Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5

Subject: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: GUEST,Jason
Date: 26 May 10 - 05:59 PM

Hi Folks

I am very honoured to announce that Celtic Fingerstyle Guitarist and Singer Tony McManus, is appearing @ The Fraser Centre, Douglas St, Milngavie G62 6PE on Saturday 29th May 2010.

Doors: 7.30pm
Tickets: £10
Tickets Available: Art Forum, Station Rd or Milngavie Bookshop, Douglas St (Both Milngavie) or phone [phone]

I have included a small bio!!

Kind Regards
Jason M. Smith
07743885991

Tony McManus Bio, Quotes etc
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'Tony McManus is The Jeff Beck of The Acoustic Guitar' Paul Reed Smith

'The Best Celtic Guitarist in The World' John Renbourn

Acoustic Guitar Magazine Readers Choice Gold Medal Winner

Instrumental Solo Artist of The Year - Canadian Music Awards 2010

To find a unique voice on so ubiquitous an instrument as the acoustic guitar is quite an achievement: to do so within a centuries old idiom where the instrument has no real history is truly remarkable. In little over ten years as a professional musician Tony McManus has come to be recognised throughout the world as the leading guitarist in Celtic Music. From early childhood his twin obsessions of traditional music and acoustic guitar have worked together to produce a startlingly original approach to this ancient art. In Tony's hands the complex ornamentation normally associated with fiddles and pipes are accurately transferred to guitar in a way that preserves the integrity and emotional impact of the music.

Self taught from childhood, initially through listening to the family record collection, McManus abandoned academia in his twenties to pursue music full time. The session scene in Glasgow and Edinburgh provided the springboard for gigs around Scotland and a studio set for BBC Radio, frequently rebroadcast, began to spread the word.

With the loyal support of Greentrax Recordings in Scotland Tony's first self titled recording in 1996, followed by Pourquoi Quebec in 1999 led to worldwide recognition. However, it was with the release of Ceol More in 2002 that Tony's stature as a first class musician reached a new level. Having heard his session work on several albums Nashville based Compass Records released "Ceol More" in North America to universally ecstatic reviews. Critics hailed the focussed, spell-binding nature of the music, from the plaintive Jewish hymn "Shalom Aleichem" to the ingenious arrangement of the Charles Mingus tune "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat". Having been nominated as Musician of the Year by both the BBC Folk Awards and The Scottish Traditonal Music awards, in 2002 "Ceol More" hit the Critic's Album of the year list in Acoustic Guitar magazine and named "Live Ireland Awards" Album of the Year.

In a relatively short time Tony's music has come to define a new role for the guitar in Celtic music. He has come to represent Celtic music in the guitar world, making regular appearances at guitar specific events where just a few years ago jigs and reels would be unheard of. He is now invited annually to the Chet Atkins Festival in Nashville, has appeared at Guitar Festivals in Soave and Pescantina, Italy; Frankston, Australia; Issoudun, France; Kirkmichael, Scotland; Bath and Kent, England; Bochum and Osnabruck, Germany and has taught at five of Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamps in Maryville, Tennessee. He recently appeared at the famous Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in the "All Star Guitar Night" featuring Steve Morse, Bryan Sutton, Muriel Anderson, Béla Fleck and Victor Wooten and headlined by the legendary Les Paul.

His ability to reach audiences unfamiliar with traditional music is remarkable- he is quite comfortable at predominantly classical events such as the Dundee and Derry Guitar Festivals (appearing six times between the two) and even The Bogotá International Guitar Festival where he followed virtuoso Eduardo Fernandez.

Today his live work ranges from intimate solo performance through various duos with friends Alain Genty, Bruce Molsky, and Alistair Fraser

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 May 10 - 06:03 PM

I have heard Tony in concert and have one of his CD's. I can't come to Milngavie, but I recommend him to any catters who can make it.

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 26 May 10 - 11:20 PM

Tony is fantastic! The title of leading guitarist in the Celtic world becomes more subjective though, when you throw in JP Cormier and Dave MacIsaac. The three of them on stage together at a Celtic Colours is a dream devine!

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 27 May 10 - 02:48 AM

I've seen Tony and JP and Dave McIsaac together on stage, Sandy, and with all respect, there was no subjectivity involved regarding the "leading guitarist in the Celtic world" that evening. I think you were there as well, I seem to remember discussing this with you before !

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: GUEST,jason
Date: 27 May 10 - 03:21 PM

im only goin' by the publicity material folks!!!

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 27 May 10 - 10:12 PM

Murray, I knew that my comment would draw your response! :-)
Still subjective on my part but you surely must agree that the whole was greater than its parts! Those guys fed of each other and drove the lucky audience to a frenzy!
             Slainte,
               Sandy
P.S. Jason,
As I said Tony is fantastic! Thanks for starting this thread! If anyone ever has the chance to watch him play, they will agree wholeheartedly! The same could be said about the other two!

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: GUEST,jason
Date: 28 May 10 - 11:04 AM

I do agree tho' sandy

Subject: RE: Tony McManus In Concert Nr Glasgow 29/5
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 29 May 10 - 12:57 AM

Another name to throw in the mix would be Irishman, Kevan Evans. He used to play an old pre-war D-45 that would make me drool!
They all have different styles so the subjectivity is comparing apples to oranges. My own ability does not rank me as a judge of any renown, and in that I defer to Murray, but I know what gets my feet tapping. Tony's finger-picking is his strenth, Dave's flat-picking, up, down and wherever else he wants to go sets his style and leaves one dizzy. JP has ten fingers on each hand (at least in the blur when I try to count them)and is great in a combo picking style!
Both Dave and JP were raised in Cape Breton fiddling families and are both excellent fiddlers in their own right. My subjective belief is that this ads a bit more "blas" (Gaelic for warmth or flavour) to the mix but Tony's technical ability overcomes this in setting his own pace and style!
I do not see music as a contest and who is best in the Celtic world remains subjective in my mind. What I do know is that all three are great!