Esteemed Grammy-nominated guitarist, composer and performer TOMMY EMMANUEL announces a duets album, ACCOMPLICE ONE.
The 16-track collaborative album features guest artists such as Jason Isbell, Mark Knopfler, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Douglas, Amanda Shires, Ricky Skaggs, David Grisman and more with a release date set for Friday, January 19 via Players Club / Mascot Label Group.
“It’s been such an honor to work with some of the greatest artists I know, and some of the most inspiring people in music today,” says EMMANUEL. “I wanted to record an album of duets that could showcase my love of many styles, the challenge of rearranging some classic songs, and share the fun of total improvisation with players who do it on a level that we all marvel at!”
Produced by EMMANUEL–whom is distinguished as one of only five musicians handpicked by his mentor, Chet Atkins, as a Certified Guitar Player (CGP)–ACCOMPLICE ONE opens with “Deep River Blues” featuring Grammy-winning Americana raconteur Jason Isbell who says, “If you like guitar playing, it simply doesn’t get any better than Tommy.” ACCOMPLICE ONE is a testament to EMMANUEL’s musical diversity, the range of expression that stretches from authentic country-blues
to face-melting rock shredding, by way of tender and devastating pure song playing. The songs are a mix of new takes on indelible classics and brand new originals from TOMMY and his collaborators.
Country and bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs lends his mandolin and unmistakable voice to “Song and Dance Man,” a chronicle of a life lived for the next show. TOMMY’s subtlety and tastefulness blends with Amanda Shires’ gorgeous vocal and fiddle playing to transform Madonna’s “Borderline” and Rodney Crowell’s “Looking Forward to the Past” could’ve topped the country charts in another era, with TOMMY’s propulsive rhythm supporting Crowell’s sly lyrics while his tasty lead playing weave in and out.
“Tommy is a force of nature and of course, I wondered how I could keep up with him!” exclaims mandolinist David Grisman who performs on “C-Jam Blues” alongside both EMMANUEL and Bryan Sutton. “Fortunately, he loves playing rhythm–which he excels at–and we had a great time.” Sutton adds: “Tommy is a good enough guitarist to not play in a way that takes up all the room. There’s a sort of unspoken language of good musicianship where you listen and determine what to play based on what makes the group sound as strong as it can.”
ACCOMPLICE ONE, full of standouts, delivers a jaw-dropping rendition of “Purple Haze” with Dobro master Jerry Douglas that captures all the fire and energy of the Hendrix original as the two modern masters push each other to new heights with each raunchy slide and bend. “You Don’t Want to Get You One of Those,” showcases a sly vocal and acoustic duet with Dire Straits’ legend Mark Knopfler. “Djangology” is a gypsy jazz treat cut live in Havana, Cuba with Frank Vignola and
Vinny Raniolo and “Rachel’s Lullaby” reunites TOMMY with Hawaiian ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro. The song, written for TOMMY’S youngest daughter, shows him continuing to find inspiration from an evergreen source–his love of his family. “When Tommy sent me the MP3 of ‘Rachel’s Lullaby,’ I immediately fell in love with the melody,” says Shimabukuro. “Tommy always writes such beautiful lines that evoke so much emotion. He’s brilliant on so many levels. I was so thrilled to record that with him.”
Accomplice One will be the first album released on Players Club.
The Players Club, a new imprint from Mascot label Group. In addition to guitar-heavy labels like Provogue (blues), Mascot (rock/metal) and Music Theories Recordings (prog), this label will be home to great and free spirited guitar music and jams.
Track Listing
1. Deep River Blues (feat. Jason Isbell)
2. Song And Dance Man (feat. Ricky Skaggs)
3. Saturday Night Shuffle (feat. Jorma Kaukonen & Pat Bergeson)
4. Wheelin’ & Dealin’ (feat. J.D. Simo & Charlie Cushman)
5. C-Jam Blues (feat. David Grisman & Bryan Sutton)
6. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay (feat. J.D. Simo)
7. Borderline (feat. Amanda Shires)
8. You Don’t Want To Get You One Of Those (feat. Mark Knopfler)
9. Keepin’ It Reel (feat. Clive Carroll)
10. Looking Forward To The Past (feat. Rodney Crowell)
11. Purple Haze (feat. Jerry Douglas)
12. Rachel’s Lullaby (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
13. Djangology (feat. Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo)
14. Watson Blues (feat. David Grisman & Bryan Sutton)
15. Tittle Tattle (feat. Jack Pearson)
16. The Duke’s Message (feat. Suzy Bogguss)
