Rounder Rec.
Tony McManus : Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar (US,2007)***°°
This video invited Tony McManus, recognised as the leading guitarist in Celtic music, for a kind of sit-back-and-enjoy documentary that almost brings you as close to on his lap, a mood with a warm and joyful evening-in-a-bar style, where he explains with a given out calmness how he learned many tunes, and how he, as an autodidact, learned to play Irish / Celtic tunes from old records, pipers, flutists and so on, not necessarily guitarists. Therefore he spontaneously developed a certain distinguished and matured technique, which is interesting to see an hear. The first introductory tune immediately impressed me, seeing him tapping as well as fingerpicking. His leading left hand has long nails to make this kind of playing possible ; he explains how acrylic fingernails are best suitable. Last guitar he used, -for two tunes-, was a special designed guitar with a different fret, which, while looking rather similar to a usual guitar, makes a sound like a sitar guitar. A nice documentary to watch. Tony McManus succeeds in making Irish tunes sound like a delicacy.
