Al Di Meola and Beato interview

**lammie200** · 02-24-2022, 11:00 PM

For fans. I liked it:

**sgcim** · 02-25-2022, 01:59 AM

I remember his old interviews where ADM said jazz was not creative music and 'museum music'.
This should be fun....

**Average Joe** · 02-25-2022, 05:59 AM

Reading ADM interviews in the 80s and 90s he often/always came across as quite pretentious and headstrong. I dunno whether he became softer with age or the video format do him better justice than print, cause this interview was really good.

**Jazzism** · 02-25-2022, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Reading ADM interviews in the 80s and 90s he often/always came across as quite pretentious and headstrong. I dunno whether he became softer with age or the video format do him better justice than print, cause this interview was really good.

thats true, but I was kind of hoping he would wear the cape. I miss the cape LOL

**sgcim** · 02-25-2022, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Reading ADM interviews in the 80s and 90s he often/always came across as quite pretentious and headstrong. I dunno whether he became softer with age or the video format do him better justice than print, cause this interview was really good.

Oh, crap. I got a real kick out of his old interviews. If he's all mellowed out, what fun is that?

**sgcim** · 02-26-2022, 04:10 AM

I wouldn't be surprised if he made Rick pay for his meal and the 'honor' of asking him a few questions.
It came off like the ADM Show with dinner. I hope Rick left a good tip....

GUEST EVENTS | aldimeola
I love the way Al puts down jazz whenever the term bebop is brought up, but then he'll praise Chick a second later. In one interview he started bragging about the way his records sold so much better than Chick's records sold.

**Tricky Fish** · 02-26-2022, 06:15 AM

Interesting interview.

I never really connected with his music, but I liked some of his solo nylon string playing in this vid. He is less of a d!ckhead these days.

Interesting to hear him talk about Paco de Lucia needing weed to play.

**AndyV** · 02-26-2022, 07:17 AM

I enjoyed the interview and his playing of Norwegian Wood. I was astonished to see the level of personal marketing one his website. Guess he figured out how to get paid during the pandemic. Must be one hell of a dinner!

"GOLD PACKAGE:
MEET, GREET & EAT

Enjoy a truly once-in-a-lifetime Dinner Experience with Al Di Meola at his New Jersey home 30 minutes outside of New York City! Al will prepare a Gourmet three course Italian Dinner in your presence while discussing anything you ever wanted to know about his music, life and body of work.

Inside stories about Return to Forever, the Guitar Trio with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia, the Abbey Road Sessions, as well as collaborations with greats such as Pavarotti, Paul Simon, Steve Winwood, Steve Vai, Frank Zappa and many others will serve for an unforgettable evening. Before you leave, don’t forget to take pictures and videos and get an exclusive selection of signed Merchandise and a specially designed T-Shirt to honor this unique occasion.
Price: $7,500 for up to 2 people

PLATINUM PACKAGE
]IN DEPTH STUDIO SESSION, PRIVATE SHOW, MASTERCLASS AND JAM

This Upgrade includes everything mentioned above

PLUS an intensive tour of Al’s home studio, equipment and guitar collection that has never been shown to the public before. After that, you are invited to sit down in the front row for a 60 minute private show, followed by an in depth ONE-ON-ONE Masterclass and jam session with Al.

Masterclass Topics:

DIAMOND PACKAGE:
THE GUITAR DREAM

This Experience includes all above (GOLD and PLATINUM)

PLUS signed copies of Al’s hand written music charts and a ONE-ON-ONE guitar lesson or jam where you get to play Al’s personal guitars starting with his legendary Black Custom Les Paul (used on all Return to Forever albums, Land of the Midnight Sun and Elegant Gypsy), never seen before custom Gibson prototypes, his Ovation used on Friday Night in San Francisco and a wide selection of acoustic and electric guitars.

Finally, pick between a PRS Prism electric guitar or an Al Di Meola OVATION steel string (both played by Al on tours and previous recordings) as the ultimate treat to yourself!
Price: $16,500 for up to 2 people"

**Doctor Jeff** · 02-26-2022, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by AndyV

I enjoyed the interview and his playing of Norwegian Wood. I was astonished to see the level of personal marketing one his website. Guess he figured out how to get paid during the pandemic. Must be one hell of a dinner!

"GOLD PACKAGE:
MEET, GREET & EAT

Enjoy a truly once-in-a-lifetime Dinner Experience with Al Di Meola at his New Jersey home 30 minutes outside of New York City! Al will prepare a Gourmet three course Italian Dinner in your presence while discussing anything you ever wanted to know about his music, life and body of work.

Inside stories about Return to Forever, the Guitar Trio with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia, the Abbey Road Sessions, as well as collaborations with greats such as Pavarotti, Paul Simon, Steve Winwood, Steve Vai, Frank Zappa and many others will serve for an unforgettable evening. Before you leave, don’t forget to take pictures and videos and get an exclusive selection of signed Merchandise and a specially designed T-Shirt to honor this unique occasion.
Price: $7,500 for up to 2 people

PLATINUM PACKAGE
]IN DEPTH STUDIO SESSION, PRIVATE SHOW, MASTERCLASS AND JAM

This Upgrade includes everything mentioned above

PLUS an intensive tour of Al’s home studio, equipment and guitar collection that has never been shown to the public before. After that, you are invited to sit down in the front row for a 60 minute private show, followed by an in depth ONE-ON-ONE Masterclass and jam session with Al.

Masterclass Topics:

DIAMOND PACKAGE:
THE GUITAR DREAM

This Experience includes all above (GOLD and PLATINUM)

PLUS signed copies of Al’s hand written music charts and a ONE-ON-ONE guitar lesson or jam where you get to play Al’s personal guitars starting with his legendary Black Custom Les Paul (used on all Return to Forever albums, Land of the Midnight Sun and Elegant Gypsy), never seen before custom Gibson prototypes, his Ovation used on Friday Night in San Francisco and a wide selection of acoustic and electric guitars.

Finally, pick between a PRS Prism electric guitar or an Al Di Meola OVATION steel string (both played by Al on tours and previous recordings) as the ultimate treat to yourself!
Price: $16,500 for up to 2 people"

With the price of guitars these days that Diamond package is starting to seem reasonable…

;-)

**lammie200** · 02-26-2022, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Jazzism

thats true, but I was kind of hoping he would wear the cape. I miss the cape LOL

At least his hair restoration does not disappoint.

**ccroft** · 02-26-2022, 02:39 PM

It's a long slog. I'm about half done after a few days.

Originally Posted by AndyV

Finally, pick between a PRS Prism electric guitar or an Al Di Meola OVATION steel string (both played by Al on tours and previous recordings) as the ultimate treat to yourself!
Price: $16,500 for up to 2 people"

So... whadadya think? PRS or Ovation for Rick?

**maxsmith** · 02-26-2022, 05:35 PM

I really liked Al’s solo albums in the late ‘70s, tremendous chops, interesting arrangements, great players. His later acoustic “world music” groups and projects feature really distinctive, dynamic instrumental compositions and interesting instrumentation - I’d put some of those albums at Metheny level. As for his Beatles cover album - haven’t heard it - I don’t need to hear yet one more version of any of those tunes, or the originals for that matter.

Personally, Al D may be a giant a$$hole, or a saint - why should I care - he can play, he can write and I’m not trying to marry the guy. What difference does it make?

Probably not going to watch the interview, though - I prefer to just enjoy the music I enjoy and not concern myself with the personality. And I can only take Beet-o in small doses.

**starjasmine** · 02-26-2022, 06:08 PM

If an artist of Al's stature has to hold an upscale rent party, where does that leave the rest of us?

Just another shoe ... we've already seen some serious gear sales from top players.

Yikes...

**ccroft** · 02-26-2022, 07:11 PM

I finally made it thru to the end. It could use some editing. Some interesting solo things up close with Al goofing around.

He was pretty important to me in the RTF days. I played with a band back then that covered some of the tunes by the first version of the band before Al. He might be one of the reasons I ended up with a LP Custom around '75. I even took to wearing a suit vest with jeans for a bit!

I wish he would've given more props to some of the guys before him. He kinda presents himself as a self-made man that came out of nowhere to change the course of guitar history. I'm the same age as Al, and I know I was listening to John, Larry & Carlos (to name the obvious) many years before Al got his break. Certainly they paved the way for Al. Playing with John must have had some influence on Chick's decision to find a guitarist.

One little nitpick: Recreational drug use back then is something I happen to know a little bit about. Xanax didn't come along until the 80's. Maybe it just sounds cooler than saying his mom gave him a Valium to calm him down for his debut with Chick at Carnegie :-)

Just to repeat: I do like his playing, and I did work hard to emulate him.

**Doctor Jeff** · 02-26-2022, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by ccroft

I finally made it thru to the end. It could use some editing. Some interesting solo things up close with Al goofing around.

He was pretty important to me in the RTF days. I played with a band back then that covered some of the tunes by the first version of the band before Al. He might be one of the reasons I ended up with a LP Custom around '75. I even took to wearing a suit vest with jeans for a bit!

I wish he would've given more props to some of the guys before him. He kinda presents himself as a self-made man that came out of nowhere to change the course of guitar history. I'm the same age as Al, and I know I was listening to John, Larry & Carlos (to name the obvious) many years before Al got his break. Certainly they paved the way for Al. Playing with John must have had some influence on Chick's decision to find a guitarist.

One little nitpick: Recreational drug use back then is something I happen to know a little bit about. Xanax didn't come along until the 80's. Maybe it just sounds cooler than saying his mom gave him a Valium to calm him down for his debut with Chick at Carnegie :-)

Just to repeat: I do like his playing, and I did work hard to emulate him.

Don’t forget Bill Connors. Yes you’re right about McLaughlin. From the RTF Wiki page:

In the September 1988 DownBeat magazine interview with Chick Corea by Josef Woodward, Josef says (page 19), "There is this general view ... that ... Miles [Davis] crystallized electric jazz fusion and that he sent his emissaries out." Chick responds, "Nah, that's Disneyland. Miles is definitely a leader ... But there were other things that occurred that I thought were equally as important. What John McLaughlin did with the electric guitar set the world on its ear. No one ever heard an electric guitar played like that before, and it certainly inspired me. ... John's band, more than my experience with Miles, led me to want to turn the volume up and write music that was more dramatic and made your hair move."

The mid-70’s RTF albums sold incredibly well and were probably as influential as Mahavishnu.

As far as drugs, yes I know something about them too, though fortunately from observation, not personal experience. In the mid-late 70’s there was Valium and Quaalude. That was pretty much it, as far as the general public was concerned. There was an older drug called Miltown (meprobamate) that I think had faded by then.

When I was in college in Atlanta there was a crooked doc everyone called the QD, and when you turned 21 you could go see him and complain of anxiety and problems studying, and he would give you a scrip for 45 Quaaludes. They could be sold for about 3 times what you paid for them. “Disco biscuits”…

**ccroft** · 02-27-2022, 02:49 AM

I have not forgotten Bill Connors!

(or Quaalude... though it's kinda hard to remember what happened when I took that stuff)

**maxsmith** · 02-27-2022, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by ccroft

I have not forgotten Bill Connors!

The first Return to Forever album is still my favorite. Connors tone and phrasing is magnificent.

**AndyV** · 02-27-2022, 01:08 PM

This was the first cut by DiMeola that caught my ear as a college-age guitarist. I saw the trio with De Lucia and McLaughlin in Boston in 1981. Later on in my listening career, this kind of high velocity picking reminded me of what Frank Zappa called "gnat notes." Hearing it again 40 years later it sure is technically impressive but I'm not sure how it has weathered aesthetically over the years.

**northernbreed** · 02-27-2022, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by AndyV

This was the first cut by DiMeola that caught my ear as a college-age guitarist. I saw the trio with De Lucia and McLaughlin in Boston in 1981. Later on in my listening career, this kind of high velocity picking reminded me of what Frank Zappa called "gnat notes." Hearing it again 40 years later it sure is technically impressive but I'm not sure how it has weathered aesthetically over the years.

I was in early high school, and yep, it was this very same track that changed things for me. A buddy played it for me at his house, and we sat there in stunned silence, listening to it several times in a row. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I still get goosebumps when I listen to it.

**guitarcarver** · 02-27-2022, 10:47 PM

I really enjoyed that. He seemed pretty laid back. Still has the serious chops too. I think ill go see this tour.

**jaco** · 02-28-2022, 04:02 AM

My lessons with Larry Coryell were $200.00 and could run for three and a half hours. He made me Turkish coffee. I played his guitars. Think I got a hell of a deal...