Studio: Favored Nations Acoustic FNA5150-9
Video: 1.78:1 widescreen
Audio: DD 5.1, PCM Stereo
Extras: Extended Song Introductions
Subtitles: None
Length: 107 minutes
Rating: ****
Tommy Emmanuel is the bomb! Never having heard him (or of him), I signed up for this DVD release because it “looked interesting!” Interesting, indeed – this disc is nothing short of astounding, and Tommy Emmanuel has to be one of the finest guitar players I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. Aside from his incredible technical facility on his instrument, he plays with an emotional depth that’s just gripping to experience – I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a guitarist who impressed me so much on so many levels! After being stunned and amazed by rapid-fire repeat viewings of this excellent disc, I quickly headed to the internet to find out more about this remarkable artist. Hailing from Australia, he’s been performing professionally for four decades, but you’d never guess that from the youthful exuberance of his playing (although it easily helps to explain his mastery of the guitar). A lucky link pointed me to a You Tube video in which guitar geniuses Les Paul and Steve Vai (neither of which is particularly a slouch on the instrument) just raved about Tommy Emmanuel; Steve Vai was “stunned into silence” when he first saw Tommy play, but he doesn’t think Tommy’s the “future of guitar music,” because no one in the future will be able to play like this!
The disc is real mish-mash of originals and cover tunes, and they cover the gamut of just about every imaginable style on the guitar – I just don’t think there’s anything out there that Tommy Emmanuel can’t play! Whether he’s just simply strumming or engaging in incredibly intricate fingerpicking, the sheer emotion of his playing is truly intoxicating; I don’t think I’ve ever hit the rewind button so many times during a viewing session. His originals range from folk (The Finger Lakes), blues and traditionals (The Jolly Swagman, Tall Fiddler) to even new age-influenced works (Questions, Morning Aire); somewhere in there, I felt the ghost of the late, great Michael Hedges lurking about (but then again, in retrospect, Michael Hedges was probably influenced by Tommy Emmanuel, and not the reverse!) The cover tunes are all surprisingly (and thoughtfully) done; Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes” was given a truly poignant reading, and Merle Travis’ classic “Nine Pound Hammer” is given a rousing rendition, with a remarkably effective vocal, to boot.
I couldn’t help but notice that the finish on Tommy Emmanuel’s guitars is uniformly worn in various places on the surfaces; I just assumed that like most musicians, the instruments had some historical or sentimental significance to explain their less than pristine condition. That preconception was shattered by the original tune “Mombasa,” which has to be among the most fascinating acoustic guitar performances I’ve ever witnessed – much of the tune is almost entirely percussive, and the sounds he coaxed out of the instrument gave my subwoofer a workout I’d never have imagined possible from an acoustic guitar! When Steve Vai said he was stunned into silence, well, observing this performance was nothing short of jaw dropping! Soon after he’s joined on stage for several numbers by harmonica player Bob Littell, and they tear through such staples as “Workin’ Man Blues,” “Georgia On My Mind” and “House of the Rising Sun.” Tommy Emmanuel is to the acoustic guitar what Arthur Fiedler was to classical music – his mastery of multiple genres is truly amazing.
From a technical standpoint, the sound of this disc is nothing short of reference quality, and whether you choose the DD 5.1 surround track or the PCM stereo option, both sounded uniformly outstanding. My only one small caveat with this otherwise excellent disc was that the image quality was a little unfocused throughout; the menus were fuzzy, and the concert itself was just a tad lacking in image clarity. In terms of contrast and color representation, everything was superb; unfortunately, it just lacked the absolute final word in image clarity and was the only thing keeping this disc from an all-out, five-star rave. But trust me, the slightly sub par video was only the barest distraction from the totally engaging performance by Tommy Emmanuel.
I’ve seen this disc on the internet for as little as $12.50 – it’s easily worth twice the price! If you’re a fan, it’s a no-brainer. If you (like me) have never heard of Tommy Emmanuel, trust me – you’ll be a big fan in no time at all. Very highly recommended!
TrackList: The Finger Lakes, Papa George, Train To Dusseldorf, I Go To Rio, Nine Pound Hammer, Old Town, And So It Goes, The Jolly Swagman, Sukiyaki, Happy Hours, Ruby’s Eyes, Beatles Medley, Mombasa, Workin’ Man Blues, Georgia On My Mind, House Of The Risin’ Sun, Amazing Grace, Tall Fiddler, Cowboy’s Dream, Morning Aire, Lenny Bro, Questions, Initiation.
— Tom Gibbs
