Casino 1978: Al Di Meola's Musical Masterpiece Unveiled in a Dazzling Album

After the success of "Elegant Gipsy", American jazz guitarist Al Di Meola came to the scene with his third album, "Casino". This new album saw the market in February 1978, published by Columbia Records in the LP format. Again, Di Meola took enough space to give out some virtuoso guitar moments. Although "Casino" can't parallel with the previous "Elegant Gipsy", which earned Di Meola the US Gold Award, it's an excellent album for all guitarists and passionate fans of the jazz sound.

"Casino" - A Step Into The Egyptian Culture

The opening of "Casino" brings the listeners into the atmosphere of Egyptian Danza, which influences the album heavily throughout its songs. "Chasin' the Voodoo" is a song that shows more Arabic influences in the sound, with rapid percussion and unison of bass and guitar. This special mixture of sounds of different instruments allows Di Meola to create an innovative formula for this album by matching chords and machine gun solo parts. Today, Di Meola's "Chasin' the Voodoo" is the perfect music background to put on while playing at Arab online casinos, as its music makes the gaming experience more immersive and realistic. Imagine listening to Di Meola while playing a Cleopatra slot! Could anyone think of a better mix of fun and atmosphere?

A New Mediterranean-styled Music

With "Casino", Di Meola goes a step further. Despite many critics agreeing that this album can't reach the same level of energy and charm as "Elegant Gipsy", it's a must-listen masterpiece if you like Mediterranean sounds, with a particular feeling for flamenco music. "Casino" marks a change in Di Meola's professional evolution as an artist, moving from rocking fusion to South European and Oriental sounds. Here is a song-by-song analysis of "Casino".

1. "Chasin' the Voodoo"

It can be considered as the only rocker on the album. The song starts with some Santana-like sound but soon goes far away with an energic staccato and rapid riff. Di Meola created an impressive mix of sounds where percussions and his guitar go hand in hand.

2. "Egyptian Danza"

It's a solid piece, with unique features that make up for the album style and sound diversity. The song shows Di Meola's ability to play on different tempos, switching from one to the following within a stunningly quick passage.

3. "Dark Eye Tango"

It's another excellent song on the album, but its best feature is probably the beautiful guitar vibrato that adds some extra thickness to the overall level of the song.

4. "Fantasia Suite for Two Guitars"

The dynamic guitar interplay in "Fantasia Suite" is nicely balanced by the other instruments involved in this song. If you love guitar or are a guitar apprentice, this song offers you the chance to listen to an excellent guitar duo playing.

5. "Senor Mouse"

This song reflects Di Meola's return to classical music. It's probably a maturity song in his career. The rhythm is slower than the previous songs and albums, suggesting a new and thoughtful approach to music.

6. "Casino"

It closes the album. Although it doesn't offer a spectacular sound, it's a nice and lively piece, anyway. It sounds pleasant and engaging but less powerful than many could expect.

Conclusion

"Casino" is a well-performed album with a generous diversity range in sound. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in Di Meola's artistic research, and some compositions from this album can be listed as the best music in the world of gambling. His sound becomes less thunderous and prone to calmness, a trend that would increase in his next albums.