CD: Tommy Emmanuel: Classical Gas (1996)

Australian pressing. With tracks like 'The Journey', 'Concierto De Aranjuez' and 'Initiation' with the Australian Philharmonic Orchestra and 'Pan Man' with Slava Grigoryan, this album promises to be a special one for Tommy Emmanuel. He is no doubt one of a few instrumentalists around the world that ever get a chance to record with an orchestra, it's an endeavour which is but an illusive dream for most musicians. I went down to the Blue Train cafe in Southgate to meet up with Tommy for a talk over coffee, but only to find out that he's given up the evil drinking habit. He then goes on to tell me that he hasn't had a coffee in ten days, and he's been drinking tea and water, and the first thing he noticed is the skin on his scalp is loser. For two days he had a headache and then after that he came good, he was fine. Well, I don't know if I'll ever find out if he's telling the truth, because giving up smoking is one thing, but to me coffee is definitely the heartbeat of my soul. Sony. 2004.