Pat Metheny vs Al DiMeola

Aaaaaaggghhh!!!! 
A quick survey of what I have says Metheny, but if I got into the albums I have that have DiMeola.  He might win strictly on quantity.
Di Meola, Al    Casino
Di Meola, Al    Spendido Hotel
Di Meola, Al    Scenario
Di Meola, Al    Cielo e Terra
Di Meola, Al    Infinite Desire, The
Di Meola, Al/John McLaughlin/Paco de Lucia    Friday Night In San Francisco
DiMeola, Al    Land of the Midnight Sun
DiMeola, Al    Elegant Gypsy
Dimeola, Al    Electric Rendezvous
Metheny, Pat    Bright Size Life
Metheny, Pat    Watercolors
Metheny, Pat    Secret Story
Metheny, Pat    Map of the World, A
Metheny, Pat & Lyle Mays    As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
Metheny, Pat Group    Pat Metheny Group
Metheny, Pat Group    American Garage
Metheny, Pat Group    Travels
Metheny, Pat Group    First Circle
Metheny, Pat Group    STILL life (talking)
Metheny, Pat Group    Imaginary Day
Metheny, Pat Group    Speaking Of Now
Metheny, Pat Group    Way Up, The
Metheny, Pat with Dave Holland & Roy Haynes    question and answer
Metheny. Pat    One Quiet Night


Edited by Slartibartfast - August 28 2009 at 06:43

I cant choose too tough! Both are very different. I like Metheny because the atmosphere he brings and Di Meola can wail on his guitar like no other! Metheny it is

Metheny is the man.

E

I don't really know... McLauglin is the only one I've heard. Don't listen to much fusion

I like both equally but I went with Al though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_T9adkdBhY

I wish that I could have seen this show.

Metheny is great, no doubt... but he's no Al Di Meola,

Originally posted by Slartibartfast Originally posted by kingfriso I think Metheny's composition skills are way better then Di Meola's, but the latter has some very inspiring guitar technics. The Way Up is however the convinging record to give my vote to Metheny and his group. Eh, for me the golden age of Metheny was his '70's and early '80's stuff.  I'm still trying to figure all the admiration that The Way Up is getting.  It's not bad at all, but maybe it's just due to the fact that I first got into him back then.

you're right, that era of his is phenomenal. he has good stuff throughout his career, but that era is the best. his stuff since is hit or miss though. depends on how you like your jazz.

i remember getting my head wrapped around Song X from the mid-80s with Ornette Coleman. But that album is rough to listen to if you're tired or not in your best music listening mood.

though, i do love The Way Up too. as long as ive got enough time and patience to sit through the whole thing i jest.

I must be turning into an old fart because I like Al's earlier albums better than his later ones too. 
I've been running into this phenomenon with prog musicians who got going in the '70's.  Not that there isn't a lot to appreciate in the newer musicians out there these days.

But definitely distinctively different styles between them to the point that I can't choose.  They haven't ever played together have they?  That would be fun.

I might also mention that I have two PM DVDs Imaginary Day Live and We Live Here Live In Japan if you don't count Shadows and Light (Metheny with Joni Mitchell or should I say in the JM band along with Jaco, this was what got me into JM).  Also Al in Di meola, Al Jean-Luc Ponty Stanley Clarke: Live At Montreaux.  Metheny wins again in the DVD quantity category.


Edited by Slartibartfast - August 28 2009 at 17:32

I prefer di Meola over Metheny.  Pat Metheny seems to put more into his composing a song but I'm not a fan of his playing (I'm not saying he isn't good, just not what I like).  Prefer di Meola, just he could write a better tune or two.