GUITARIST AL DI MEOLA WILL PERFORM AT ALFREDO KRAUS AUDITORIUM IN HIS ONLY CONCERT IN SPAIN

2009-03-16

GUITARIST AL DI MEOLA WILL PERFORM AT ALFREDO KRAUS AUDITORIUM IN HIS ONLY CONCERT IN SPAIN

Prestigious guitarist Al Di Meola will play next March 21st at 9:00 PM in the Symphonic Room at Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. In this occasion he’ll be accompanied by Gumbi Ortiz and percussionist Peter Kazsas, Peo Alfonsi’s classical guitar, Eszter Horgas’s flute and Victor Miranda at the bass.

In the concert, the only one in Spain this year, Di Meola will present his particular ‘World Sinfonia’, a work where he fusions different rhythms from Latin America, Africa, tango and Middle east scales with jazz harmonies. This concert is sponsored by La Caja de Canarias’ social work.

Al Di Meola got interest in drums at the age of five, and two years later for guitar, which he played in children orchestras. Attracted by country music and spelled by the picking style of Doc Watson, he was ment to be a rival to Chet Atkins, but when he was sixteen, he heard Larry Coryell, and changed his mind. Fascinated by this guitarist, he followed his performances through different New York clubs, that’s how he strained relations with him.

He attended the Berklee College of Music of Boston: he left the classrooms to join the Barry Miles’s Quintet and afterwards resumed his studies, focusing on arrangements. His reputation was heard by Chick Corea, who in 1974 contacted him to replace Bill Connors in the orchestra Corea conducted along with Stanley Clarke, Return to Forever was a glorious debut.

Since 1976 tours came after the albums and Di Meola rubbed shoulders with jazz-rock celebrities (Jan Hammer, Steve Gadd, Jaco Pastorius, Mingo Lewis) and with guitar superstars: with veteran Les Paul, Paco de Lucía and John McLaughlin, who he joined in a worldwide well-known trio in the early 80’s.

Considered as ‘the guitarist faster than his own shadow’, Di Meola decided that he had nothing else to demonstrate in this respect, so he made sobriety vows: his music became less cerebral, more elaborated, and it appealed to electronic instrumentation (especially keyboards). Al Di Meola sets off a second career, supported by a promising maturity.

His performances are intimate, not largely exhibited, as the case of McLaughlin and Larry Coryell. His audacious harmonic and rhythmic search, the profuse density, the brilliant inspiration and the exotic sensuality of his speech grant his art a peculiar signature.

Some of the great musicians who Al Di Meola has recorded with are: Chick Corea, Luciano Pavarotti, Paco De Lucía, Paul Simon, Phil Collins, Santana, Jonh McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Steve Winwood, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jaco Pastorius, Les Paul, Jean Luc Ponty, Steve Vai, Frank Zappa, Milton Naciemento, Egberto Gismonti, Jimmy Page, Tony Williams, Stanley Clarke, Steve Wonders, Irakere…

In his album ‘World Sinfonia’ and in ‘Heart of the inmigrant´s’ as well, he evokes melodies and rhythms influenced by Argentinean tango musician Astor Piazzolla. Al Di Meola has recorded 21 albums, and has been awarded many times, including three golden long plays, he has sold over six millions of albums.

Tickets for the concert are available at: Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30 h, Monday to Friday; and from 10:00 to 14:00 h on Saturdays. By Internet at Cajatique - La Caja de Canarias and by calling: 902 405 504.

2009-03-16
GUITARIST AL DI MEOLA WILL PERFORM AT ALFREDO KRAUS AUDITORIUM IN HIS ONLY CONCERT IN SPAIN
	Prestigious guitarist Al Di Meola will play next March 21st at 9:00 PM in the Symphonic Room at Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. In this occasion he’ll be accompanied by Gumbi Ortiz and percussionist Peter Kazsas, Peo Alfonsi’s classical guitar, Eszter Horgas’s flute and Victor Miranda at the bass. In the concert, the only one in Spain this year, Di Meola will present his particular ‘World Sinfonia’, a work where he fusions different rhythms from Latin America, Africa, tango and Middle east scales with jazz harmonies. This concert is sponsored by La Caja de Canarias’ social work. Al Di Meola got interest in drums at the age of five, and two years later for guitar, which he played in children orchestras. Attracted by country music and spelled by the picking style of Doc Watson, he was ment to be a rival to Chet Atkins, but when he was sixteen, he heard Larry Coryell, and changed his mind. Fascinated by this guitarist, he followed his performances through different New York clubs, that’s how he strained relations with him. He attended the Berklee College of Music of Boston: he left the classrooms to join the Barry Miles’s Quintet and afterwards resumed his studies, focusing on arrangements. His reputation was heard by Chick Corea, who in 1974 contacted him to replace Bill Connors in the orchestra Corea conducted along with Stanley Clarke, Return to Forever was a glorious debut. Since 1976 tours came after the albums and Di Meola rubbed shoulders with jazz-rock celebrities (Jan Hammer, Steve Gadd, Jaco Pastorius, Mingo Lewis) and with guitar superstars: with veteran Les Paul, Paco de Lucía and John McLaughlin, who he joined in a worldwide well-known trio in the early 80’s. Considered as ‘the guitarist faster than his own shadow’, Di Meola decided that he had nothing else to demonstrate in this respect, so he made sobriety vows: his music became less cerebral, more elaborated, and it appealed to electronic instrumentation (especially keyboards). Al Di Meola sets off a second career, supported by a promising maturity. His performances are intimate, not largely exhibited, as the case of McLaughlin and Larry Coryell. His audacious harmonic and rhythmic search, the profuse density, the brilliant inspiration and the exotic sensuality of his speech grant his art a peculiar signature. Some of the great musicians who Al Di Meola has recorded with are: Chick Corea, Luciano Pavarotti, Paco De Lucía, Paul Simon, Phil Collins, Santana, Jonh McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Steve Winwood, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jaco Pastorius, Les Paul, Jean Luc Ponty, Steve Vai, Frank Zappa, Milton Naciemento, Egberto Gismonti, Jimmy Page, Tony Williams, Stanley Clarke, Steve Wonders, Irakere… In his album ‘World Sinfonia’ and in ‘Heart of the inmigrant´s’ as well, he evokes melodies and rhythms influenced by Argentinean tango musician Astor Piazzolla. Al Di Meola has recorded 21 albums, and has been awarded many times, including three golden long plays, he has sold over six millions of albums. Tickets for the concert are available at: Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30 h, Monday to Friday; and from 10:00 to 14:00 h on Saturdays. By Internet at Cajatique - La Caja de Canarias and by calling: 902 405 504.