Tommy Emmanuel, September 29, 8pm
Here’s a great opportunity to groove to a masterful guitarist while enjoying a lovely coastal drive along PCH through Malibu. Four-time recipient of Australia’s Guitarist of the Year award, Tommy Emmanuel is largely responsible for elevating guitar rock “down under” to a whole other level. A child prodigy who began playing guitar at age four, Emmanuel began working as a professional musician at the ripe old age of six – yes, six years old! With his unique style, which Tommy refers to simply as “finger style” (an approach much like that of a pianist), the veteran axman has collaborated with such musical treasures as Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder and Chet Atkins. Tommy also played on Atkins’ swansong release, The Day the Finger Pickers Took Over the World. This should really be a good one!
Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 PCH, Malibu, 310.506.4522, www.pepperdine.edu/arts, $40
Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Band, October 2, 8/9:30pm
Gordon Goodwin and his eighteen-piece big band of LA’s finest musicians have played to standing room only houses time and time again and never fail to hit it out of the park. With their tantalizing blend of blues, swing, Latin and hard-hitting jazz, Goodwin and crew headlined the 2005 Playboy Jazz Festival and, in turn, reaped highly enthusiastic nods from fans and critics alike. Gordon is a three-time Emmy Award winner, a five-time Grammy nominee as well Grammy winner for Best Instrumental Arrangement of “The Incredits” from Pixar’s The Incredibles. Prepare to be both awakened and delighted by this exciting group of musical magicians.
The Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., CC, 310.271.9039, www.jazzbakery.org, $25.
