Phil Manzanera is one of the UK's best-known musicians and record producers, having shot to prominence in the early '70's as the lead guitarist with the style band, Roxy Music. He is widely acknowledged as one of the world's greatest guitarists and is in much demand both as a performer and record producer. Phil Manzanera was born in London to a Colombian mother and English father, and spent most of his childhood in different parts of the Americas: Hawaii, Venezuela, Colombia and Cuba. It was in Cuba that the young Manzanera, aged 6, encountered his first guitar, a Spanish guitar owned by his mother.
Phil's early musical accomplishments were Cuban folksongs learnt against the upheaval of the Cuban Revolution. The scenes witnessed at this time made a deep impression on the young Manzanera, impressions which have surfaced in much of his music, most recently in the critically acclaimed new album, Vozero. In Venezuela the eight year old Phil started experimenting with the sounds of the electric guitar, a cello electric. During his teenage years Phil was absorbing and marrying the twin influences of 60's rock and roll with the Latin-American rhythms of the merengue, cumbia and particularly the boleros of the Mexican, Armando Manzanero. Manzanera was determined to join a professional band and by the summer of 1971 he had joined the recently formed Roxy Music as lead guitarist - the line-up at this time was Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Paul Thompson and Andy Mackay. Roxy's rise was meteoric, with the band being hailed as the stylistic influence of the early 1970's.
During the next 12 years, until 1983 when the band members finally went their separate ways, Roxy Music released a series of international best selling albums, achieving ten number one albums and touring extensively throughout the world. During much of the time with Roxy Music, Manzanera also pursued solo projects, both recording his own albums and producing for others. As a writer, producer and solo artist, Phil Manzanera has worked with many of the luminaries of modern music, such as Steve Winwood, Dave Gilmour, John Cale, Godley and Creme, Nico (Velvet Underground) and John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia). He has co-written material with many artists, including Brian Eno, Tim Finn, Robert Wyatt and David Gilmour. Manzanera co-wrote Pink Floyd's single 'One Slip' from their 1988 'Momentary Lapse of Reason' album.
In the 90's Manzanera performed in concerts all over the world, including 'Guitar Legends', the five day guitar festival performed in Seville where he was musical director for the event and played with Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Jack Bruce and Richard Thompson. Phil has also played in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Spain and the UK, including a ten date European tour with the Cuban band, Grupo Moncada. Last year he was invited to play in WOMAD festivals in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Phil ended the 20th Century by appearing with Bryan Ferry at the British Gas Millennium Concert at Greenwich, the first time they had performed together in 18 years.
Phil Manzanera defies easy musical definition, preferring to continually explore new musical directions and experiment with sounds and styles. Because Phil Manzanera is such a multi-talented musician, producer, songwriter who is willing to take risks, there is no doubt that he will be part of the international music scene for many years to come.
Corroncho with Phil Manzanera/Corroncho ....CD $18.99
Corroncho is a Spanish-speaking band made of Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera and Colombian artist-sculptor Lucho Brieva. They recorded their self-titled album in London between 2003 and 2008. The idea came from a track called "Complicada" written by Chrissie Hynde whilst collaborating with her on a Spanish version of that song. The album proceeded via the track "Lowrider" to a full-blown set of songs about two corroncho characters. Let's say that "Corroncho" is the Colombian slightly pejorative name given by people from the capital, Bogota, to people from the Carribean Coast, particulary Barranquilla, which is politically incorrect but humourous! The album is a collection of songs based on two Latin males, their trials and tribulations, good and bad points, loves and hates, political correctness and incorrectness but ultimately their good humour, good heart and ability to dance, all illuminating the many social issues in present day South America. The music stakes in salsa, cumbia, pop, ballads and chillout! There are guest appearances from Robert Wyatt, Paul Thompson, Enrique Bunbury, Chrissie Hynde, Annie Lennox, Quimi Portet and Gilad Atzmon, as well as Aldo Lopez Gavilan, one of Cuba's top pianists.
Quiet Sun/Mainstream (Collector's Edition) ....CD/Book $35.99
Quiet Sun was a four piece conceived in 1970 at Phil Manzanera's alma mater, Dulwich College; his fellow band members were Bill MacCormick, bass, Charles Hayward, drums, vocals and Dave Jarrett, keyboards. After a brief tour and no record deal in prospect, the band split and Manzanera joined Roxy Music. By 1974, riding high on the Roxy wave, Manzanera secured a deal for his debut album Diamond Head. What he didn't mention was that he had reformed Quiet Sun and was splitting his daily 12-hour studio time between the two projects. This reissue of 'Mainstream' is in book form with new photos and memorabilia as well as bringing together all early demos in one place.
Phil Manzanera/Firebird V11 ....CD $15.99
Phil Manzanera's latest album of guitar instrumental and ensemble playing. 'Firebird V11' is an explosion of musical inventiveness, created by Phil Manzanera, one of the UK's great musicians and guitarists, with ex-Quiet Sun and This Heat's avant garde drummer Charles Hayward, top Polish classical/jazz pianist Lezek Mozdzer and renowned bassist Yaron Stavi from Gilad Atzmon's band. This ambitious musical endeavour is inspired by the red and white Gibson Firebird V11 guitar, his signature guitar and one that Manzanera has had a 35 year musical partnership with. The seven track album was recorded in one week at Manzanera's Gallery Studios in June 2007. Firebird V11 continues in the tradition of Quiet Sun and the instrumental side of the 801 Live project. MacCormick and Haywards' tracks were in fact written in 1970 for Quiet Sun's 'Mainstream' album, but until now, were never recorded. The tracks are: Fortunately I Had One With Me, Cartagena, FIReEBIReD, A Few Minutes, After Magritte.
801/801 Latino ....import CD $15.99
801 Latino - recorded live at Newark in 1999. The CD will contain a CDROM performance of Phil in Havana taken from the Manzanera/Moncada concert video.
801/801 Live ....import CD $15.99
801/801 Live (Collector's Edition) ....double CD/Book $37.99
On Thursday September 3rd 1976, 801 played their third and final gig to a packed house at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. One warm up gig in Cromer and a Saturday evening appearance at the Reading Festival completed their date list. 801 was organised by Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera to fill the vacation that the group were then taking. The musicians included Brian Eno (on keyboards, synthesiser, guitar and vocals), Lloyd Watson (slide guitar and vocals), Francis Monkman (Fender Rhodes and clavinet), Bill MacCormick (bass and vocals) and Simon Phillips (drums and rhythm generator). The music consisted of mutated versions of tracks from albums by Manzanera, Eno and Phil's pre - Roxy group Quiet Sun, plus a full scale aural assault on The Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" and The Kinks "You Really Got Me". This is a unique opportunity to witness the awesome intense atmospheric powerful performance of this short lived group. This recording has been remastered, repackaged and includes two additional tracks - The Fat Lady Of Limbourg and Golden Hours - and has never been available in this cd format before.
801/Live @ Hull ....import CD $13.99
This CD of the 801 Listen Now gig at Hull University contains a guest appearance by Eddie Jobson (who turns in a mighty performance on 'Out of the Blue'). The performance contains the whole set. Rough, ready and raucous fun.
Phil Manzanera/50 Minutes Later ....CD $15.99
(excerpt from 'Bible Black')
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50 Minutes Later is the new album from Roxy Music legend Phil Manzanera. It transports the listener, including them in Manzanera's rock and roll journey, spanning psychedelic London to Buenos Aires and out into the stratosphere, embroidered within a musical context that is always full of invention. Manzanera's signature guitar style, at times richly textured and at times explosive, is very much in evidence and perfectly compliments his storytelling vocals. 50 Minutes Later featues contributions from Robert Wyatt, Brian Eno and fellow Roxy Music members Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson.
Phil Manzanera/6PM ....CD $14.99
Phil has written all twelve tracks and has had quite a few friends drop by adding their talents to the album: Chrissie Hynde on vocals and harmonica, David Gilmour, Robert Wyatt, Eno and Roxy's very own Andy McKay and The Great Paul Thompson. And Bill Bill MacCormick has dusted down the bass and makes an appearance on 'Wish You Well.' Phil helms the album, engineered by Jamie Johnson, taking on lead vocal duties as well as guitar and some keyboards. The world 6PM inhabits is that of Phil's unconscious memories of psychedelic London. It's a world of dreams, surreal cacti, Captain Beefheart, the early Soft Machine, Pink Floyd, the 'Christmas on Earth' event at Earls Court, Fairport Convention, Terry Riley, John Fowles' 'French Lieutenant's Woman', Julie Christie in 'Far From the Madding Crowd', Miles Davis, The Beatles with Sgt Pepper and the Magical Mystery Tour. Lyrically the songs look backwards and forwards to the present, they speak of loss, 'Broken Dreams', love found 'Love Devotion', friendship 'Wish You Well', dedicated to the late author, Ian MacDonald, and much more. The music is beautifully layered and textured, at times almost classical, featuring oboe, viola, double bass interwoven with Manzanera's incomparably expressive guitar lines. Given the cast of world famous players on 6PM, it is no surprise that the sonic landscape of 6PM is rich, startling and unique.
Phil Manzanera/Diamond Head ....import CD $17.99
Phil Manzanera joined Roxy Music as lead guitarist in 1971, their rise as well as their stylistic influence was meteoric. Diamond Head was his first solo album and was released in 1975. It received great reviews and charted in the Top 40. The featured musicians include Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Andy Mackay, John Wetton, Eddie Jobson, Paul Thompson and Bill MacCormick. The album very much reflects Phil's mixed cultural background, particularly on the first track Frontera, sung in Spanish by Robert Wyatt. Diamond Head is full of subtle, inventive guitar playing with flawless technique. This recording has been remastered, repackaged and includes an additional track Carhumba. It has never been available in this cd format before.
Phil Manzanera/K-Scope ....import CD $15.99
Recorded at Chris Squires's (YES bassist) house studio with excellent Simon Phillips on drums and more new
friends Neil
Finn and Tim Finn (Split Enz and Crowded House). This album has an all star cast
that includes Andy Mackay, Simon Ainley, Bill MacCormick, Eddie Rayner, John Wetton, Mel Collins, Kevin Godley,
Lol Creme, Eddie Jobson, Francis Monkman,
Paul Thompson and Dave Skinner. This album has been remastered and includes three
bonus tracks!
Phil Manzanera/Primitive Guitars ....import CD $15.99
Originally released in 1982, Primitive Guitars is an all instrumental album with Phil Manzanera playing all instruments and was Phil's attempt to do a lo-fi at home recording. On this album Phil demonstrates how he tended not to follow other guitarists, but rather tried to emulate such non-guitarists as organist Mike Ratledge, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, or double bassist Charlie Mingus. This reissue includes two bonus tracks.
Phil Manzanera/Vozero ....CD $14.99
Vozero was originally released, in the UK only, in 1999 and was Phil Manzanera's first solo album in 10 years. All 12 tracks were written by Manzanera, and besides Phil's distinctive and eclectic guitar work, Vozero also prominently features Robert Wyatt and also ex-Roxy Music sax player Andy Mackay along with a cast of musicians and singers who make up the album's wide-ranging, multi-cultural sound. Phil said: "I made this album because I wanted to make an album, as I did at the time of 'Diamond Head.' It represents a new departure on my musical journey and it's been a great trip on all sorts of levels. Vozero comes from intuition and feeling; the heart rather than the head. It reflects my Colombian and British background, my years in Cuba, love won and love lost. The words are drawn from my own experiences making it my most personal statement. It's taken me 25 years to find a way to express myself vocally as well as instrumentally."
Phil Manzanera and 801/Listen Now ....import CD $15.99
"Listen Now" itself consists of nine tracks (plus three more bonus tracks added for this remastered release!)- all but three featuring vocals from Simon Ainsley and Bill MacCormick backed by a more or less fluid line-up of other musicians. "Initial Speed", "Island", and "Que?" are instrumentals during which the omnipresence of Phil Manzanera on composition, production, and guitar comes into its own. (NB at certain points, one can witness the first use outside 1OCC of Godley and Creme's synthetic secret, the fabled "Gizmo"). Of the remaining songs, three, "Postcard Love", "Law and Order" and "City of Light" were written by Manzanera and MacCormick and three "Flight 19", "That Falling Feeling", and "LISTEN NOW" itself by Phil with Bill's brother, Ian.
Quiet Sun/Mainstream ....import CD $15.99
This recording took place at the sessions for Diamond Head in 1975. It was a complex and intense performance from Bill MacCormick - bass, Dave Jarrett - keyboards, Charles Hayward - drums, Phil Manzanera - guitars, Brian Eno - synthesiser and oblique strategies. The group had time for only two brief rehearsals, with most of the tracks being first takes. Many of the tracks share themes with tracks on Diamond Head. The end result however is quite startling, with Mainstream sounding like a collision between Lifetime, Soft Machine and The Velvet Underground. In May 1975 Diamond Head was in the UK album charts, while Mainstream was album of the month in August's Melody Maker.
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