Di Meola will give fans a peek at what they can expect to hear by releasing a live, tango-flavored album, La Melodia Live in Milano, just before hitting the road.

The disc features two songs written by tango master Astor Piazzolla, as well as one each from Ennio Morricone and Andrea Parodi and four by the guitarist himself.

Di Meola’s trek in support of the project kicks off Jan. 10 at The Concert Hall in New York City and will drop in on theatres across the country, making a couple of multi-night stands including Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle and Feb. 6-8 at Yoshi’s in San Francisco.

While some fans may be surprised by the shift in style, Di Meola says it’s a natural progression.

“Although the tango developed in Argentina, it was born in the region of Italy where my parents are from, Napoli,” he explained. “This music connects to my roots. As long as I’m playing music, it will be part of my repertoire.”

La Melodia is due Jan. 8.