Last week, guitarist Al Di Meola released the album "Twentyfour," which he began working on in the year 2020 as a vehicle for acoustic guitar compositions before it grew into a multi-faceted recording that displays the breadth of the New Jersey native's talents. Di Meola suffered a heart attack last fall, and he says he's come to reflect on his life and career and appreciate some of his earlier work, starting with music he made as a member of Chick Corea's Return To Forever, a band he joined at age 19. KMUW's Jedd Beaudoin recently spoke with Al Di Meola and has more.
Plus more on these stories:
- More Kansas school districts will begin using electric school buses with help from a federal clean-air initiative.
- Wichita’s mayor, state officials, and local business leaders are in England this week for the Farnborough Air Show.
- Kansas lawmakers are hoping to tap into federal dollars to help fund several local infrastructure projects around the state.
- Scientists in Salina have sped up their work to create a commercially viable perennial grain.
- Wichita Transit has a new director.
- The Great Plains Nature Center will host an evening event on Friday. Moonlit Mania helps people of all ages learn about nocturnal wildlife from local nature experts.
Producer: Beth Golay
Editors: Tom Shine and Beth Golay
Contributors: Jedd Beaudoin, Daniel Caudill, Celia Llopis-Jepsen, Isy Ordonez, Suzanne Perez, Tom Shine and Ainsley Smyth
Theme music: Torin Andersen
Digital editor: Beth Golay