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Dinner with Al Di Meola
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Mark2
Posts: 1877
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco
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RE: Dinner with Al Di Meola (in reply to BarkellWH)
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I tend to shy away from meeting celebs. I never hung out after a Paco or Vicente concert hoping to shake their hand or get an autograph. I figure I saw the concert, it's not like a meet is going to mean anything to them, or really, to me. If they gave a class, whole different story. I saw Santana in the airport once. My wife pointed him out. My daughter was about 10 years old and into skateboarding. She had her board. My wife wanted to see if he'd give an autograph. I told her to leave him alone, but of course she didn't listen. Went up to him with my kid - he was gracious and signed her skateboard. My kid goes "Who is that guy?" I said Santana. Blank stare. I said he's Rob Thomas' guitar player. Oh wow how cool she said. A few months later the signature was gone from her grinding the board on various obstacles. Another time I played in a band that opened for Linda Ronstat. Most of the band members were so star struck they practically mobbed her backstage. I was embarassed for them. The woman was backstage fer crying out loud. Leave her alone. My first teacher introduced me to Sabicas after a concert. I instinctively extended my hand. He hesitated, then shook it. I realized he probably hated to shake hands-can't blame him, some cretin could have injured him. He also signed my program so at least that was positive. quote:
ORIGINAL: BarkellWH quote:
Now having said all that, yes I would pay $500 to hang out with Paco or Vicente.. But not thousands, it is just insane. I wouldn't pay $7,500 to have dinner with Di Meola and I wouldn't pay $500 just to rub shoulders for a couple of hours with Paco or Vicente. (Paying for lessons is another matter). I think people who pay to "hang out" with their idols are no better than "groupies" who get a thrill from proximity to fame. What they should realize is their idol will not give them a second thought when the dinner or "hang out" period is over. Their idol will go on to the next "groupie(s)" who are willing to help subsidize their idol's lifestyle, all the while thinking they have a "special" connection with their idol. Bill
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Sep. 15 2021 21:21:44
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BarkellWH
Posts: 3460
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
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RE: Dinner with Al Di Meola (in reply to Mark2)
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One of the more interesting and serendipitous encounters I have had was meeting and spending about an hour with the great Brazilian jazz and classical guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima. I was taking flamenco lessons with Paco de Malaga at his old guitar emporium The Guitar Gallery on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, DC. One day I entered the shop for my lesson, and Paco was sitting there with Carlos, who is his good friend. I did not recognize Carlos. (I remembered him from his vinyl album cover photographs in the '60s, but this encounter happened just a few years ago.) Paco introduced me to Carlos and mentioned my wife is from Brazil. We talked a little about guitar, but mainly we talked about Brazil and other topics, as Paco and his wife Ana lived in Brazil for several years. It was a very relaxed and enjoyable conversation. After about an hour, Carlos left. (If I recall correctly, I think he was the performer at one of the Marlowe Guitar performances that evening, named after Ricardo's father.) Paco and I then proceeded with my lesson. That is the kind of meeting with a famous person, musician or otherwise, I really enjoy. It occurs under natural circumstances and is unforced. Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East." --Rudyard Kipling
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Sep. 15 2021 22:08:01
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Richard Jernigan
Posts: 3433
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
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RE: Dinner with Al Di Meola (in reply to BarkellWH)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: BarkellWH One of the more interesting and serendipitous encounters I have had was meeting and spending about an hour with the great Brazilian jazz and classical guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima. Bill Barbosa-Lima played Austin near the beginning of his concert career. He was very impressive. My next encounter with him was in Honolulu in 2001. I lived there July-December. Carlos gave a concert at a medium size auditorium downtown. The concert followed an unusual format. It featured both Carlos and the University of Hawaii Professor/Composer/Ukulele Virtuoso Byron Masui. In the first half Carlos and Byron alternated solos. Byron's ukulele playing astonished me. I didn't know anyone could play the instrument like that. The second half was guitar duets, with Byron playing guitar at a very high level. Some of the arrangements were by Carlos, some by Byron. Later I noticed other concert announcements where Carlos teamed up with a local player. Seated in the first couple of rows were a number of famous Hawaiian slack-key players, including Ray Kane, Keola Beamer and Cyril Pahinui. I had met Beamer a couple of times. At intermission he beckoned me over and introduced me to the others. After the concert I went with a group including the slack key players, Masui and Barbosa-Lima to the bar at the Ilikai Hotel, in the west end of Waikiki. It was a friendly and quiet gathering. All the pros seemed to be quite familiar with each others' works, speaking in detail about pieces they liked on others' recordings. Carlos knew the slack key players' stuff, and they spoke about Carlos' classical records. Beamer said he had heard me play some flamenco. Everyone there knew about Paco, and were in awe of his technique. Some of the older guys had Sabicas records. Nobody seemed to recognize Manolo Sanlucar, Serranito, Niño Ricardo.... At closing time I walked across the street to my condo, where I lived for six months while working on a government contract proposal. RNJ
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Date Sep. 17 2021 0:35:11
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Mark2
Posts: 1877
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco
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RE: Dinner with Al Di Meola (in reply to chester)
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I'd disagree. Artists toured to promote the record. Tours were often a loss subsidized by record companies. And it wasn't the royalty the musican really cashed in on. That was mostly taken by the record company, it was the publishing income. One hit song, one SOLID hit, and you were set for life. Ray Dorset wrote "In the Summertime" for the Mungo Jerry in the 70's. My dad's cousins owned Red Bus records in London and that was their band. Still raking it in 50 years later. If it was written today, it would have a zillion spotify plays and they'd get a fraction of what was earned. Instead it's played everyday all over the world on oldies radio, and they pay. But your right about the time frame-around 2000 it really started to go south. If your talking Elton John, then yes, a concert pays a ton. But one hit wonders, and other less than giant artists, as well as songwriters who wrote for recording artists, did quite well writing hits that paid them lots in publishing. Now, that is gone, and people think artists make a ton touring. Except for the Beyonce's I doubt it. When I was gigging a lot I worked with a local agent who also booked name acts at corporates. Not Beyonce level, but people who had at some point gotten airplay. They didn't command what you'd think. The exception was Bruce Hornsby who played solo for an hour at a corporate-I can't remember the number but it seemed large. Somewhere around 30k I think. But take a band on the road and expenses mount quickly. quote:
ORIGINAL: chester quote:
Their actual music is worth pennies so now they sell their physical presence to recoup. AFAIK a musician's bread and butter has always been touring/playing shows ie "physical presence". Sure there was a time from the 50s - 90s where a very select few were able to live off of studio work, but that's been over for a while now with the advent of protools/autotune. quote:
As these guys start dying we see it will be all gone one day Are you suggesting there are no more shredders? Coz my weekly "release radar" playlist would beg to differ.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Sep. 17 2021 22:53:49
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