Casino is Al Di Meola's attempt to go commercial.
This is basically Elegant Gypsy 2.0 but a step back in every single way. Very tame, lounge rocker tracks, and filler.
So where to begin...
The production is awful, it sounds so dated and the keys don't help. Just listen to Señor Mouse or Egyptian Danza and you will know what I mean.
Al's phrasing is excellent, but everything is just so toned down... No more killer shredding like on Flight Over Rio or genius acoustic like on Mediterranean Sundance with Paco.
Anthony Jackson is still here with some decent bass lines, but nothing like those popping lines on Flight Over Rio or Elegant Gypsy Suite. Very disappointing to say the least because he is a killer bassist.
Steve Gadd helms the drum kit, but again, the performance is so restrained...
I can only recommend Dark Eye Tango and Fantasia Suite. They are far from classics, but are decent enough.
You would hope the title track would be killer at nearly 10 minutes long, but no, not even in the same league as Elegant Gypsy Suite.
Very boring album, don't recommend it to any fusion fans.
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