Customer Reviews

Soaring Through a Dream

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

It seems that almost everything that DiMeola composes exposes his incredible talent and genius. Soaring Through a Dream is no exception. The most meditative of DiMeola's work to date (1985), it is captivating from the very first note. The second song makes love to your mind, building slowly to an orgasmic crescendo. It then falls off and follows up with a slow caressing number which is truly an "afterglow". No kidding. Everyone who I have turned on to this recording has raved about its implicit sensuality. "July", unfortunately breaks the mood temporarily. But then, "Marina" casts the spell again. A word of warning, this music is so relaxing that I advise against listening while on a late night road trip.

I don't know where I stumbled upon Al Dimeola's music. Most likely I heard it when i was at my favorite record store or
on KEPC's afternoon jazz program at the community college.
However, I fell in love with it. It is so lush, romantic,
and somewhat sad. Unfortunately, Soaring Thru A Dream is very
hard to find on CD.

I met Al and his band in Osaka, Japan after not keeping up with them since 1970's (Chick Corea vintage). The realm of dream-like mind-expanding music he turned me on to then has changed my life forever. Al is truly a master virtuoso, but more than that, the elements of eclectic instruments, musical constructs and ever-changing time signatures are second to none. Furthermore, this music will open up new and holy chambers in your mind--this music is tops.

First of all, I really dig this CD. Second of all, it is similar to Metheny only in a superficial sense. Yes there are some Brazilian influences. I figure Metheny isn't the only musical artist who is allowed to be influenced in such a way. I also figure it is okay for Airto Moreira to be influenced by Brazilian music, considering where he comes from.

Also, this music is quite different emotionally than Metheny's music partly because Al's melodic sense is quite different. So is his way of playing the guitar.

This album is profoundly different from everything he had produced before. Al took a lot of criticism for this album, but I think it kept his career from tanking into mediocrity. Everyone wanted another fix of his screaming Les Paul, but Soaring Through a Dream clearly stretched Al in such a productive way that it set him up for creativity on a higher plan over the next few years; Tiramisu and Kiss My Axe easily exceed his early works. The music is very good on its own merits. It sounds like something harvested from the 21st century. Give yourself several chances to "get" what he is saying with this music.
When he played a song from the album at a concert I went to in 1988, a few people booed, which was tasteless. Di Meola was clearly offended, and had heard the criticism for that album before.
I would like it if he would make an album in which he played his earlier works in this style. At the same time, it would be neat to hear Capoiera, etc., in a jazz-rock fusion style of play. Definitely recommended.

This album astounded me.

CDs were still an expensive novelty in the mid-1980s...And many CDs in the beginning were either mono copies or analog stereo copies of the original albums. Every chain record store had a huge vinyl selection, followed by slightly less huge casette tape selection, and a teeny tiny itsy bitsy CD section with 20-40 titles.

There was a spat of "We Record All Of Our Crappy Music Digitally And Use Gratuitous Aural Mixing And Will Only Release On CD Instead Of Vinyl To Impress Everyone" Jazz groups. Horrible.

But when "Soaring Through a Dream" was finally released on one of those expensive CDs...It was magical. I don't even want to think how many LPs I bought and wore out. But whatever re-mastering they did, "Soaring Through a Dream" just blew everybody's socks off when played on CD.

20 years later, I think "Soaring Through a Dream" is just as powerful.

Now if these bozos manage to re-release the CD again, I would be very happy.

First heard in the a wonderful sunday afternoon jazz program I tuned in when studing at the university. It was an am station and even through the ocassional static the sound elevated me to surreal heights. Later I bought in Amazon and now I'm amazed to see its longer manufactured.

Cannot say why this album was relased using the Al Dimeola Project as performer title. But I guess this makes it a collectors item just for that fact. The other, is that splendor achived in performance and the revelation of brazilian sounds not like you ever heard before, no distorsion just melody.

Why is not yours yet?? Look at the price of Tiramisú.