Harry Manx – Wise And Otherwise

The blues has been incorporated into many other styles, creating blues rock, country blues and more, but Canadian Harry Manx (who lived for 25 years in India, Japan and Europe) has come up with a new hybrid that could be dubbed blues raga: acoustic blues played with the intricate sound, phrasing and rhythm of traditional Indian folk music.

Manx plays unaccompanied throughout Wise And Otherwise, alternating on lap guitar, banjo, and an Indian instrument called a Mohan Veena. The song selection is typical of a modern blues album, with songs by Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison and B.B. King adding some familiarity, but Manx isn’t a rote player of standard blues; the King cover, “The Thrill Is Gone”, actually comes as a medley with an Indian-sounding instrumental, “The Gist Of Madhuvanti”.

But Manx truly stands out on his own material. “Coat Of Mail” is well-spoken social commentary, and “Roses Given” breathes new life into the old “relationship as war” metaphor.

Manx is technically superb on his instruments, with the kind of soul and grit that can’t be taught. In these contentious international times, it is refreshing to hear an artist bridge cultural gaps in such a natural, unassuming way.