Al Di Meola "Live At Montreux 1986/1993" (1994)

Al Di Meola has never been a guitarist content to stay in one place. He burst onto the scene as a teenager with Return to Forever, became famous for his blazing electric fusion and then spent much of his career exploring acoustic guitar, world music and new ways of combining the two. "Live At Montreux 1986/1993" traces that restless journey through three performances at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, each one showing a different side of his artistry. The first, from 1986, is a solo acoustic set that puts his remarkable technique and compositional depth on full display, with nothing to hide behind but six strings. The second, from 1989, features the Super Guitar Trio, with Di Meola joining fellow guitar giants Larry Coryell and Biréli Lagrène for a meeting of three very different musical personalities who push one another to new heights. The final concert, from 1993, finds him in an intimate setting with guitarist Chris Carrington and percussionist Arto Tunçboyacıyan, whose rich textures and occasional vocals add an earthy, global flavor to the music. Watching all three back to back, you can hear an artist who never stopped growing and never settled for repeating himself. Seven years at one festival might not sound like much, but this collection shows how far a curious, committed musician can travel in that time.