On Sunday, Nov. 29 Rossland will welcome back musician Harry Manx to the Miners' Hall.
Manx visits Rossland every two years, brining his distinctive Indo-blues style to the Kootenays.
This time he's back with a new album, fresh off the presses, called 20 Strings and the Truth, a reference to his signature instrument.
“He spent a number of years studying in India under a really famous fellow who basically was sort of a traditional Indian sitar player,” explains Ann Damude, event manager for the Rossland concert. “The fellow took a guitar and crossed it basically with a sitar and created an instrument called the Mohan Veena, and that's what this title refers to.”
The Mohan Veena is a 20-string instrument, invented by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Manx's mentor in India who taught him Eastern scales and ragas, “deceptively complex and regimented musical patterns that form the basis of Indian composition.”
Manx's backgrounds in blues was established long before he got to India, in Toronto's blues clubs where he worked as a sounds man. He eventually started exploring the relationship between blues scales and ragas, creating his distinct style.
Audience members in Rossland can expect to hear songs off the new album, but also old favourites.
“People come to hear the new stuff, but they want to hear him perform the old stuff too, so he always plays a really lovely blend of his well-known songs together with introducing audiences to his new music,” says Damude.
The show starts at 8 p.m. and doors open at 7:30 p.m. Those wanting to attend are encouraged to buy their tickets early.
“The show often sells out,” said Damude. “So just to let people know to get their tickets early, because there's nothing worse than disappointed audiences standing at the door looking at you with long faces.”
Tickets are $35 and available at Out of the Cellar in Rossland or by phone through the Charles Bailey Theatre box office at 1-800-368-9669.
This story will appear in the West Kootenay Advertiser the week of Thursday, October 29.