A large part of Tommy's greatness is his generosity with younger players. He's doing for them what Chet did for him. Truly a class act in every sense of the word.
After years of trying to figure out if there was a most talented non jazz non heavy metal guitarist and tonight I realize there is. There are lots of incredibly talented worthwhile spending lots of time grazing among them guitarists out there but there is and has been and maybe forever will never be another Tommy. The reason is you can take him ANYWHERE. Drop him into a jam with a parachute. Musicians he’s never met. Instruments he’s never seen. A song he’s never heard. BUT. If it has a key and a pattern, he will volunteer to play harmony and then make a virtuoso performance in the harmony, intuiting the structure of the song and utterly aware of the most probable melody note change, just really listening to corroborate his hunch but utterly prepared to go to the remaining possibilities. He will look you right in the eye when he is about to tell you something he regards as very important. I remember that look when he said that it was important not to get the melody down but to get the exact note for note melody down. Then you play with it. And he’s right. Try to to think of a time when you heard Glen Campbell not render a melody with perfection. He was a lot like Tommy. It wasn’t just one sound that was in these guys. In a way they are classical musicians. More than 50 years ago I knew a professional classical pianist who had placed second in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia. She could play Rachmaninov, Chopin Polonaises, anything so long as you put the sheet music in front of her. And if you put ELO charts or Jerry Lee Lewis any genre whatsoever, so long as the score had instructions or she could hear a tape, out came that music. It was eerie. A few years later I w ent to a folk party and a lit of Irish music was being played. A well known Irish fiddler was playing in the Irish way, flat, see-saw, sounds, every note equal in length to the note before. Up and down. Up and down. The opposite of classical clarity and resonance and sustain and purity. No dynamic range. All conspiring to make a legitimate genre! Among the attendees were the first bassoon and the second violin from the z philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Which I guess was conducted then by Eugene Ormandy. Anyway, i knew these two guys. One was the father of the pianist. Anyway I asked the first violinist of the orchestra if he could play like that. He said, “Sure.” That is Tommy.
I have too! At Tommy's camp last month. He was a surprise guest. He said he really loved my performance of Mombasa. That he was dancing to it lol. He's a really cool dude.
A large part of Tommy's greatness is his generosity with younger players. He's doing for them what Chet did for him. Truly a class act in every sense of the word.
After years of trying to figure out if there was a most talented non jazz non heavy metal guitarist and tonight I realize there is. There are lots of incredibly talented worthwhile spending lots of time grazing among them guitarists out there but there is and has been and maybe forever will never be another Tommy. The reason is you can take him ANYWHERE. Drop him into a jam with a parachute. Musicians he’s never met. Instruments he’s never seen. A song he’s never heard. BUT. If it has a key and a pattern, he will volunteer to play harmony and then make a virtuoso performance in the harmony, intuiting the structure of the song and utterly aware of the most probable melody note change, just really listening to corroborate his hunch but utterly prepared to go to the remaining possibilities. He will look you right in the eye when he is about to tell you something he regards as very important. I remember that look when he said that it was important not to get the melody down but to get the exact note for note melody down. Then you play with it. And he’s right. Try to to think of a time when you heard Glen Campbell not render a melody with perfection. He was a lot like Tommy. It wasn’t just one sound that was in these guys. In a way they are classical musicians. More than 50 years ago I knew a professional classical pianist who had placed second in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia. She could play Rachmaninov, Chopin Polonaises, anything so long as you put the sheet music in front of her. And if you put ELO charts or Jerry Lee Lewis any genre whatsoever, so long as the score had instructions or she could hear a tape, out came that music. It was eerie. A few years later I w ent to a folk party and a lit of Irish music was being played. A well known Irish fiddler was playing in the Irish way, flat, see-saw, sounds, every note equal in length to the note before. Up and down. Up and down. The opposite of classical clarity and resonance and sustain and purity. No dynamic range. All conspiring to make a legitimate genre! Among the attendees were the first bassoon and the second violin from the z philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Which I guess was conducted then by Eugene Ormandy. Anyway, i knew these two guys. One was the father of the pianist. Anyway I asked the first violinist of the orchestra if he could play like that. He said, “Sure.” That is Tommy.
Just mesmerizing. Loved it
I had the privilege of meeting Gareth in person very talented 👏 👌
I have too! At Tommy's camp last month. He was a surprise guest. He said he really loved my performance of Mombasa. That he was dancing to it lol. He's a really cool dude.
Fantastic guys looks like great fun
I live in the Jacksonville area, and I've decided if I can only catch one concert a year it will be Tommy Emmanuel
Totally understand!!
im happy! thanks tommy and gareth!
Great
Sweet playing of a beautiful song.
Tommy being his usual amazing self, and getting another guitarist known. I cannot respect that man any more.
I found both of them at the same time. Both great musicians!
This is sensational (of course!)
Saw Gareth in Edam (Holland) 20 yrs ago…
Where's this from? Concert or private event?
The Caverns in Pelham Tennessee. About 900 people in attendance.
I just happened to be front row center.
We were 2 rows behind you! Thank you for posting! 🧡
@@lauriesotomcgee1990 my pleasure! Such a fun night.. ☺️
@@mrssriplo1 💞