Elegant Al Di Meola

Loose and spontaneous, this (mainly) live album is a meeting of three of the greatest guitarists in the world for an acoustic summit the likes of which the guitar-playing community rarely sees. Broken up into three duo and two trio performances, Friday Night in San Francisco catches all three players at the peaks of their quite formidable powers.

"Elysium" is the climax of this process so far. The artist has arrived where he always wanted to be. He himself thinks of Elysium as a "place of perfect happiness". A paradise where acoustic and electric components, triumphant rock and finely entwined jazz, delicate and pumping rhythms, guitars and keyboards, wide panoramas of rock and diaphanous carpets of sound come together in harmony. In this magical Elysium, everyone complements each other. Al Di Meola has brought together a five piece band with no bass. While he plays all the guitar parts himself, both acoustic and electric, including unbelievably fast and elegant riffs and effervescent rocking chords, three keyboard players and pianists provide shades of colour.

Too some, Al di Meola is best known for is shredding guitar work as part of Return to Forever, and also his early solo albums. But di Meola has always had an interest in flamenco styled acoustic playing ("Mediterranean Sundance" off of Elegant Gypsy, anyone?) — which is the six-string style that he fully embraces on his 2007 release, Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar, Vol. 1: Music of Astor Piazzolla…

This is a five classic albums CD box set with the original artworked 'mini LP' CD wallets in deluxe packaging. It contains the albums Land of The Midnight Sun, Elegant Gypsy, Casino, Splendido Hotel and Electric Rendezvous.

"The Privilege of Power" is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1990.[1] It was more experimental than their previous work, being an attempt at a concept album and also including a horn section on some of the tracks. "Racing with the Devil on a Spanish Highway" is a cover of an Al Di Meola instrumental track from the album Elegant Gypsy (1977). "Killer" is about convicted killer Jeffrey R. MacDonald and features a guest vocal appearance by Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen).

Since the 70s, Steve Gadd has pretty much seen it and done it all, and recognized as one of the most influential drummers of the modern era, spanning numerous musical genres. His slippery cross-sticking between the hi-hat and snare drum amid new ways and means to generate a funk groove, along with his famous drum solo on the title track of Steely Dan's 1977 landmark album "Aja," are just a few noteworthy accreditations of a distinguished career. For example, he's performed on seminal jazz fusion albums for guitarist Al Di Meola and keyboardist Chick Corea while navigating tricky time signatures with the greatest of ease. Thus 70 Strong is a celebration of his 70th birthday as he performs with an all-star crew on an album that is a bit more up-tempo and briskly in the pocket than the rather discreet and probing, Gattitude (BFM Jazz, 2013).