Phil Manzanera - The Music 1972-2008 (2008)

Philip Geoffrey Targett-Adams - Born January 31, 1951 (London, UK)

Phil Manzanera is best known for being one of the all time members and guitar player of ROXY MUSIC . He was raised on various locations like Cuba, Hawaii and Venzuela. His musical influences containing elements from both rock and Latin music. Prior to his membership of RM, he was one of the founding members of QUIET SUN. Their self titled debut wasn't recorded before he got in the studio to record his solo debut album which appeared at the end of 1975. "Diamond head" surprised many when it hit the English charts. The mainly instrumental album is an impressive mixture of Roxy Music, rock, progressive rock, jazzrock, avant-garde and Latin. The album was recorded with the help of all his fellow RM & Quiet sun colleagues including Brian Eno & Robert Wyatt. Despite the bizarre combination of various musical influences the music is very accessible. The following year 801 was formed and the band hit the road with a track listing that includes material from Quiet sun & Diamond head. In the hiatus between the Roxy Music albums from 1975 till 1979 there were two albums released from 801, Manzanera contributed also to various recording sessions for Brian Eno, Brian Ferry & John Cale and issued "K-scope" his second solo record in 1978. After Roxy music split up in 1983 he joined forces with Andy MacKay & James Wraith to form the short lived "The explorer's" who broke up after releasing just one record. A second record was shelved and would get released several years later under the name of Manzanera/macKay. Meanwhile he released "primitive guitars" his third solo effort in 1982. In 1987 he teamed up with long time collaborator John WETTON and they released an album full of melodic pop songs. During the same decade he worked with Steve Winwood, David Gilmour, Tim Finn, Godley & creme as a writer and producer. One track which he co-wrote with David Gilmour ended up on the Pink Floyd record "A momentary lapse of reason". In 1990 he released two adventurous albums on which he explored his latin roots further on. For the rest of the decade he concentrated on live gigs even though some reissues appeared for the first time on cd. In 1999 he released an album in which he played lush ambient music. After 18 years, Roxy music reunited for a tour in 2001. That year he released "Vozero" with Robert Wyatt doing much of the vocals. In 2003 he appeared as a session musician on the next Robert Wyatt effort along the likes of Brian Eno & David Gilmour. In 2004 & 2005 he released the twin albums "6 pm" and "50 minutes later", recorded by largely the same group of musicians which also included Gilmour, Eno & Andy MacKay. Both of these wonderful albums can be considered as a culmination of all influences he incorporated in his music over the years. The sound marks a return to the progressive & psychedelic elements of the beginning of his solo career even though the use of actual production techniques is most refreshing. On these energetic albums Manzanera comes closer to Roxy Music than ever before both on sound and quality level.