It is wonderful that concerts like the one on 22nd of November are being done in Plovdiv! The city bears in it deep cultural heritage and its bosom is cozy enough for happenings of such a height. It is not by accident that Al DiMeola himself confessed twice that he was happy to play exactly there in front of more than 500 fans of the good music.

The two concerts of the guitarist and his band here are a part of this year’s leg of the World Sinfonia Tour. On the stage - four amazing instrumentalists; the music – acoustic, the atmosphere – deep in the spirits of the Apennine Peninsula, the hall – totally sold out, the show – over two hours with a short interval between the two parts. These are the facts quite telegraphic.

It was clear that the works of the big Argentine composer Astor Piazzola again would be widely covered – besides the motto of the tour, it was hinted also by the presence of Fausto Beccalossi with his accordion. And the specific sound of the bandoneon (a variety of the accordion close to the German concertina) on which Piazzola has played and composed on was beautifully retold by the higher and more spacious sounding of the bayan of Beccalossi. His instrument and talent were the main cause the music to sound with strong Italian shades. His ceaseless duets with Al DiMeola, his solos and frequent chants made the curly musician the second main person of the evening. The accordion and the guitar were the two important tellers of the warm Latino fairy tales.

For the almost two and a half hours we heard wonderful instrumentals of all periods of Al’s work; from the years of Return to Forever (Although “500 Miles High” is recorded still before the guitarist to enter the project of Chick Corea), through his first albums (the furor “Mediterranean Sundance” from “Elegant Gypsy”), to his newer recordings like “Infinite Desire”. But we don’t need detailed listing. It was the magic in the small hall that was important, the deep red passion of the tango in the explosive takes of the musicians or the acoustic melancholies in which the quartet took the audience.

The Talent, the technique, the love for the music and the huge professionalism nite the four instrumentalists and their live performance is a colorful blast of south-European emotions. These people have extraordinary presence on the stage, they play with affection and great skill, while every one of them lays his specific signature in the created art. The spatial sound of the bayan of Fausto, the supporting guitar of Peo Alfonsi, that added density and foundations to the sound, the colourful figure of the percussionist Gumbi Ortiz who, at the end of the first part gave us short but dynamic and amusing solo and, of course, the exceptional charisma of Al DiMeola and his skillful mastering on the six strings. Four people, four instruments, much talent and beautiful music. I almost envy the audience that has enjoyed this fairytale in Rouse the next day…

Report: Ivaylo Alexandrov