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Post by andyhowell on Aug 13, 2021 8:04:45 GMT
No disrespect to Tommy Emmanuel, who is undoubtedly a highly accomplished player, but would you really want to play like that? I feel it becomes unmusical at that speed. I have seen Tommy play live twice and, he doesn't do a lot of it, but I much prefer his slow soulful playing. I have seen him live, and he doesn't do it for me. Obviously he is extremely talented. But he can rip the soul out of an instrument and leave it lying dead on the floor. I did find this recent interview/podcast interesting though: walkingthefloor.com/episode-185-tommy-emmanuel/I feel much the same. There is a Ted Talk we he described how he built and runs his business! It is quite illuminating. I think he was one of the earliest musicians to understand the power of the short YouTube vide — these are what draws people to gigs. I just find it very tiring after ten minutes or so!
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juliant
C.O.G.
Posts: 335
My main instrument is: Lowden L23
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Post by juliant on Aug 14, 2021 19:10:59 GMT
I first came across him years ago in Belfast, at an acoustic music club at the Errigle Inn. I was at a loose end, there for work, and there was this Australian guy playing, might as well go and see him. Hell's teeth! As someone who plays a bit of Chet Atkins type stuff I was blown away. Opening with that version of Classical Gas definitely gets you noticed. What definitely impressed me was that he was really having fun - they had to stop him to close the pub, and he asked if anyone wanted to go out for a curry and talk about guitars.
He's a very accomplished player, but also a great showman and does like to show off a bit. Nothing wrong with that, but like the double-handed tapping stuff, I find the rapid fire is impressive once or twice, but gets a bit boring after a while.
BTW, the Errigle Inn put on some cracking acoustic gigs. Another favourite was Kelly Joe Phelps, when Tim O'Brien wandered in halfway through and sat in on fiddle and mandolin...
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Post by delb0y on Aug 14, 2021 22:52:24 GMT
I love Kelly Joe Phelps. His hiatus seems to have lasted forever.
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Welshruss
C.O.G.
Posts: 477
My main instrument is: Turnstone, Wandering Boy & Santa Cruz
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Post by Welshruss on Aug 14, 2021 23:56:37 GMT
I miss Kelly Joe Phelps too. His live shows were always intense. I listen to his music most weeks.
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
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My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
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Post by minorkey on Aug 21, 2021 0:59:06 GMT
The uber supreme guitarist!
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
Posts: 2,992
My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"72dd98"}
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Post by minorkey on Aug 21, 2021 1:00:33 GMT
A firework display is a great thing to watch, but would you want to watch one for two hours? Yes, I would!
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Post by delb0y on Dec 4, 2021 9:49:55 GMT
Outstanding interview with Tommy here.
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Post by woodtoner on Dec 4, 2021 10:10:33 GMT
He has excellent technique...
I remember seeing him and his brother play in a pub in Melbourne in the early 80's. His brother was brilliant.
I'm afraid though that his "showmanship" leaves me cringing (especially remember when he put a camera at the nut of his telecaster - he was more concerned with getting his mug in shot than his hands!) but having said that many many young players are impressed and inspired to play by him so I guess that's a good thing. In Australia, he did for guitar what Rex Hunt did for fishing. As a teenager I was impressed - not so much these days.
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Post by delb0y on Dec 4, 2021 13:02:48 GMT
It's a superb interview, though. Really reveals his love for melody and how much work he puts in to get even the tiniest bits of his songs correct. Some beautiful playing, too, (amongst all the flash stuff). He gets a lovely tone out of that borrowed Gibson, too.
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Post by jwills57 on Dec 8, 2021 21:00:52 GMT
OK, but I wanted to see him playing something that nobody else can play. I mean, I learned that version in a couple of hours. But honestly, he's an amazing guitarist and he's an amazing human being. I had workshops with him over an entire week, twice. Sat right next to him. He's just so full of warmth and energy and life. His great teaching refrain was always the same when asked how to play this or that--"Get busy." Probably the best guitar advice I've ever heard.
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Dec 9, 2021 9:12:53 GMT
There is no doubt the TE is an amazing player. The first time I saw him (2006) I thought wow, what is this!!, the second time didn't enjoy it much because I knew what to expect and by then I had decided I liked his more melodic/slower stuff. The third time I went to see him because he was with Martin Taylor and we didn't enjoy his set on his own (too loud and brash sound) and the final time was because Clive Carroll was opening for him - didn't really enjoy TE then either.
I have a few of his CD's which are really good but two I can thoroughly recommend.
1 - 'Only' from 2002. This has a lot of slower stuff on it which is very, very melodic and just excellent compositions. Perhaps a little too much reverb for me but other than that perfect.
2 - 'The Colonel & The Governor' from 2013 with Martin Taylor. This album is an absolute gem. Fantastic happy, melodic and always puts a smile on my face. Superb!!
So if anyone wants to hear the best of TE in my opinion take a punt and buy these CD's.
Phil
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