Tommy Emmanuel live

By Peter Riedlinger

GYMPIE -- Joseph Furphy once said of his great novel Such is Life that it had “temper democratic, bias offensively Australian”. In the case of the Tommy Emmanuel concert here on June 16, I would apply Furphy's epithet but change the adverb to “charmingly”.

Like the great Australian jazz trumpeter James Morrison, Tommy Emmanuel has the elements of brashness and sincerity.

His solo show had the audience on the edges of their seats for more than two hours. The numbers ranged from “Blue Moon” to “Guitar Boogie Shuffle”. To call his style unique would be understatement, but he gave the audience a glimpse of where he seems to have started with a stunning rendition of the Doc Watson number “Deep River Blues.”

The most poignant moment of the concert came when he dedicated his composition “Initiation” to the Aboriginal people. I was wondering how the audience of a small provincial Queensland town would take to those sentiments. To my relief and great pleasure, the applause was overwhelming.

The diversity of his playing styles, the breadth of his musical knowledge, his personality, sincerity and warmth make him one of the greatest performers this country has produced. If you get the chance to take in one of his concerts, don't miss it.

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