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Thursday, 23 May 2013

Al DiMeola and Gonzalo Rubalcaba at the Dakota, March 20-21

Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor

Friday, 16 March 2012

Al DiMeola

Imagine a master of global guitar paired with a pianist blending Cuban traditions and American post bop. Imagine Al DiMeola on stage with Gonzalo Rubalcaba! This is not fantasy but the line-up at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis, March 20-21.

Winner of multiple “Best Guitarist” awards from Guitar Player Magazine, Al DiMeola is a proven master of fusion, flamenco, and global music. A native of New Jersey, Di Meola studied guitar and spent free time in local salsa clubs. Heavily influenced by the great Larry Coryell, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston for a year before replacing Bill Conners in Chick Corea's "Return To Forever" at age 19, remaining until 1976 and after recording three albums with the fusion ensemble. Four solo releases (Land of the Midnight Sun, Elegant Gypsy, Casino, and Splendido Hotel) earned four consecutive “Best Jazz Guitarist” honors from the Guitar Player Readers’ Poll, as well as three Best Album honors. Among his many collaborators have been Stanley Clarke, Jean Luc Ponty, Stanley Jordan, Paul Simon, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia. While Di Meola has explored a wide range of styles, his Latin-charged fusion albums have been most popular, while his technical mastery—and particularly his speed—is legendary among modern guitarists and fans alike. With over 20 recordings as leader (including three gold albums), DiMeola shows no signs of slowing down, touring with the latest edition of his all-acoustic World Sinfonia (dedicated to tango master Astor Piazzolla).

Gonzalo Rubalcalba©Dan Codazzi

Blending the traditions and innovations of American and Cuban jazz, 48-year-old pianist/composer Gonzalo Rubalcaba has consistently validated the promise of his prodigious youth, from his “discovery” by Dizzy Gillespie to his collaborations with Charlie Haden to his highly acclaimed recordings and performances with his own bands. In Havana, Rubalcaba was literally born into the traditions of Afro-Cuban music, son of bandleader Guilhermos Rubalcaba. Young Gonzalo studied piano from age eight, and for the next twelve years he continued his studies of the American, European, Russian, and Hispanic classical traditions at Havana’s famed Amadeo Roldan Conservatory, while also playing and absorbing the indigenous themes and rhythms of Havana. After intensive lobbying by the National Endowment for the Arts and Wynton Marsalis, among others, he was one of the first Cubans "unblocked" by the U.S. State Department, ultimately relocating to Florida. Known for his technical virtuosity, multi-layered improvisations, and original compositions that draw upon his global influences, Gonzalo Rubalcaba has released a string of highly regarded recordings, including Latin Grammy winner Supernova and shared Grammy winner Nocturne with Charlie Haden. In 2011, he released the solo Fe/Faith on his new label, 5Passion. Noted Ben Ratliffe in the New York Times, “He has an almost eerie control over his sound, as if he were playing the strings directly instead of using the keys as intermediaries.”

To say that this duo will be hotter than a Cuban cigar is an understatement.

The Dakota Jazz Club is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis; www.dakotacooks.com or 612-332-1010 for reservations. Sets at 7 and 9 pm.

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