:talking to myself (again):

3.16.2006

Tommy Emmanuel

Tommy Emmanuel (web iste)
If I had 4 arms with 12 fingers on each hand, maybe (just maybe) I could play half as well as this guy does - I doubt it. There is also a thing called talent involved. I've had the pleasure of seeing Tommy Emmanuel at Carnegie Hall in NYC last summer at Les Paul's 90th birthday party. He brought down the house. He, along with Chet Atkins, are the only people who are C.G.P.'s (Certified Guitar Players). In other words, he's one bad-ass-MF'er-great-guitar-player. He also does this thing where he plays his guitar as a percussive instrument, that's why it looks like it was beaten up.
Here's a sample of one of his songs - enjoy
click on the note
I've Always thought Of You

posted by :phil: at Thursday, March 16, 2006

8 Comments:

  • wow! I got "the goosebumps" on that. He kind of reminds me of Acoustic Alchemy with his style. Do you like them?

    By Blogger JLee, At March 16, 2006 10:53 AM  

  • Kind of makes "Classical Gas" seem like a three chord ditty. LOL, I love this on his website: "Playing everday for ten hours helps, but if you really want to learn Tommy's songs the way they should be played, get his song books and lessons on CD and DVD."

    By Blogger gon4good, At March 16, 2006 4:08 PM  

  • Kewl, Tommy Emmanuel is playing the Bosque River Stage in Waco (can you say Branch Davidians?), Texas in September.

    By Blogger gon4good, At March 16, 2006 4:36 PM  

  • I would be in heaven! Melissa Etheridge does a song with her guitar & basically uses it as a drum. I also love when they manage to play at the same time and put a beat to it by tapping on the guitar. THAT is talent!

    This was incredible! Great post.

    P.S. Les Paul is 90??? Wow.

    By Blogger ~Deb, At March 16, 2006 6:04 PM  

  • JLee: Acoustic Alchemy sounds familiar, but I'm not sure if I've heard of them, I'll have to check them out.

    Zudi: 10 hours a day of anything would make someone better. He's worth seeing, even in Waco.

    ~Deb: I saw Melissa Etheridge about 12 years ago with Sting in NJ. She was a great opening act. I was very impressed. Les Paul plays every Monday night in the city at the Iridium Club. He's a funny guy too. He did a joke during the concert where he was talking about a song he wrote called "I want to tell you that I love you, but you're sitting on my face"

    By Blogger :phil:, At March 16, 2006 8:03 PM  

  • Phil, that is a beautiful song! So uplifting and peaceful. Love the visuals.

    By Blogger Kayla, At March 18, 2006 6:55 PM  

  • I've been wracking my brain trying to think of an instrumentalist that has had a similair impact on me and for some reason I keep coming back to Jeff Buckley.

    Now Jeff was a pretty mean (if underestimated) talent on the guitar, but it was his voice that pierced you.

    That was his instument.

    My mum told me that once,when I was very small, that no musical instrument existed that was more beautiful than the human voice.

    As a wee kid, I wondered what it was she meant.

    How could a voice compare to a violin or a piano or an oboe?

    Then one day I heard Jeff sing, and I was quite literally stopped dead in my tracks.

    I was in the living roon, vacuuming, with MTV on in the background, when this sound came wavering out over the hum of the hoover.

    The intro to "Mojo Pin".

    I swear to God, I pulled the plug on the vacuum and sat on the floor and just gaped at the screen in awe.

    Transfixed.

    That was what had happened.

    And at that moment I knew exactly what my mum was talking about.

    If there is one sad memory I have of my youth it's that Jeff Buckley died.

    I truly miss that voice and I often try to imagine the music he would have made had he lived.

    Still, he gave me that moment, in my living room, when a banal activity transformed into a life affirming moment and for that I am truly grateful.

    I love music....

    By Blogger gris, At June 23, 2006 5:50 PM  

  • I love music too. I'm so glad I can play some instruments. I wish I was better, but it's in my power to do so.
    I think I remember you mentioning Jeff Buckley or seeing a post of yours about him. I went to his site and was able to listen to some of his music. He's very talented, his music and voice is haunting. I can understand how it could have stopped you in your tracks.

    By Blogger :phil:, At June 23, 2006 6:57 PM  

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