[Review] Al Di Meola: Tour de Force – Live (1982)
Six live songs from the fastest six-string shooter in the West.
Kronomyth 7: An elegant gypsy on the road.
This feels more like a contractual obligation than a celebration of Al Di Meola’s music. You’re only getting six songs, two of them written by Jan Hammer, and the recording is in need of a good remaster. Elegant Gypsy Suite, Egyptian Danza and Race with Devil on Spanish Highway exploded with energy in the studio. They still generate a fair amount of heat in this live performance from Philadelphia, but you have to wonder if that cold February air didn’t creep into the Tower Theatre and cool things down a bit. Di Meola is, of course, a beast. The rhythm section is good, although not quite as good as I expected from a trio of Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson and Mingo Lewis, while the two (!) keyboards are too buried in the mix. A good digital remaster would probably work wonders for Tour de Force – Live. Instead, what you have here is a slightly underwhelming postscript to his first six albums, which inexplicably includes a new song each from Di Meola (Nena) and Hammer (Advantage). Those two songs, by the way, are well worth hearing and may be enough to entice you to buy this album. Honestly, the live versions of the four songs you’re already familiar with aren’t much of an enticement, as they pale against the studio originals. At least, that’s been my impression whenever I listen to this album. I don’t doubt for a moment that Di Meola is mesmerizing in concert, which is why I found my distraction during these live performances so surprising. So, probably not the first live Al Di Meola album you need to own, if you need to own any, given the rising cost of food and the unlikelihood that this will feed any but the faithful.
Original elpee version
A1. Elegant Gypsy Suite (Al Di Meola) (10:08)
A2. Nena (Al Di Meola) (5:04)
A3. Advantage (Jan Hammer) (4:55)
B1. Egyptian Danza (Al Di Meola) (5:39)
B2. Race with Devil on Spanish Highway (Al Di Meola) (7:28)
B3. Cruisin’ (Jan Hammer) (5:24)
The Players
Al Di Meola (guitars), Steve Gadd (drums), Victor Godsey (2nd keyboards), Jan Hammer (keyboards), Anthony Jackson (bass), Mingo Lewis (percussion) with Sammy Figueroa (additional percussion in the studio on A1/A2/A3), Phillippe Saisse (additional keyboards in the studio on A1/B2). Produced by Al Di Meola; co-produced & engineered by Dennis Mackay; executive producer: Philip Roberge.
The Pictures
Cover design by Allen Weinberg. Cover photos by Darryl Pitt.
The Plastic
Released on elpee and cassette in October 1982 in the US (Columbia, FC/C1 38373), the UK (CBS, 450093 1) and Japan (CBS, 25AP-2471). Reached #165 on the US charts and #8 on the US Jazz charts.
- Re-issued on compact disc and cassette in the US (Columbia, CK/CT 38373).
- Re-issued on compact disc on July 23, 1999 in Japan (Sony, SRCS 9546).
