Cielo e Terra/Soaring Through a Dream

Al Di Meola

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Cielo e Terra/Soaring Through a Dream Review

by Thom Jurek

The U.K.'s BGO Records doesn't usually miss with their reissues. They always remaster their titles beautifully, provide excellent liner notes, and most importantly, assemble fine titles -- usually a couple of excellent, chronologically closely released ones. Not so here. What possessed the label to issue these three Al di Meola mid-'80s duds on a pair of CDs is actually rather puzzling. First is the nearly smooth jazz Soaring Through a Dream released originally on EMI's Manhattan imprint in 1985 -- this album was an attempt by the great guitarist to score a hit single or two on the then-newly formed radio format. There is nothing wrong with smooth jazz as a genre, but the music here is generally poorly conceived and performed. Next is the lightweight acoustic set Cielo e Terra, released during the same year, that is easily the best in this sorry bunch. It at least contains a couple of fine tunes such as the title track and "Atavism of Twilight." Finally, the 1987 offering, Tirami Su, was a half-hearted attempt by the guitarist to return to fusion -- the very thing that had established his reputation in the first place. Together these three albums make for a dull, unfocused and even and confusing listening experience. Avoid.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Traces of a Tear Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	07:54	Amazon
2	Vertigo Shadow Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	03:13	Amazon
3	Cielo e Terra Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	10:38	Amazon
4	Enigma of Desire Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	02:43	Amazon
5	Atavism of Twilight Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	05:13	Amazon
6	Coral Keith Jarrett / Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	03:17	Amazon
7	When You're Gone Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	04:27	Amazon
8	Etude Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	07:01	Amazon
9	Solace Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	04:45	Amazon
10	Capoeira Al Di Meola / Airto Moreira	Al Di Meola	09:20	Amazon
11	Traces (Of a Tear) Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	09:01	Amazon
12	Ballad Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	06:18	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	July Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	05:23	Amazon
2	Marina Al Di Meola / Airto Moreira	Al Di Meola	04:50	Amazon
3	Soaring Through a Dream Al Di Meola / Airto Moreira	Al Di Meola	12:26	Amazon
4	Beijing Demons Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	06:23	Amazon
5	Arabella Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	07:11	Amazon
6	Smile from a Stranger Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	05:42	Amazon
7	Rhapsody of Fire Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	05:02	Amazon
8	Song to the Pharoah Kings Chick Corea	Al Di Meola	08:46	Amazon
9	Andonea Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	03:01	Amazon
10	Maraba Al Di Meola / Clara Sandroni	Al Di Meola	05:20	Amazon
11	Song with a View Al Di Meola	Al Di Meola	06:20	Amazon