Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Albert Laurence Di Meola was born July 22, 1954 in Jersey City, New Jersey and grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey where he got his education through high school. When he was eight years old, he was inspired by Elvis Presley and the Ventures to start playing guitar. His teacher directed him toward jazz standards.

Attending Berklee College of Music in the early 1970s, by nineteen he was hired by Chick Corea to replace Bill Connors in the pioneering jazz fusion band Return to Forever with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. He recorded three albums with the band, all of which cracked the Top 40 U.S. Billboard pop albums chart. After the group disbanded in 1976, Al set out on a solo recording career demonstrating his mastery of jazz fusion, flamenco, and Mediterranean music.

His debut solo album Land of the Midnight Sun in 1976 led to his follow-up His 1977 sophomore album Elegant Gypsy that went gold. His early albums were influential among rock and jazz guitarists. He went on to explore Latin music within jazz fusion, the electronic side of jazz, and along with Jan Hammer and Jeff Beck composed the Miami Vice theme.

Throughout his career he explored his acoustic side, world music and modern Latin styles in addition to jazz and rediscovering his love of the electric guitar in 2006, In 2018, Di Meola was awarded an honorary doctorate of music from his alma mater, Berklee College of Music.

Guitarist Al Di Meola, who cites his jazz influences as guitarists George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Clarence White and Doc Watson, continues to push the envelope with his music.

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