Europe Jazz Network
MUSICIANS

THE GUITAR TRIO

Paco De Lucia
Al Di Meola
John McLaughlin

April 1996 1996 will be marked by a major musical event: the reformation of The Guitar Trio made of Paco De Lucia, Al Di Meola & John McLaughlin. They have a new album out and are ready to embark on a world tour. These three confirmed artists have had remarkably florishing careers on their own rights in the fields of jazz, flamenco, classical or world music. Their first meeting, 15 years ago, has been documented by two striking records: Friday Night In San Francisco (to that day one of the world's largest sales in the styles above) and Passion, Grace & Fire, both records totalizing about 3,500,000 copies! Spanish genius Paco De Lucia took flamenco out of its "music for connoisseurs" ghetto, particularly due to his partnership with legendary master singer Camaron de la Isla who untimely died in 1991. Their names were synonymous with large arenas packed in Spain and in Latin America; both artists would enjoy success comparable to that of pop stars like Roberto Carlos or Julio Iglesias. Paco De Lucia made his first public appearance as a child prodigy at the ripe age of 11. He's had more than fifteen records out with huge sales, and since he's rarely seen on the road each of his performances is a long awaited event by his personal admirers and the aficionados of modern Flamenco. But Paco De Lucia doesn't stay in the only Flamenco, his love for his country's music knows no limitation, as one of his most beautiful records are undoubtedly his interpretation of the world famous Concierto d'Aranjuez by Joachim Rodrigo performed in front of the composer aged over 90 years old; in 1980, Paco De Lucia has also recorded the music of classical Spanish composer Manuel de Falla. One can without doubt see in Paco De Lucia the founder of the modern Flamenco school. American born and bred Al Di Meola made a sensation in 1974, when at only 19 years old he replaced Bill Connors in one of the leading jazz fusion bands of the time led by Chick Corea: Return to Forever. His lightning virtuosity as well as his Latin influences are shining throughout the last RTF records & from 1976 on Al Di Meola embarks on a solo career with a success no other jazz guitarist has ever had. Records like Casino, Elegant, Gypsy and the live Tour de Force show his brilliant creativity. In the beginning of the 80's, Al Di Meola starts playing a new kind of music mixing acoustic instruments with synthezisers, thus creating a style that would be later on called new age using musicians from horizons diverse as Bill Bruford (drummer for supergroups Yes or King Crimson), Phil Collins or Argentinian tango master Astor Piazzolla. From the respect of this very gentleman and from the admiration that Al has for him result some pieces specially written by Piazzolla that Al Di Meola recorded a few years later with an all acoustic group he founded in the beginning of the 90's called World Sinfonia composed of a Venezuelian guitarist, an Argentinian bandoneon player, and two Turkish and Puertorican percussionists. Englishman John McLaughlin has the dream cursus: a session musician in the beginning of the 60's at the same time as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page (from Led Zeppelin) or Richie Blackmore (from Deep Purple), he's then been heard and seen in the band that invented jazz rock in the late 60's with trumpet legend Miles Davis: 2 records that changed the course of music history including In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew. In the 70's, his search for spirituality leads him to Indian philosophy and he founded one of the three major so-called jazz rock groups (the other two being RTF and Weather Report all made of former Miles Davis musicians..): Mahavishnu Orchestra. He plays and records with Carlos Santana. In the 80's, John McLaughlin continues with the fusion of Indian music with jazz elements in another band: Shakti. His curiosity and thirst for musical challenges push him towards classical music. That is why, besides his activities, he starts producing records as well as composing and arranging for the world famous pianists Katia & Marielle Labeque. For himself, John McLaughlin wrote the wonderful "Mediterranean Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra", a masterpiece he's recorded in 1990 with the London Symphony Orchestra directed by Michael Tilson Thomas. Since the beginning of the 90's, he alternatively works with an Indian percussionist, American organist and drummers, French and German bassists. He's recently participated in a tribute to Jimi Hendrix In From The Storm with Sting. His album The Promise has offered him the chance of playing with Paco De Lucia and Al Di Meola on one tune.

Europe Jazz Network