Myele Manzanza - Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations (2023) Hi Res

DeepMatter Records are proud to present the fourth instalment of Myele Manzanza's 'Crisis & Opportunity' series; Vol.4 'Meditations'.

Over the past two years, the first three instalments of his lauded 'Crisis & Opportunity’ record series saw Myele garner praise from Mary Anne Hobbs, Cerys Matthews, Jamie Cullum, Huey Morgan, The Guardian, Complex, Jazz FM, Lefto, Worldwide FM, Jazzwise and more. The latter of these offerings extended Myele's sound deeper into the electronic world, venturing further into dance & club territory. From this underground energy, the steady swing of life’s pendulum reaches its apex, so we see Myele revert to a purely acoustic line-up, channelling a focused and razor-sharp return to his Jazz roots on ‘Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.4 - Meditations’. Showcasing an incredible level of musicianship between three musicians at the top of their game - including Matthew Sheens (Ross McHenry, John Patitucci) on piano and Matt Penman (Joshua Redman, SFJAZZ Collective) on double bass - the trio exchange motifs over the length of 7 tracks.

On the forthcoming full-length record, Myele explains: ‘ With this album, I’m yearning for the music itself to hold space. The title 'Meditations' suits the more interior mood of the music too. This is a solitary & introverted album compared to my previous works. I’m not trying to entertain you. I’m not trying to make you dance. Not on this record. With the interference of modern technology on our lives and how so much of our attention is tethered to the digital world, perhaps this album is a small rebellion against that. At least in the sense that it’s a purely acoustic album. It relies on the interplay of three musicians, listening to each other and making spontaneous decisions in order to execute the music. The quality of the sound directly reflects each person’s artistry, command of their instrument, physical technique and mental acuity.”

Opening proceedings with frenetic rhythmic improvisation, complimented by melancholic and cinematic layers of sound, ‘Crayford’s Room’ is a tribute to Myele’s musical mentor back in New Zealand. Remembering his time as a student in Wellington, Myele shows his deep connection to his origins, manifesting itself as lament on ‘Winter’ and ‘Homesick’. Introducing hypnotic, contemplative melodies take centre stage on ‘Something Old Something New’ (the first single to be released from the project)’ It maintains a sense of tension and intrigue throughout, and intensity rises to a crescendo sending sonic particles sprawling into space.

Intuitive, darker and deeply contemplative, Myele Manzanza shares his innermost thoughts on ‘Crisis and Opportunities Vol.4 - Meditations’. He divulges ‘The personal angst and existential frustration I was going through across 2020 - 2022 I believe is well reflected here. The album is deeply informed by the musicianship and sound of my trio, Matthew Sheens on piano and Matt Penman on double bass. Knowing that musicians of their calibre were going to be involved gave me licence to go further in my writing, deploying odd time signatures, sharing the melody roles across the piano and the bass, and delving deeper into the nuances of what the acoustic piano / bass / drums trio can do. The compositions present a challenge even to the best musicians, and I knew that it was essential to have a team on this level to really move the music beyond an academic exercise and draw out the emotion and colour from the material.’

Rhythm resides deep within for drummer and composer Myele Manzanza. It is the universal life pulse that governs movement, an intuitive connection between body and sound that produces his genre-spanning, infectiously vibrant music. 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 upon 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.