Vinyl Vault: Al Di Meola, "Casino"

After guitarist Al Di Meola left Return to Forever in 1976, he went on to release a series of excellent albums, first on the Columbia Records label and then, over the years, on several other imprints. His discography now numbers about 30 albums under his own name.

This week on the Vinyl Vault, we’ll hear some tracks from his third album, “Casino,” released on Columbia in 1978. His prior album, “Elegant Gypsy,” was widely hailed as a top fusion album of the 1970s. “Casino” was a worthy follow-up.

The album featured a top-flight collection of backing musicians, including Steve Gadd on drums, Anthony Jackson on bass, Barry Miles on keyboards, and Mingo Lewis on congas. The album showcases Di Meola’s vigorous guitar style with lightning-fast runs and other assorted guitar pyrotechnics.

Join Geoff Anderson on Tuesday, June 3 at 8:30 p.m. for some Al Di Meola on the Vinyl Vault on KUVO JAZZ.

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