Artist:Harry ManxSong:Death Have Mercy
Album:Wise and Otherwise
Canadian slide guitarist Harry Manx is known for bringing world music elements to roots music especially in his use of the Indian instrument the mohan veena which looks like a guitar but doesn't sound like a guitar. Manx was born in the Isle Of Man but grew up hanging around clubs in Toronto. As a teen, he left home and busked all over the world and worked as a sideman at folk festivals. He plays the slide guitar in his lap but also plays banjo and harmonica. While living in Japan in the late 80s, he discovered the music of Indian legend Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. He created the 20 string mohan veena. Manx moved to India and studied with Bhatt for five years and mastered the mohan veena. George Harrison is the only other western musician to play the mohan veena. Bhatt has become better known in roots music because guys like Ry Cooder, Jerry Douglas and Taj Mahal have recorded with him. In 2000, Manx moved to Saltspring Island, BC and after releasing a CD independently, he signed with Northern Music for his 2002 CD Wise and Otherwise. He won Blues Album Of The Year at the Canadian Independent Music Awards. Death Have Mercy is a traditional song and Rev. Gary Davis recorded the best known version. In recent years, Manx has worked with Canadian guitarist Kevin Breit. They record for Stony Plain Records and their latest CD Strictly Whatever was released May 2011. Here's Harry Manx with guitar legend David Lindley performing Death Have Mercy at the Vogue Theater in Vancouver for CBC Radio 2 June 2011.
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