Soaring Through a Dream

Al Di Meola | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 16, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000005H4D
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,085 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #13 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Jazz Fusion

Track Listings

1. Capoeira

2. Traces (Of a Tear)

3. Broken Heart

4. July

5. Marina

6. Soaring Through a Dream

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Soaring, November 13, 2002

By 

Russell Diederich (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Soaring Through a Dream (Audio CD)

My first experience with Al DiMeola was through his association with John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia on the "Friday Night Live in San Francisco". If you're looking for the same type of music here, you'll have to look hard. DiMeola uses his flamenco sound in songs like "Capoeira", but it is only a single rhythm track. There is a Latin presence on most of these tracks. Instead, this is more of an exploration of sounds, ideas and emotions. I can see the comparison to Pat Metheny with the style and voice-like synths on the guitars and pianos.

DiMeola is definitely a master of the guitar, and he spends the six tracks on this album showing you that he is exactly that. His lines are fluid and astral, aided with synth-sounds. "Traces (Of a Tear)" is a good example of his solo playing. Actually, it's a good example of everyone's solo playing, as Phil Markowitz takes a spin on the 88s, and Chip Jackson adds to the mix on the bass. "Broken Heart" is more of an acoustical piece. Gentle soloing on the acoustic guitar from DiMeola trading with the piano. A beautiful song, the sounds almost sad, but ends with the feeling of hope. "Capoeira" is a mixture of playing styles, and the upbeat nature of the tune makes it a good choice to open the album with. Airto Moreira's vocals add flavor to the song. "July" is the only song that doesn't seem to hold to the trend of the album. It's almost as if it is used to give the listener a break and step up the tempo and sound. The solo in "Marina" is excellent.

You won't find a "Mediterranean Sundance" on this album, but if you like Metheny's laid-back stuff, then this is a good complement to add to your collection. The guitar work is excellent, and smooth, almost fluid. The tone of the album is nearly a floating, ethereal feel to it (except for "July"). This might be worth finding for those that like quiet, nearly new age style jazz.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smooth and gentle like a breeze., April 29, 1999

By 

Michael Paulsen (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soaring Through a Dream (Audio CD)

This 1985 album from Al Di Meola followed on the heels of Pat Metheny's accomplished masterpiece, THE FIRST CIRCLE, and it bears a close resemblance. It's full of smooth, latin-flavored jazz complementing Di Meola's incomparable speed and technical excellence on guitar. "Capoeira" is worth the price of this CD alone -- gorgeous and breezy Brazilian style with Portuguese vocals by percussionist Airto Moreira. It's what Jobim could have sounded like had he been younger and actively writing in the 80's. "July" is spritely and upbeat, recalling Metheny's "Eighteen" from OFFRAMP. The title track is also outstanding and gracefully winds this album down. One of Di Meola's best!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chops to Admire? Or Music to Love?, June 14, 2008

By 

Warren E. Kramer "W.Kramer" (MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soaring Through a Dream (Audio CD)

Whether it's blazing electric guitar runs or tasteful acoustic stylings, no one faults DiMeola's technique. The only disagreement we fans tend to have, is which one suits our taste. Do we prefer the super-electric pyrotechnics (AL 1.0), the Latin/world music-tinged acoustic (AL 2.0), or any of the various hybrids in between (AL 1.5?). A few of us like both extremes, and therefore most of the in-between ALs. Sometimes I think DiMeola recordings should come with a warning label and a rating (Warning, this DiMeola recording is rated AL 1.8, mostly acoustic).

If you're an AL 1.0-only fan who had the sad misfortune of picking up this recording, I urge you to listen to the acoustic solo break halfway through "Broken Heart" and tell me that note-perfect solo and execution doesn't reach you on any emotional level. I fear fans of both extremes are missing out on something fantastic, and too many are expecting this artist to be only the AL we like.

When I first heard this recording (on cassette in the mid-80's), I thought DiMeola was holding back and giving his keyboardist a lot of the glory. That was until I realized that the synth sounds were synth guitar. Some of these sounds come off a bit dated today, but throughout this recording, the musicianship and note decisions are nearly flawless. As another reviewer points out, the only track that seems out of place is "July," which does indeed sound like the intent was to offer something a bit faster (approximately AL 1.3?). The rest is a wonderful journey filled with a near-perfect mix of synth guitar sounds, acoustic guitar flailings and solo lines, piano, bass and percussion, with lovely Portuguese/Brazilian lyrics (comparisons to Metheny have little merit for several reasons, one of which is Metheny uses vocalese whereas these are actual Portuguese lyrics). Only at the end of the title track does DiMeola cut loose with the full-out solo we'd awaited, and even then, it's on his acoustic. The point is, only then was it appropriate to the music. The result is a tight arrangement of sounds that reach far beyond the intellect and into that place only beautiful music can reach.

As a guitarist, I am awed by DiMeola's undeniable mastery of superfast lines. But this awe is largely on an intellectual level. When I seek music to love, sounds that make me want to listen again and again, it's Soaring through a Dream.