The SoundLounge

Harry Manx

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 completely unique sound that is 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 80's he began a 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. 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. Harry is a prolific artist and has released nine albums since his first outing, Dog My Cat, in 2001. His latest CD. "Bread and Buddha" is a timely mediation on the ephemeral nature of the human experience. The album, two years in the making, employs full, lush instrumentation - an eclectic mix of blues, folk and world music.