro to the next track, "Saffire Soleil", on which Di Meola plays the '58 Les Paul electric. "This piece reminds me of something from an avant-garde circus" says Di Meola in his liner notes, and the piece does have a certain seesaw, circus-like quality.

The last piece on the album is one that Di Meola is very familiar with, having performed it with its composer, Chick Corea, during his time with Corea's band, Return to Forever. Di Meola plays the Fender Stratocaster as well as several acoustic guitars and drums along with Jackson on bass and Mario Parmisano on acoustic piano. The piece has a neo-classic rock feel to it due to the rhythm Di Meola employs at the drum kit, but still retains something of its original Latin feel owing to the fierce flamenco-style acoustic strumming he employs. It's an interesting take on the piece, but of all the work on this album, this is perhaps the least inspiring track, with a rhythm that feels a bit canned. Still, Flesh on Flesh is an overall triumph, bringing together the various styles in which Di Meola has worked over the years into a satisfying whole that's as tasty as a good paella and should be of interest to guitar fans, Latin music fans, and jazz fans in equal number.