DVD Review: Tommy Emmanuel - Center Stage

by Rick Landers.

Tommy Emmanuel’s performance at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Big Room in Chico, California, was filmed for his new Tommy Emmanuel: Center Stage DVD. The video firmly reinforces Tommy's world-wide reputation as one of the finest instrumentalists to step on a stage. His personal charm, musical virtuosity and adeptness at selecting captivating melodies guarantee his fans memorable performances.

In 2005, Modern Guitars saw the Australian guitarist at Carnegie Hall where he was one of many featured guitarists to pay tribute to Les Paul on the guitar innovator's 90th birthday. That evening, two artists received standing ovations - Les and Tommy. His reputation was confirmed when we read that he was named a Certified Guitar Player by the late, great Chet Atkins, who limited that certification to only three guitarists.

The SN Brewing Company DVD presents Tommy alone with his three guitars, two of which are face damaged by his incessant inclination to pummel them with percussionist abandon. The video starts with Emmanuel playing a perky “Finger Lakes,” that glistens with concentric ripples, offering a glimpse of what’s to come. Next up are “Papa George,” “Train to Dusseldorf,” and “I Got to Rio,” that all reflect Emmanuel’s symbiotic relationship with his Maton acoustics.

“Oh, I love this tune,” he says when he begins the intro to Merle Travis's “Nine Pound Hammer,” before thumbing and picking his way up North and down South of the fretboard.

Standard fare for Emmanuel is a nice Beatles medley that rolls out a great rendition of George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” to “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Day Tripper,” ending with a high stepping “Lady Madonna.”

One of Emmanuel’s most remarkable and inspiring displays of guitar-percussion is “Mombasa.” His hands slap all over the acoustic in a conga-beat before he slips in some sweet strums and ventures into some melodic magic. Tommy’s clearly enjoys performing the tune while he grabs a drummer's brush to vigorously swat his guitar and the mic with slap happy abandon.

A special treat follows when Tommy’s joined by harp master, “Dangerous” Bob Littell, Sierra Center Stage Host and Talent Liaison for the Big Room, who offers some swagger to a few tunes including, “Workin’ Man Blues,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “House of the Risin’ Sun,” and a blues drenched version of “Amazing Grace.”

Back to work on solo, Emmanuel hits full stride with a speed-driven bluegrasser , “Tall Fiddler,” that alone is worth the cost of the DVD. Tommy pushes into hyper-drive with an incredible bit of flash rhythm tied to high velocity and very impressive pickin'.

Letting the adrenaline level subside, Tommy relaxes into a sweetly melodic, “Cowboy’s Dream,” that saunters along at a steady pace and ending with a light sweep harmonic, before sequeing into an ethereal tune, “Morning Aire.”

“Lenny Bro’” offers more virtuosity with the romantic, “Questions,” holding the audience spellbound in melancholy charm. Tommy then draws us in more intimately, with his final performance piece, “Initiation.” The tune is as haunting as it is atmospheric, conjuring an aboriginal Dream Track, with all the spiritual trappings of the Australian Outback.

Tommy Emmanuel: Center Stage showcases Emmanuel in all his artistry at a small intimate venue, where he explores the guitar terrain like no one else. And as delightful as his Big Room performance is, we still can't help but wonder how explosive and all-consuming his performance would be armed with an electric and Marshall stack.

DVD title: Tommy Emmanuel: Center Stage
Label: Favored Nations
Producer/Director: Peter Berkow
Tommy Emmanuel (Acoustic Guitar, Vocals)
Bob Littell (Harmonica)

DVD Performance List:

• The Finger Lakes
• Papa George
• Train to Dusseldorf
• I Got 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

Related Links
Tommy Emmanuel
Tommy Emmanuel Interview at Modern Guitars

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