Essential: a masterpiece of fusion music
The day I heard these three musicians, I was literally "combed back." Well, is that this concert became part of the essential in guitar history (long before fashion "unplugged").
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.
All Your Life may be the loveliest album Al Di Meola has ever done. His affection for the Beatles material that comprises the album was no doubt amplified by recording at Abbey Road Studios where the iconic foursome did the bulk of their work. In producing this tribute to the Beatles, Di Mieola remains true to his previous recorded efforts by working in the acoustic vein within which his flamenco skills allow him to find nuance in melodies like that of “In My Live” and “And I Love Her.” Yet however much he embroiders upon the melody and rhythm at the heart of such great songs, all selections are almost immediately recognizable and Di Meola never succumbs to technique for its own sake. In fact, it’s only in the wordy essay inside the digi-pak where he overstates his enthusiasm for his subjects.
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection
I like Di Meola's music and trying to see and hear him live at any possibility (to be honest, during last some years he is very regular in our side of Europe).And I like his different music - perfect early electric jazz-fusion albums, and later world -fusion with "World Sinfonia".
Two years after the demise of Return To Forever, virtuoso fusioneers Chick Corea and Al Di Meola are joined on stage by legendary drummer Tony Williams and fretless bass wunderkind Bunny Brunel. The set, mainly of Corea compositions, also features All Blues, a tribute to his former employer Miles Davis. The band is tight, the solos are state-of-the-art and the Live Under The Sky crowd are very enthusiastic. Performed at the Den-en Coliseum, Tokyo on the 27th July 1979 and originally broadcast by NHK-FM.