AL Di Meola brings jazz fusion to local stage

NEWTON — Al Di Meola is bringing his electric band to The Newton Theatre on Thursday, June 18 at 8 p.m.

Returning with a fiery electric band, Al Di Meola brings to the stage the lightning fast guitar licks of jazz fusion.

Dipping into game changing albums like "Elegant Gypsy," "Casino," "Electric Rendezvous," "Orange and Blue," and live album "Tour de Force," the show promises an electric evening.

Al Di Meola has also been recognized over the past 30 years as a prolific composer and respected artist with more than 20 recordings as a leader. His creative output to date is staggering, whether it's with his current World Sinfonia band or past musical endeavors with such greats as Jan Hammer, Jean-Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea.

Jersey nativeA native of New Jersey who still resides in the Garden State, Di Meola grew up in Bergenfield with the music of Elvis Presley, The Ventures and The Beatles. He naturally gravitated to guitar as a youngster and by his early teens was already an accomplished player.

In 1971, he enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and by the second semester there began playing in a fusion quartet. A gig tape of that band was passed on to Chick Corea by a friend of Al's and in the early part of 1974 the 19-year-old guitarist was tapped to join the fusion superband, Return to Forever.

“I was just sitting around my apartment in Boston on a Friday afternoon when Chick called and asked me to come to a rehearsal in New York,” he recalls. “I couldn't believe it. But in 10 minutes I packed some clothes in a bag, got a ride to New York and never saw that apartment in Boston again.”

Following a weekend of rehearsals with Chick, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, Di Meola made his debut at Carnegie Hall, officially launching his career.

Di Meola plans to document his latest batch of new compositions with both live and studio recordings in the coming year with the New World Sinfonia.

“What I'm doing now is just completely satisfying, like a phenomenal meal and a great glass of vintage wine," Di Meola said. "The fusion thing is kind of a blast from the past and is kind of assaulting on the ears. And there's a cool aspect to that, but it's not where I'm going musically as a composer.”

Tickets for Al Di Meola cost $52 for premium seating, $47 for orchestra and $42 for balcony. Purchase tickets by visiting www.thenewtontheatre.com or contact the box office at 973-383-3700.

The historic Newton Theatre, located at 234 Spring Street in Newton.