CIELO E TERRA

Even though I do not consider this album to be anywhere near a standard progressive music recording, I feel obliged to give it five stars mainly because of its amazing musical content. Di Meola showed the world that he had much more to say than regular jazz-rock/fusion outdated licks, harmonies and instrumentations. Some people say that the album is boring... Well, if you're looking for regular prog rock, you're in the wrong place with this one! This album is for listeners that appreciate music in all of its forms. Cielo e Terra contains probably the most enchanting harmonies and melodies that Di Meola has ever conceived. Harmonically, it has elements of jazz, bossanova, new age, rock, and even classical! Structurally, the pieces follow very logical paths, with changes in mood, and atmosphere. And one of the most outstanding things is the use of rhythm, which is closer to classical music than to popular genres. This is especially noticeable in the constant use of rubato (accelerandos, ritardandos, and free phrasing), which frees the music from a constant beat which can become monotonous and repetitive. And one more thing is that Di Meola shows jazz and rock players that you can achieve lots of colors with few instruments.... just listen to the main title track, which is composed in a sort of Suite form, with a whole universe of percussive effects and atmospheric colors from the guitars and synclaviers. In general, this album is a must for eclectic listeners that are into different styles of music and not just into the same old same old.....