This is the second time that Al Di Meola, usually associated with electric fusion musculature or Mediterranean passions, has delved into the Beatles songbook, and for the second time it has worked surprisingly well. Di Meola wisely doesn’t try to reconstruct the moods of the Fab Four (although he does bring in the moody reeds for “Strawberry Fields Forever”), instead using the well -known songs as launching pads into his own world view. The album cover, a juxtaposition of the guitarist recreating John Lennon’s Rock and Roll album with a flamenco guitar pose is a perfect reflection of the maestro’s attitude.
At times, Di Meola goes it alone, playing a wide swath of guitars and supporting himself on bass and percussion on a gently Latin rocking take of “Here Comes The Sun” with some nice electric licks, and is intimate and acoustic on a delicate read of “Yesterday”. A trip to Argentina gives a Piazzolla-tango’d take of “Hey Jude” with Fausto Beccalossi’s accordion and Hernan Romero’s Chaka drums. Strings gently support on an Abbey Road medley of a “Golden Slumbers Suite” and Middle Eastern/Indian harmonics and percussion are juxtaposed with brass on a wondrously creative take of “Norwegian Wood”. Di Meola gives some folk themes with gentle brass support on “Mother Nature’s Son” and “Your Mother Should Know”. All throughout, Di Meola provides a perfect mix of supplying his patented “hand is quicker than the eye” chops along with Latin Corner romance, perfectly melded on a take of “I’ll Follow The Sun” with Randy Brecker on trumpet.
With McLaughlin in semi-retirement due to arthritis, and Coryell passed on, Di Meola is the last of the 70’s fusion guitarists to carry the torch, and he runs with it like a true Olympian.