Tommy Emmanuel
The Mystery

Music for solo instrument is an art form of immense potential, and classical music clearly demonstrates this.
Great composers have written some of the most beautiful music of all time for individual instruments. In popular music, whether it be folk, blues, or rock, these types of works cover a more limited niche, overshadowed by the dominance of songs.
This observation makes me think about how precious the artists are who produce instrumental albums for solo acoustic guitar while staying within the realms of Popular music. As we are accustomed to the clamor of traditional songs, such albums convey a beautiful intimacy, somewhat like encountering the archetypal nakedness of melody, somewhat like discovering the roots of a tree for just a moment.

All of this preamble is to introduce "The Mystery" (2006), an album by Tommy Emmanuel, a modern-day Paganini of the acoustic guitar.

Emmanuel is a now-famous virtuoso, his fame, which started from Australia, his homeland, has long since spread worldwide. He is a recognized master of finger-picking. In addition to this, he is also a composer capable of enchanting even the hardest of hearts with intense folk melodies. Thanks to his command of technique and artistic talent, in his hands, the guitar alone becomes more eloquent than a thousand instruments, a thousand voices, and a thousand words.

"The Mystery" is a very romantic album. The guitar is a storyteller that captivates you and makes you lose track of time; this happens in almost all tracks, such as "Lewis & Clark" or "Footprints." Particularly notable are "The Digger's Waltz," a touching and intense waltz, "Cowboy's Dream," a country piece rich with pathos, "That's the Spirit," a short, airy, and soothing piece, and of course, the title track, "The Mystery," a fluid melody with a minor verse that seems to express a sense of enigma to which the major melodic moments seem to provide a reassuring answer with a few sweet notes.
The livelier part of the album is confined to the two opening tracks, the bright and catchy folk of "Cantina Senese" and "Gameshow Rag - Cannonball Rag," a delightful old-time ragtime in perfect Emmanuel style with his unmistakable finger-picking.
Walls is an exception, it's a good song sung in a duet but perhaps lacks that magic that comes only from a single instrument.
Also very beautiful is the solo guitar version of a song by Billy Joel, "And So It Goes," which is also the only cover present.

A highly valuable album. I recommend it.

Rating 8.5/10