Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Some Flamenco For Your Fusion


Al Di Meola : Mediterranean Sundance


Still living with his parents, Return to Forever's Al Di Meola wrote "Mediterranean Sundance" with the intent on recording it for his second album with the brilliant Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia. A nervous Paco showed up at Electric Ladyland, knowing not a single word of English. One of Di Meola's friends scored some pot and, after a smoke, Paco and Al went to work, recording the song in two takes. 

"And that tune became a hit single in many countries,"  Di Meola remembers. "It was on the radio as if it were a pop song. It really helped to propel the whole spectacle of the record, and Elegant Gypsy turned out to be probably my most popular record."

A version of "Mediterranean Sundance" opened the best-selling Friday Night in San Francisco live album, recorded as a trio by De Lucia, Di Meola and John McLaughlin. in 1980. 



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