Fingerpickers

[stefan]

Yesterday I attended the first day of an acoustic guitar festival (fingerpicking style). Performers were Richard Smith, Muriel Anderson and Tommy Emmanuel. A 4 hour show, extremely fast picking and a great stage presence and performance. Does anyone know these guys? Tommy Emmanuel performed own compositions as well as songs of several writers. So did Muriel Anderson. Smith didn't contribute own stuff but nevertheless put on a great show. Of course there were a bunch of Chet Atkins songs, which made me think of Lindsey. How would you rate their abilities compared to our man? As a non guitarist it's hard for me to evaluate if he could compete with Emmanuel or Smith. I always thought how interesting it would be to see Lindsey do a show like this too. Any thoughts appreciated
Stefan

[DownOnRodeo]

I don't think that Lindsey would ever let himself be compared to someone with chops like Tommy Emmanuel has. I think that Lindsey's himself said that he does prety cool stuff but its fairly limited. Tommy is one of those players that can do anything and everything.

[madformac]

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

I don't think that Lindsey would ever let himself be compared to someone with chops like Tommy Emmanuel has. I think that Lindsey's himself said that he does prety cool stuff but its fairly limited. Tommy is one of those players that can do anything and everything.

Yeah I agree, I think LB is far too humble of his abilities to be compared to these guys... Tommy Emmanuel is an extrodinary guitarist, very technically proficient and also very inventive.

I have to say from an emotional level Lindsey rates higher with me. I totally agree with LB about sometimes being technically gifted and trained in the arts can restrict what an artist believes they can do... If you are schooled to a certain degree and told what you can do and can't, or shouldn't do in an art then you will never be free to craft your own style. Mark Knopfler, another self schooled and by his own admission "mongrel style" fingerpicker is the same as LB in his beliefs. Nothing wrong with learning but don't stick rigidly to it.

I recall MK saying a lot of the technically gifted and trained guitarists he has played with don't know when to be quiet during a song. To give a song the room to breath and not over complicate it. You play into the song not all over it..

[CarneVaca]

Interestingly, I caught Tommy Emanuel on TV the other night. His technique and skill are unquestionable. But I grew weary of his playing before the second song was over. Much like jazz, that kind of ticky-ticky-wacka-wacka-twirly-twirl-twirl playing tires me out. Where's the hook? Where's the emotional connection?

By way of contrast, one night I was flipping through the channels and chanced upon a Leonard Cohen Austin City Limits performance. His playing is fairly rudimentary, and of course he has band and he sings, but I connected immediately. There was something strangely fascinating going on there.

I often put Thelonious Monk on as background dinner music when we have people over, but I can't sit and listen to to it. Same thing with some of these guitar instrumentalists.

To me, the song is king. I believe in the song.

[stefan]

Originally Posted by CarneVaca

Interestingly, I caught Tommy Emanuel on TV the other night. His technique and skill are unquestionable. But I grew weary of his playing before the second song was over.

To me, the song is king. I believe in the song.

I agree and feel the same way. But putting on a CD is a completely different thing than to attend a live show. I too have difficulties to connect to Tommys kind of music- especially his studio work. But I had heard a lot of things about him and how much his stage presence catches the audience (esp. the female audience) and as I got the chance to visit the show I finally did. It was a great live experience watching him and the others from front row. He has a lot of stage charisma- no doubt about it. On CD it is a different thing...