Harry Manx: Wise and Otherwise (Border)

Suddenly there's a fair bit of Manx around (see In Good We Trust) -- and that's a good thing

Singer-guitarist Manx returned to his native Canada in 2000 after 25 years living in India, Japan and various parts of Europe.

He plays lap steel and the Indian mohan veena, harmonica and banjo. And he has a lived-in voice.

This re-issue of his 2001 album (with more elaborate and quite beautiful packaging) includes his distinctive takes on Hendrix's Foxy Lady, Van Morrison's Crazy Love, BB King's The Thrill is Gone (with his own Indo-blues intro), and his solo take on the traditional ballad Death Have Mercy which he rehit with Kevin Breit for In Good We Trust.

But his originals are the equal of these songs, and whether it be on banjo or veena, he conjures up some very special Southern soul-blues.