"Manx is a deeply spiritual artist, and material reflects his quest for deeper meaning. His lyrics can be a bit cryptic at times, but he's dealing with big stuff - life, love, and our place in the world. Covers include a stunning reading of "Long Black Veil" (a tune previously recorded by Manx for "Johnny's Blues," a compilation celebrating the late Johnny Cash), and the hushed reverence of Kevin Breit's "Humble Me," best known for Norah Jones' version.
Manx seems to be moving away from the blues a bit with this outing. Charlie Patton's "Moon Going Down" is given a gently simmering reading powered by subtle but soulful organ. But harmonica is absent altogether, and despite its title, the almost-apocalyptic "Walking Ghost Blues" isn't a typical twelve-bar. Eastern influences ... are most prominent in the haunting "True To Yourself" and "The Unspoken Quest", both featuring classical Indian vocals from Samidha Joglekar, and Manx's own compositions lean to minor-key folky foundations. Somewhat out of place among the primarily gentle and contemplative fare is the rocky "Love Is the Fire," one of only two tracks to feature Simon Godin's electric guitar.
With each recording, Manx seems to be marking a point in an ongoing quest for deeper meaning. Bread And Buddha (the man loves his puns, as other titles in his discography attest) is a fascinating, often lovely, and genuinely moving glimpse into a soul more concerned with spiritual health than with amassing wealth. Recommended!"
- John Taylor, Blogcritics.org, Oct 25/09
"This disc has full instrumentation and - don't let the sparse looking cover shot fool you - it is a disc that is rich in tone and substance. Listen to the fantastic treatment he gives to Charlie Patton's "Moon Going Down". Or maybe you want to give a listen to one of the six tunes he penned where he makes his fusion of East and West complete. He is equally adept on the Mohan Veena, National Steel guitar, slide guitar as well as piano and tamboura. You owe yourself a treat and something new and completely different, and this is one you not only won't regret, however will cherish for a long time, happy you took the risk."
- Bob Gottlieb, Folk and Music Exchange, Nov 2009
"This is a vibe album. A weekend treat to relax to, the perfect antidote to the working week. There are no duds on here at all. Your Eyes Have Seen is a particularly brilliant track. The excellent and delicate slide guitar plays nicely alongside the bittersweet, downbeat even, lyrics.
Even if you're not a blues fan, the songs on here are strong enough to enthrall. It reminds me a lot of the great slide players like Kelly Joe Phelps and Johnny Dickinson, but there is also a feel of 'Local Hero' era Mark Knopfler. This is a great album, confident and endearing from a musician that really should be better known than he is."
- The Music Critic, Independent Music Reviews (UK), Oct 2009
Tracklist
1. Nine Summers Lost 4:32
2. True To Yourself 4:15
3. Dew On Roses 3:37
4. Walking Ghost Blues 3:28
5. Your Eyes Have Seen 4:28
6. Humble Me 4:08
7. Moon Goin' Down 4:15
8. Love Is The Fire 3:12
9. Long Black Veil 3:55
10. The Unspoken Quest 2:43
Mysticssippi" blues man Harry Manx has been called an "essential link" between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. He has created a unique sound that is hard to forget and deliciously addictive to listen to.
Born on the Isle of Man, Manx spent his childhood in Canada and left in his teens to live in Europe, Japan, India and Brazil. He honed his hypnotic live show on street corners, in cafes, bars and at festivals. But it was Indian music that captured Manx and in the mid 80s he began his five-year tutelage with Rajasthani Indian musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Grammy winner with Ry Cooder for A Meeting by the River). He also received the gift of Bhatt's custom-made, self-designed Mohan veena-a 20-stringed sitar/guitar-that was the catalyst for Harry to forge a new path with his now signature east-meets-west style of music.
A successful touring performer, Manx has brought his "breathtaking" solo shows across Canada, into the USA, Australia, France and most recently to Singapore and Spain. He has appeared at many prestigious festivals, world-class theatres, concert halls and infamous Blues clubs around the globe. Playing the Mohan Veena, lap steel, harmonica and banjo, Manx quickly envelops the audience into what has been dubbed "the Harry Zone" with his warm vocals and the hauntingly beautiful melodies of his original songs. "The live performances have become the most exciting part of the music business for me," Harry says. "And it's not only the playing; it's all the other magic that happens between myself and the audience. My goal has always been to draw the audience as deep as possible into the music."
Blend Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues, add a sprinkle of gospel and some compelling grooves. The result is hard to resist, easy to digest and keeps audiences coming back for more.
Harry Manx performs "Nine Summers Lost"
from his album, "Bread & Buddha".
This video was shot at a sound check before his performance at Hugh's Room in
Toronto.
