Al Di Meola: Consequence of Chaos

Al Di Meola, the Jersey-born virtuoso guitarist who starred in the fusion supergroup Return to Forever, has bounced back and forth between acoustic and electric music throughout his career. For his latest, Consequence of Chaos, Di Meola mixes electric-guitar workouts with some acoustic numbers. The album is a mixture of funk, fusion and world music, and Di Meola has his well-known imprint all over each song. Drummer Steve Gadd is a special guest, as is Di Meola’s old Return to Forever bandmate Chick Corea.

“Turquoise,” a romantic comment, features strong call and response. “Africana Suite” features Di Meola’s fabulous guitar work laid on top of a slow carnival beat. “Hypnose,” though brief in time, is poetic and compelling; so is “Just Three Words.” Di Meola moves in and out of various styles, while trying “to integrate the newest technology with spirited playing,” he has said. Consequence of Chaos is clearly a building block for more great exploratory work in this realm, as one of music’s most interesting guitarists keeps pace with the times.

Originally Published November 1, 2006