Customer Rating:  
Summary: Extraordinary Musicianship
Comment: Emmanuel is probably the most gifted musician in the folk/country acoustic guitar genre. He performs at a level reminiscent of the late Lenny Breau. Center Stage is an affordable two disc live recording and well worth getting if you love acoustic guitar music. I knock a star off for material -- Emmanuel's original instrumental compositions are beautiful and sometimes even challenge his audience but his covers tend to be predictable and crowd pleasing. Instead of "When I'm 64" wouldn't it be cool if his Beatles medley included "She Said She Said" or "Tomorrow Never Knows?" A minor quibble about a very fine recording.
Customer Rating:
Summary: freakin' awesome!
Comment: great, unbelievable, amazing, etc. if you ever have the oportunity to see him live, do so. he is so entertaining and talented. love his music!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Aussie Fingerstlye Guitar Master
Comment: Tommy E puts out a great live CD with his signature incredible finger style playing. You get some old and new tunes, and hear Tommy's personality come through on this live set. If you have never heard him, check out his other Cds also, but for a overview and a good sounding recording, this collection will give a good impression of what he is about. He is coming to So Cal soon and I hope to see him again. Go see him live, he is phenomenal.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Tommy Emmanuel
Comment: The question is Australia's answer to Chet Atkins and Pat Methany? The answer is Tommy Emmanuel c.g.p.
For the true guitar aficionado Emmanuel's works over the past forty years are cd rack staples and he is as much a household name in his native Australia as vegemite ..for the inexperienced, Tommy Emmanuel, c.g.p. is the four-time winner of Australia's Best Guitarist award and while he has been known as the man to introduce the art of rock guitar down under to a higher consciousness, his true genius is his ability to merge jazz improvisation into a mix that also includes blues, country, rock, classical, and Spanish music.
His latest live 2 disc cd "Center Stage" offers up 24 tracks that may prove to be the most comprehensive example of Emmanuel's work and style to date. Speaking of style, Emmanuel's approach to the strings is much like Bach's to the piano as he uses all ten fingers which creates a backdrop of sound that feels like three guitarists instead of one. As a two time Grammy nominee, and a professional performer since the age of six, (child prodigy anyone?) Emmanuel is more than proficient; he ranks as an expert, authority and connoisseur.
"Center Stage" was filmed in High Definition and recorded at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California. Produced by Kim Person, and produced/directed by Peter Barlow you have a double your pleasure package of uncompromising songs and medleys that are the "just right" full scale exhibition of Emmanuel's talent complimented by a dvd to completely embrace this virtuoso in action.
Notable tracks include "Ruby's Eyes", "The Finger Lakes" and "Mombasa".
4.5 Stars
-Kim Thore
All Access Magazine
Customer Rating:
Summary: The best there is!
Comment: Another great outing for, in my opinion, the greatest guitarist on the planet. Chocked full of Tommy's inimitable personality and two discs full of his mind blowing picking and caressing his guitar to purr and growl like no other entertainer I've seen or heard. I've been fortunate enough to see him perform live in a small and intimate venue and this disc brings to mind that vivid experience. If you've never heard him, buy it, if you have, buy it. You won't be disappointed.
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