CASINO

3.5 stars. A pretty big step down in my opinion from "Elegant Gypsy" an album I have in my top 50 Jazz albums of all time so my respect is huge for that one. "Casino" sure has it's moments though, I mean if Al is on your album there's going to be some majestic moments but there's a few tracks that are average for my tastes so it's one of those high and low records hence the 3.5 star rating. No Jan Hammer or Lenny White this time around and while I like Barry Miles keyboard work he's just not that audible on this album at times. I'll hear him on the electric piano for example but at times I have to really listen for him, he's not the focus. And after saying that he's the first thing you hear on the opener "Egyptian Danza" playing organ(haha). There's a couple of percussionists and Dimeola does some of that too. Anthony Jackson on bass and Steve Gadd on drums.

Dimeola is the star here of course and there's not too many guitarists as fast and as fluid as he is. I'm not big on the acoustic stuff like on the "Fantasia Suite" and the 9 1/2 minute closer was good but should have been great being it's the title track. Not into "Dark Eye Tango" but really like the song before it "Chasin' The Voodoo". My favourite is "Senor Mouse" opening with drums and percussions as the guitar rides along shotgun but he's actually shooting everything in sight. While I'm not into casinos at all I am into this record but I can't pull out that fourth star.