REVIEW: Tommy Emmanuel and Rick Price Impress with Show at the Sheldon Concert Hall

I first heard guitarist Tommy Emmanuel on a CD he and the late Chet Atkins released called "The Day Fingerpickers Took Over the World". My dad introduced me to the music of Chet Atkins when I was just a little boy, and I've become a rabid collector of his albums ever since. I returned the favor by having my dad listen to Tommy and Chet's collaboration, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I also had him watch Tommy's performance on DVD at the Sheldon a few years back, and he was blown away by his talent. So, the opportunity to catch him live again at the Sheldon was just too good to pass up. Needless to say, we both were floored by his superb display of musicianship.

Fellow Australian singer/songwriter Rick Price opened the night with a beautiful set of original material, most of which was taken from his 2008 release, "Revisited". Price is an accomplished guitarist as well, but it's his soulful voice that really sells his songs. He invests his lyrics with poignant emotional content, and numbers like "River of Love", "Bridge Buildin' Man" and "Love Never Dies" reflect this approach. His forty-five minute set was a nice way to start the evening, and I'm certain he garnered some new fans with his appearance.

After a brief intermission, it was time for Tommy to take the stage, and he proceeded to play nearly non-stop for the next two hours. This man is a virtuoso, and if you're a mediocre guitar player watching him work his wizardry on the fret board, you may be tempted to quit after you see him do his stuff, because he's just that good. Emmanuel is self-taught, and whether he's using a thumb pick, flat pick, or his fingers, he lays down a groove that finds him plunking out the bass lines at the same time he's picking out the melodies. He also utilizes tunings that allow the lower strings to really resonate with authority. He's essentially a guitar player's guitar player, earning praise from some of the finest, and most well known pickers from around the globe.

Emmanuel makes his Australian-made Maton acoustic guitars sound like no one else. You'll hear echoes of Chet Atkins and Merle Travis in his picking, but Tommy manages to transform their unique styles into something wholly his own. His runs through Travis tunes like "Guitar Rag" and "Nine Pound Hammer" were wonderful reinterpretations. His tribute to Les Paul came in the form of an absolutely sublime version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". A nod to Chet's influence came with the emotion-packed vocal tune "I Still Can't Say Goodbye", which left tears streaming down my cheeks.

Tommy has the ability to take a simple melody and make it over with stunning displays of pyrotechnics. His runs through "Windy and Warm" and "Classical Gas" were especially memorable, and though they were often stretched to their limit, he always returned to their more familiar melodies and arrangements before another flight of fancy. A lovely medley of Beatles songs featured "Here Comes the Sun", "When I'm 64","Day Tripper" and "Lady Madonna", and was a notable highlight among the many peaks that occurred. A gorgeous take on Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa" also merited attention, and Emmanuel revealed that it was one of his favorite tunes. To offset that mellow moment, a lightning speed rip through "Guitar Boogie" provided visual and audio proof of his dexterity and stamina.

Emmanuel also uses his instrument to provide percussive accompaniment, and at one point played a "drum solo", tapping, pounding and scraping the guitar to produce a captivating rhythm. He's hard on his axes, but he seems to derive intense pleasure from the response he garners as he pulls forth noises that are often hilarious, accenting musical points with exacting precision.

Rick Price joined Tommy onstage for a brief three song set to close the night. They performed duets on the old Doobie Brothers standard "Takin' It to the Streets" and Roy Orbison's "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)", before Price moved to piano for the moving finale "Heaven Knows", which is a Price original. After a lengthy ovation Emmanuel returned for a quick run through an Atkins favorite; a medley of "Dixie/Yankee Doodle Dandy", which stacks the two melodies on top of one another in amusing fashion.

This will be a show that lingers in the memory for a long, long time. And, the fact that my father was able to attend, and that he got a chance to see this man play, only sweetens the deal in my opinion.

The Larry Ochs Sax and Drumming Core take the stage at the Sheldon tonight (October 9, 2009).

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