“When I first played an Ovation,
I noticed the exceptional balance, response and clarity.
It’s an instrument that encourages me, rather than
restricting me. You can’t do better than that.”
- Al DiMeola
The Signature
Model
Ovation Built a special guitar for a tour Al had planned
with The Guitar Trio, which also featured John McLaughlin
and Paco De Lucia. It featured Al's preferred deep cutaway
body and added a stealth feature that every guitar player
would find useful - the ability to go to "11". A small
black latching-button switch was installed on the upper
bout of the guitar, about three inches above the neck/body
joint. When Al tripped the switch with his left thumb,
the output from the preamp would be boosted by 4dB. The
stealth location and easy operation of the switch allowed
Al to turn the boost on and off without the audience -
or his band mates - ever noticing.
The guitar became one of Al's favorites and in 1998 it
officially became the Al Di Meola Signature Model. In
early 2004, several acoustic and electronic upgrades were
introduced to the instrument. The bracing pattern was
slightly altered to deliver more low-end drive. Based
on the Ovation "A" pattern, the individual struts have
been slightly reconfigured and are now shaped on a computer-controlled
(CNC) machine.
The instrument also features the new OP-Pro preamp and
'Ovation Original Patented Pickup'. Al has been closely
involved in the development and testing the OP-Pro. The
preamp has been voiced to deliver a clear and natural-sounding
acoustic tone in medium to large-sized venues with a minimum
of equalization. Al and his soundman report that "flat
out of the guitar and flat on the console" delivers a
superior sound night after night.
The Ovation Original Patented Pickup uses the exact components
from early Ovation guitars - the guitars that first attracted
Al to the brand. Ovation is now offering the Al Di Meola
signature model in a natural finish as well as the previous
gloss black finish.
Biography New Jersey native, Al Di Meola is a world-renowned
guitarist who has been feted in the pages of countless
guitar magazine over the past three decades. Di Meola
first exploded onto the music scene in 1974 with Return
to Forever, a premier fusion band of the ‘70’s.
He established himself as a bandleader in his own right
with a series of exhilarating albums and tours through
the ‘70s and early ‘80s. During the ‘80s
he is included on some recordings and triumphant tours
with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia in an acoustic
guitar super group known as The Trio. Di Meola remained
a creative force in the’90s, eager to explore music
from other cultures while staying true to his own muse.
While enrolled at the Berklee School of Music in Boston
Di Meola was playing in a fusion quartet led by keyboardist
Barry Miles. In 1974, still living in Boston Di Meola
received a telephone call from Chick Corea and was asked
to come to a rehearsal in New York. Di Meola did not return
to Boston.
Following a weekend of rehearsals with that band, Return
to Forever, Di Meola made his debut with them at Carnegie
Hall. The next night he played to a crowd of 40,000 in
Atlanta. His star quickly ascended.
After three wildly successful land mark fusion albums
with Corea on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, Lenny
White on drums and Di Meola on guitar. “Where Have
I Known You Before”, the Grammy Award winning “No
Mystery” and “Romantic Warrior”. Return
to Forever disbanded in 1976, effectively launching Al’s
solo career. He called the breakup of the group a blessing
in disguise.
He debuted in 1976 with “Land Of The Midnight Sun”,
a typically blazing showcase of his frenetic, slashing
style which also featured performances by drummers Lenny
White and Steve Gadd, percussionist Mingo Lewis, synth
wizards Jan Hammer and Barry Miles, bassist Anthony Jackson
and Jaco Pastorius. Over the course of six more albums
with Columbia Records (“Casino”, “Elegant
Gypsy”, “Splendido Hotel”, “Electric
Rendezvous”, “Tour De Force” and “Scenario”)
Di Meola firmly established himself as a powerful and
influential force in cotemporary music. He went on to
record a string of highly evocative, pan-global projects
for Manhattan/EMI, Tomato and Mesa/Bluemoon labels before
signing with Telarc. His 17 records have sold over six
million copies to date.
Di Meola continues to conquer new musical horizons on
“The Infinite Desire”, which features his
most extensive and effective use of midi technology to
date. Thirty-two years later the bonafide guitar hero
is still growing as an artist, still searching for modes
of expression, still eager to push the envelope on his
astounding technique while bringing new depth of feeling
to bear his playing, as does so successfully on “The
Infinite Desire”.
Al DiMeola is picture with his Custom Legend Signature
Model 1769-ADII.
Discography Land of the Midnight Sun (1976)
Elegant Gypsy (1977)
Casino (1978)
Splendido Hotel (1980)
Electric Rendezvous (1982)
Tour De Force- Live (1982)
Scenario (1983)
Cielo e Terra (1985)
Soaring Through a Dream (1985)
Tirami Su (1987)
World Sinfonia (1990)
Kiss My Axe (1991)
Orange and Blue (1994)
World Sinfonia II- Heart of the Immigrants (1993)
Al Di Meola Play Piazzolla (1996)
The Infinite Desire (1998)
Winter Nights (1999)
Flesh on Flesh (2002)
Al Di Meola Revisited (2003)
One Of These Nights (2006) DVD- May 17, 2004 at
Scala, Ludwigsburg, Germany
Purchase Al DiMeola Albums and Merchandise at
any of the following websites:
Prestigious Awards 1997: Yapi Kredi
Art Festival
Electric Progect Sept. 9-27, 1997- Istanbul
1997: Germany
Echo Award (Germany’s Grammy Equivalent)
1992: Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- “Kiss My Axe”
Best Jazz Album
1991: Germany
Best Album of the Year “World Sinfonia”
1987 through 1983: Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Acoustic Steel-String
Guitarist
1982: City of Atlanta Award “Outstanding Merit”
and Honorary Citizenship
(Presented by Mayor Andrew Young)
1981: Cash Box Magazine
#1 New Jazz Group
(Co-winner with John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia)
Record World Magazine
Best Live Instrumental Album “Friday Night in San
Francisco”
(Co-winner with John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia)
Thomas A Edison Award (Holland)
Best Live Instrumental Album “Friday Night in San
Francisco”
(Co-winner with John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia)
Guitar Player Magazine
Best Guitar Album “Friday Night in San Francisco”
(Co-winner with John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia)
Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Jazz Guitarist
1980: Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Jazz Guitarist
Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Award- Best Guitar Album “Splendido
Hotel” 1979 through 1978: Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Jazz Guitarist
1978: Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Guitar Album “Casino”
1977: Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Jazz Guitarist
Guitar Player Magazine
Reader’s Poll Winner- Best Guitar Album “Elegant
Gypsy”
1975: Guitar Player Magazine
Best New Talent
Grammy Award
Best Instrumental Jazz Performance by a group “Return
to Forever”, “No Mystery” album (Co-winner
with Corea, Clarke & White)
Gold Records:
Elegant Gypsy
Casino
Friday Night in San Francisco (Argentina, Europe, Germany
& France)
Romantic Warrior (With Return To Forever)
