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02-02-2010, 10:31 PM
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#1 (permalink) |
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Al Di Meola
Those Return to Forever clips in that Bill Connor thread reminded me of this LP slinger. I used to listen to Di Meola alot when I was in high school, but over time I grew out of that style of music. Still sounds good though
 Last edited by benjammin420; 02-04-2010 at 09:42 PM. |
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02-02-2010, 10:49 PM
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#6 (permalink) |
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Re: Al Di Meola
I took lessons from Al when we were in high school.
A mutual friend hooked me up. Al had full drum kit and maybe it was a bandmaster in his room which was on the roof really - with a separate entrance. I used to hang out with his mother when he was in NYC rehearsing with Barry Miles. I can't find the video but there is one from PBS in which they do 'Fusion Suite.' This was in 1973. I also have a tape of them playing the same piece at Richard's Lounge Lakewood, N.J. on New Years Eve 1973. Really cool guy. Our conversation upon meeting. "Hi, I'm Al...are you old enough to buy beer?" When we had first talked on the phone he asked that I bring albums of songs I liked. I brought Axis:Bold As Love & Johnny Winter And Live - at the time, they were examples of what I considered the most tasteful and difficult music of the day. He had me put portions of songs on for him. He listened to each once and then played it. "That's ear training. We'll hit that," he said. He asked what I listened to. "We'll change that." Since we got along so well the lessons were fun and yet very demanding. He'd play something after telling me what the tonic was and then expected me to write it out. Or he'd start playing some chords and tell me to improvise over them. Once, he told me that he didn't feel like going to practice and would I mind going in his place? I shat. He burst out laughing. BIG practical joker. |
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02-02-2010, 10:52 PM
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#7 (permalink) |
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Re: Al Di Meola
Oh I suppose it's all right. It's interesting how comfortable Al looks in that first video of Sorceress - and how totally great he sounds, too. Did he fit the band better? Maybe he lined up tighter in some ways with Chick ... I am remembering reading somewhere that Clarke really liked Bill and missed him; I'll never find the interview but I'm sure he said that Bill, to him, had a more natural feel for rock styles and would have really taken off, had his skin been a bit thicker.
I wonder (if I remember aright) what that really means. In that vid of Sorceress, Al seems pretty freakin' natural to these ears ... |
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02-02-2010, 10:53 PM
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#8 (permalink) | |
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Re: Al Di Meola
Quote:
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02-02-2010, 10:54 PM
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#10 (permalink) |
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Re: Al Di Meola
Al has an unnaturally good ear - phenomenal, actually.
A superb sense of rhythm, he started as a drummer. But somewhere he loses some soul - I have always maintained that McLaughlin has the soul and the other attributes that Al does. Sometimes Al comes off very sterile. |
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02-02-2010, 10:56 PM
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#11 (permalink) | |
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Re: Al Di Meola
Quote:
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02-02-2010, 10:57 PM
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#12 (permalink) | |
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Re: Al Di Meola
Quote:
I saw RTF at Carnegie Hall, I guess in 1975 - I think it was before Romantic Warrior. After the show my pal and I head towards the back stage door. Mike Buyukis (his wife Patty sang on Als first solo album), the guy who first introduced Al & I is in line. "MIKE! GET US IN!" "No way man, too heavy..." We were SO bummed. I feel a hand grabbing my wrist. It was Al's mother, "Let's go see Al." When we got backstage, she says, "Albert, look who is here to see you!" He gave her this look as if to say, "MOM...AL, NOT ALBERT...SHEESH." She was an awesome lady. Made good spaghetti too. |
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02-02-2010, 11:00 PM
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#13 (permalink) | |
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Re: Al Di Meola
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Is it true that Al has terrible trouble with his ears, now? Not for hearing music, of course; but that he suffers extreme sensitivity to volume, or perhaps tinnitus? |
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02-03-2010, 01:09 AM
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#14 (permalink) |
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Re: Al Di Meola
Yes, in fact there was an article about it, perhaps two years ago in The Bergen Record, the local paper, my mother sent it to me.
Tinnitus. That You Tube of 'Beyond The 7th Galaxy' shows Al just after he joined the band. He's 19 and playing the same LP I got to play in his room. Custom, fretless wonder with a varitone. Heavy guitar, too. 
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06-06-2010, 06:32 PM
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#19 (permalink) |
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The Devil's Advocate
 
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Re: Al Di Meola
bump
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06-07-2010, 03:00 PM
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#20 (permalink) |
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Re: Al Di Meola
I caught RTF on this last tour a couple of years ago and stood right in front of Al the entire time. He and the rest of the band, completely wore that stuff out without breaking a sweat. Seeing those guys live has certainly changed me. It's going to have to be really incredible to move me like that again. I always enjoy seeing music live, but the bar has been set very high.
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