Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo may look like mere mortals, but you are mistaken. These fiery-fingered maestros take to the stage with an unassuming air and then proceed to play a set of such fluid magnificence, you can hear members of the audience alternately gasping and laughing at the sheer excess of it all. Incorporating jazz, blues and even rock into their set – for the latter the duo deliver a version of ‘eye of the tiger’ unlike any you’ve ever heard before, maintaining the adrenalin rush of the original whilst stripping it down to its melodic core – Frank and Vinny are a multifaceted duo who drip talent. That seemingly incongruous aside notwithstanding, Frank and Vinny treat the audience to ‘September song’ (Kurt Weill), ‘I’m getting sentimental over you’ (Tommy Dorsey) and ‘Gypsy Mania’, as well as a number of other tracks and medleys. It’s a remarkable form of musical escapism and, when the duo stop, mid-song for an errant amateur photographer (they left the flash on), there’s a warmth to the lesson that elicits laughter rather than awkwardness. Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo’s set errs only in the sense that it’s somewhat short, but we shouldn’t worry… the track list of ‘Accomplice one’ (upon which the duo feature), suggests that they’ll be back in the second half…
A true artist, Tommy has quicksilver fingers and a remarkable method of using the guitar as a percussive instrument, never allowing the flow of the music to ebb for even a second. Like Frank and Vinny, his unassuming air disguises a fierce dedication to his craft and his set flashes by thanks to occasional vocal pieces and a rare ability as a story-teller that sees a number of songs preceded by insight into their creation. Highlights are many and various – a sumptuous ‘deep river blues’ (from ‘Accomplice one’) stands out, as does an epic instrumental entitled ‘fuel’. A brand-new track, Tommy tells us it was composed on a railway journey, and it’s hard to believe that one man, armed only with an acoustic, could produce such a thunderous sound – let’s hope he records it soon. Two further highlights are drawn, also, from ‘Accomplice one’ – the humorous, Randy Numan-esque (according to Tommy) ‘You don’t want to get you one of those’, which was originally cut in London with Mark Knopfler, and the elegiac ‘Rachel’s lullaby’, written for Tommy’s young daughter. The latter also provides a perfect segue into a Beatle’s medley including ‘while my guitar gently weeps’ and ‘day tripper’. Both are delivered instrumental, although Tommy frequently loses himself in the moment so that you can hear him singing, off-mic, as he plays.
The real magic, however, is saved for the end. A magical ‘over the rainbow’ (which Tommy restarts because he can ‘do it better’), manages to be even more evocative than the original, whilst ‘the mystery’ (from the 2004 album of the same name) loses the audience in their own thoughts. It’s music that, as Tommy says, provides a spiritual experience that promotes unity at a time when everything else is seeking to tear people apart, and a large portion of the audience sit in a reverie with their eyes closed throughout. The big finale, however, sees Frank and Vinny return for, amongst other things, a mighty rendition of ‘Djangology’, another ‘Accomplice one’ track that sees the three virtuosos playing off against one another, the joy on stage evident for all to see. The fact that the track on the album was cut live in front of 120 students (all holding their breath, jokes Tommy) during a seminar on how to arrange a piece for guitar, only helps to add to the majesty of the track, and not one person in the audience is left undaunted by the performance.
Few artists can easily get away with a two-hour solo acoustic performance, but Tommy Emmanuel has the skill, the warmth and the humanity to not only deliver a flawless set, but also to make it feel like an entire band is on stage with him. There’s such remarkable depth to his playing that it leaves you open mouthed in awe and this night, set in the gorgeous Birmingham town hall, is one that will remain seared into my memory for years to come as a perfect example of how virtuoso skill and a simple, enduring passion for music can be drawn together in perfect harmony. 9
