Al Di Meola

[Dennis D]

Totally! The collar and the gold chain. Does it every time.

Damn - now they tell me !!

[Max405]

Al is a legend. I think you were very fortunate to be able to spend time with him.
Joe D

[Orientblue]

Al has been an admirer of the Django style since the beginning of his career, probably earlier, he's said in many interviews how much Django was an influence on his style. During his appearance on David Letterman in the 70's, which is on YouTube he talks about it.

[jameslovestal]

Saw him acoustic about 25 years ago with birelli lagrine and Larry corryel, doing the whole Saturday Night in San Fran thing. It was a great show, but I've lost my taste for Al. Ask him why?

I also saw Al, Birelli and Larry at The Coachhouse in So Cal. They were going to do a national tour but it didn't work out. Most of the people in the audience were there to see Al since the SF album was a 'hit' (as far as a jazz recording goes). I was there to see Birelli. To me the best part of the show was when Birelli and Larry played a duet.

Oh, and Al came out in an all white suit while Larry and Birelli were in jeans and t-shirts. Yea, Al was the showman but Birelli was the far better guitar player.

[lammie200]

I also saw Al, Birelli and Larry at The Coachhouse in So Cal. They were going to do a national tour but it didn't work out. Most of the people in the audience were there to see Al since the SF album was a 'hit' (as far as a jazz recording goes). I was there to see Birelli. To me the best part of the show was when Birelli and Larry played a duet.

Oh, and Al came out in an all white suit while Larry and Birelli were in jeans and t-shirts. Yea, Al was the showman but Birelli was the far better guitar player.

I saw the same show up here in SF at Slim's. I almost felt like I should have taken speed to keep up with their speed! I thought all three were great.

[yebdox]

I really appreciate Dimeola's chops and longevity, but haven't been inspired to try to cop anything from him for 35 years. His work is more performanced based, rather than creative to me. Impressive, and certainly worthy of respect, but it doesn't draw me in for repeated listening. Certainly an important player, though.

[sgcim]

I really appreciate Dimeola's chops and longevity, but haven't been inspired to try to cop anything from him for 35 years. His work is more performanced based, rather than creative to me. Impressive, and certainly worthy of respect, but it doesn't draw me in for repeated listening. Certainly an important player, though.

I admire his technique, but to me, he represents the most anti-jazz guitarist around, and I've never wanted to cop anything he's ever played.
He's stated in interviews that jazz is not a creative music, so he doesn't play it. This is a common attitude of many fusion players.

[whiskey02]

Ask him why he is so keen to play Gypsy jazz all of a sudden. Is it a money thing?

Could be that as he has very significant hearing loss and tinnitus that Marshall stacks aggravate the bejeesus out of him now.

[Hep To The Jive]

I admire his technique, but to me, he represents the most anti-jazz guitarist around, and I've never wanted to cop anything he's ever played.
He's stated in interviews that jazz is not a creative music, so he doesn't play it. This is a common attitude of many fusion players.

I never wanted to cop anything from him either, just never got into that speedy, complex for complex sake thing. Even though the guys who came after him, like Scofield or Frisell, or Abercrombie, did fusion (or whatever it was) so much better IMO and I totally dig it.

At the same time, if he did say that about jazz, I can see where he is coming from. Playing the same standard tunes on the same archtop guitars... I'm doing it too, but I recognize there is not much creativity in it. Same old, same old.

[neatomic]

just for info sake, abercrombie, scofield and frisell are all older than dimeola!...abercrombie already had solo albums, when al joined rtf in 1974..at 19!!...scofield followed (with recordings) soon after...frisell the late bloomer


all really different players though, too

cheers

[yebdox]

I never wanted to cop anything from him either, just never got into that speedy, complex for complex sake thing. Even though the guys who came after him, like Scofield or Frisell, or Abercrombie, did fusion (or whatever it was) so much better IMO and I totally dig it.

At the same time, if he did say that about jazz, I can see where he is coming from. Playing the same standard tunes on the same archtop guitars... I'm doing it too, but I recognize there is not much creativity in it. Same old, same old.

Like everything else in life, jazz can stagnate if we don't push it. But I think there's plenty of evidence for creativity in the hands of Bernstein, Kreisberg, Moreno, etc. DiMeola is certainly opinionated, and I'm fine with that. We all take stances that justify our path in life. His personality is a big factor in his longevity. I admire that, even if I don't wind up listening to his music all that often.

[sgcim]

I never wanted to cop anything from him either, just never got into that speedy, complex for complex sake thing. Even though the guys who came after him, like Scofield or Frisell, or Abercrombie, did fusion (or whatever it was) so much better IMO and I totally dig it.

At the same time, if he did say that about jazz, I can see where he is coming from. Playing the same standard tunes on the same archtop guitars... I'm doing it too, but I recognize there is not much creativity in it. Same old, same old.

The problem is, when he tried to demonstrate that he could play jazz once at a concert, he screwed up so bad, it was pitiful.

[TKO]

The problem is, when he tried to demonstrate that he could play jazz once at a concert, he screwed up so bad, it was pitiful.

...and people still wonder why some players feel intimidated playing Jazz guitar.

I'd like to see that concert (clip?) - my money is on that his phrasing is not really adhering to the strict traditional jazz rules, but with his skill and knowledge set pitiful it was not in any level.