Anthology
It's no wonder that some of the college students and twentysomething youngsters who have given free jazz a shot in the arm are revisiting the fusion movement (sometimes simultaneously, as withMedeski Martin & Wood). The music reflects all the impetuousness and energy of youth and combines it with the technical maturity that can match the most seasoned avant-garde improviser. If there was such a thing as a pure fusion musician, it was the 21-year-old Al Di Meola at the start of this two-CD compilation. While withReturn to Forever, the young guitarist honed his high-flying, hard-rocking style, moving further along with a group that first featured Barry Miles, thenJan HammerandPhilipe Saisseon keyboards. Di Meola also had the knack of aptly titling his fiery compositions with descriptions, like "Race with Devil on Spanish Highway," "Alien Chase on Arabian Desert," "Elegant Gypsy," and "Island Dreamer." Expertly sequenced and annotated by Bill Milkowski, the unofficial biographer of the fusion movement, this 20-track retrospective includes four unreleased live tracks, including an incredible reading of the RTF anthem "Theme to the Mothership." The anthology is also instructive in tracing the development of the style (from 1976 to 1983) that eventually turned Jan Hammer into a pop star through theMiami Vicesoundtrack.--Mark Ruffin