Myele Manzanza returns with his latest single 'Pencarrow'
Returning with his first single since the release of ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol. 4 – Meditations’, Myele Manzanza gets the band back together for a continuation of the fluid trio aesthetics established on the record.
Uniting once again with pianist Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) and bassist Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective), the track sees Manzanza and his trio at their electric, communicative best. Captured in New York as part of the sessions for ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol. 4’, the composition is an ode to the beautiful Pencarrow headland in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Reflecting the rocky, windswept coastline and the quiet isolation prevalent for those living in that area of New Zealand’s north island, the initial musical idea came to Myele whilst on one of many long walks and runs along the Pencarrow coast. He shares:
“Pencarrow is a beautiful headland in the Wellington region of New Zealand, down the coast from a suburb called Eastbourne where I had the good fortune of living for a few years. There's a trail that follows the coastline down to the Pencarrow lighthouses that guide the way for ships entering the Wellington harbour. It's a very exposed and isolated area with high winds and occasionally treacherous ocean waves that crash into the stark, rocky coastline, and steep hills. I would often go for runs or long walks down the coast, and it offered a place to clear my head and get my thoughts straight.”
Known for his genre-spanning, infectiously vibrant music, drummer and composer Myele Manzanza puts rhythm at the front and centre of his work, framing it as the universal life pulse that governs movement, an intuitive connection between body and sound. Having established himself as one of the most energetic and exciting jazz musicians within the thriving worldwide scene, the New Zealand-born, London-based artist has made a major impact on the global music landscape. A founding member of Electric Wire Hustle, he has eleven solo releases to his name and racked up tours and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Theo Parrish, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose and Amp Fiddler amongst others.
Having developed a strong live presence in his new London base, his band has shared stages with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus, Alfa Mist, and drawing packed houses to esteemed venues such as The Jazz Café and Ronnie Scott’s where he hosts a monthly residency. Over the past three years, the first four instalments of his lauded 'Crisis & Opportunity’ record series have seen Myele garner praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Huey Morgan, The Guardian, Complex, Jazz FM, Lefto, Worldwide FM, Jazzwise and more.
