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| Musa Manzini's Debut Release, New Reflections  The South African Afro-jazz scene is exploding - and one of the most innovative and freshest faces working in the genre right now is Musa Manzini. Musa is a young, hugely talented bass player who uses this otherwise traditional backing instrument in the most innovative way by playing melodically, and showcasing the bass as a lead instrument. "The sound of the bass truly appeals to me, " Musa says. "The acoustic bass in particular is very organic and warm and it feels great when you play it. I've been playing the bass in this way for a decade now and it feels like home."All compositions on his debut release, New Reflections, feature this University of Cape Town Music School graduate playing either six-string bass and / or double bass - blending fresh harmonic textures with diverse rhythms, from African funk to Latin. New Reflections is an album that will appeal to a broad cross section of listeners - all 12 tracks on the album are original compositions, and offer a diversity of sound ranging from contemporary to traditional. Stand out tracks include the African funky groove orientated "Yekan' Udlame", the unmistakable "Renaissance Song", and the sax driven "Tones Of Enlightenment". 'I've always wanted to record my music, " Musa says. "The time is right now for new talent on the jazz scene". write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |