THE COLONEL & THE GOVERNOR

On Monday March 4th, world-renowned Australian šfingerstyle› acoustic guitarists Tommy Emmanuel, CGP, and Britain™s Martin Taylor, MBE, will release their highly anticipated collaboration album - šThe Colonel & The Governor› on Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings. The new album coincides with the UK tour of the same name; šThe Colonel & The Governor,› which starts Wednesday March 6th at Basingtoke, The Anvil (see full tour dates below). The concept behind the acoustic duet album originated from a simple idea: find songs that Tommy and Martin love and come up with arrangements that could allow both of them to, as Tommy Emmanuel says, šfly their own our kites,› and have some fun playing together in the process. Says Tommy, šDuring periods of heavy touring, we would send each other emails with song suggestions and mp3s of some of Martin's rare recordings of some of the older guys like Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt, Carl Kress and Charlie Christian. We also wanted to have some original songs on the album and Martin's songs suited so well.› Tommy™s relationship with Martin goes back to the early 90s when Tommy first discovered him on Australian television. šI was so amazed by his playing,› recalls Tommy. šI rang the TV station and they gave me his hotel details. I immediately rang him and invited him to play with me at a beautiful theatre in Sydney. We hit it off like brothers and musically had a wonderful chemistry.› šMartin likes to have as much fun as I do on stage - that's important to me. I have learned so much from Martin, as he comes from a jazz background and I come from a country and rock background. I think we both have a strong love of melody and arrangement that allows our playing to interweave effortlessly and sometimes it feels like time stands still when we are playing together. Martin once introduced me on stage as "the abominable showman" - I have always called him "The Governor". 'Martin Taylor played a Peerless jazz guitar' to 'Martin Taylor played his signature Maestro jazz guitar' On the new album Martin played his signature Maestro jazz guitar, while Tommy played his 1930 Martin 017 Mahogany guitar for some of the tracks and a Godin 5th Avenue guitar for the rest. On Tommy™s solo track, šSecret Love›, he used a Maton custom EGB808. Both guitarists were miked and plugged in as well. šIt was fun and challenging to record to make,› says Tommy. šIt's honest and in your face playing. Martin swings like a member of the Basie Big Band and phrases like a pioneer of jazz. The album was skillfully and sensitively recorded and produced by Kim Person.›