Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Indian Tinged Blues from Harry Manx at Basement Discs

Harry Manx playing the Mohan Veena - Basement Discs - 23/4/08

The smoky warm day in Melbourne today was perfect for a walk at lunchtime down to Basement Discs to see the marvellous Harry Manx performing in store.

If you aren’t familiar with Harry Manx as an artist, he’s certainly worth seeing live. A master musician, he’s a virtual one man band playing a variety of stringed instruments (he had three with him today). Perhaps his most distinctive instrument is the remarkable Mohan Veena, a guitar/sitar hybrid, of which Harry is a master. It has an extraordinary sound.

Harry blends blues, folk music, and Hindustani classical music, creating a totally new interpretation of the aforementioned genres.

He is also a very fine songwriter and interpreter of other artists’ songs. His versions of Jimi Henrix’s Voodoo Child and Foxy Lady, not to mention Crazy Love the Van Morrison classic song are wonderful. He has a smoky, warm voice that is a pleasure to listen to and appropriate I suppose to the warm smokiness of the weather.

I’ve seen Harry Manx live several times and always take the opportunity to see him when he’s passing through these parts.

Steampunk

My friend and well known fantasy writer, Jeff VanderMeer was interviewed on ABC Radio today on Steampunk, the subject of a forthcoming anthology edited by Jeff and his wife Ann.

I was otherwise engaged at work when it was broadcast over the airwaves, but I intend to listen to the podcast tonight.

2 comments:

Kay Cooke said...

I thought of you and your wonderful posts about musicians when I posted up my review of a singer we went to see.

Anne S said...

I did notice your review and was pleased to see that you've taken to it too, ie. reviewing obscure musicians. It's actually pretty easy to cobble together a review of concerts and I enjoy doing it as well as it gives me a chance of showing off my photos.