Maneli Jamal

"It's not often that i listen to music that has no words, but it's also more rare for me to be moved by music with no words...maneli jamal is probably the most talented guitarist that i will ever hear in my lifetime. he has a way of bringing out feelings and sensations without having to speak a word...his guitar speaks for him and it's simply one of the most beautiful things your ears will ever come across...regardless of what type/genre of music you dig. he's also quite the artist!"
- Meghan Ann Karels

Well us at Guitar Player Zen could describe this amazing young guitarist to you guys, but we decided to let Maneli describe Maneli for himself. Here is what he had to say:

I’ve been playing guitar for about 6 long years now. The reason I say long is because I play A LOT. I believe that the more hands on playing experience you have, the greater the comfort level will be for the individual with their instrument. I’ve only played for 6 years but I’ve been through a lot of musical routes.

The course that my life has taken me on has drastically changed my outlook on the instrument several times from changing a totally different right hand technique. I started out with Metal playing where most that counts is fast alternate picking techniques. After two years of focusing mainly on metal, I moved to Canada from Austin, Texas. I bought a acoustic because I was going for a more natural and organic sound that can be very well done through the acoustic. It was a steel string guitar I bought online for $75.00. I quickly dropped the electric guitar and began focusing on the acoustic and started listening to Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola for the most part. This is where I brought what I had learned from my previous experiences to the acoustic. Long story short I then started to pick up the classical/flamenco guitar.

Now for anyone wanting to hit this instrument with an all flat picking background, its tough at first. I always challenged myself with the flamenco style because it uses such a pure right hand technique only using your fingers that are given to you naturally. I love that the most about the nylon guitar.

After a while I got really into the two hand tap technique after watching Justin King. This was in 2005 or so and I just wanted to learn as much as i could from watching other people play and pick up on it and combine everything I had learned into a mega technique. After this happened I played strictly without a pick and months later I heard a big guy play the acoustic like I have never heard before, not only melodically but technically stunning as well.

Don Ross has influenced so many fingerstyle guitarists its not even funny, and I was one of them last year. I had thought about using a thumbpick before but it felt really awkward. I thought about it for a sec and had remembered that all i had been doing in the past was push myself to learn as much as i can about the instrument. I then ultimately combined everything I had learned so far into one style. If you listen closely you’ll hear a little classical, flamenco, fingerstyle, metal, tapping and percussion in my work.

- GuitarPlayerZen.com

Raha, Battle Creek, Maneli Jamal and The Anti-Q's @ The Rivoli

Sunday, August 5, 2007

I finally had a free Saturday night so I thought I'd consult my personal showlist and see if there was any cool live music in town. Nothin'! Unbelievable! Still, I was hankerin' for a little live rock and/or roll so I surfed the net for anything that seemed remotely interesting (and preferably cheap.) What's this? The Rivoli! 4 bands! 5 bucks! Bingo!
...
Filed under "Holy Crap!" is Maneli Jamal. This is some of the best guitar work I've seen in years, and as far as originality goes, possibly ever! Maneli plays classically tinged instrumental guitar music which may not be your cup of meat if you like the music I regularly feature on this site. But for me, he was definitely the highlight of the evening. He's a gifted instrumentalist and probably an even more gifted composer, creating movements and soundscapes over the usual pop fare. He has a very unique and original "two-hand" tap techinique that may borrow from traditional Flamenco stylings, but is a little bit too different to be entirely lumped into that category. It takes a lot for a solo performer to command an audience's attention by playing instrumental music, but Maneli is no ordinary solo instrumentalist. I was beyond impressed, and I will definitely be seeing him perform again soon.

- itsnotthebandihateitstheirfans.blogspot.com

Last night, I was at one of the greatest local music concerts I’ve ever been to at The Central. Maneli Jamal, Sean Pinchin and Robyn Dell’Unto each blew my mind in turn, in their own unique ways.
I’ve actually had the privilege of sharing the stage with both Maneli and Sean in the past on several occasions. When I heard they were playing a show together, I knew it would be good. I’d never heard of Robyn before, but I figured that if Maneli and Sean had decided to play a show with her, she must be good. What an understatement.
Maneli and Sean will change the way you think of the acoustic guitar. Maneli is a virtuoso and with his rare two-hand tapping technique he can make music on his own that four other competent guitarists couldn’t produce in a collaborative effort. When you first witness a live performance, you’ll find yourself staring at him trying to figure out if all that sound is really being produced by two hands. . .

- Blaise Alleyne

Maneli Jamal's The Ziur Movement is a true testament of an artist overcoming adversity through their medium. Jamal's seamless production of TZM proves that good things come to those who wait. Although his fans have been anxiously anticipating the release of Jamal's first full length album for a little over a year it is clear that Jamal has been preparing for this much longer. His attention to detail and use of the entire instrument makes this album very interesting for the listener. Jamal creates his own unique interpretation of the acoustic guitar by channeling many musical influences including his Persian heritage, his classical training, his ability to play "outside the box", and his vast knowledge of composition. If Jamal's technique doesn't impress you his ability to speak through his music most definitely will. I've never come across another solo instrumentalist that can convey such detail without so much as a single lyric, and simultaneously hold the listener's attention throughout. Jamal pulls his audience in with Most Glorious Day. This inviting piece has the listener warmly evoking images of sunny afternoons and hope for the future; a brilliant way to start off the album and a definite high note to lead from. In a vast contrast, Javun slows down the pace of the album and invites the listener to sit and reflect with Jamal as he plays for his childhood memories of Germany. Cover to cover the album is flawless, and Jamal's dedication to his art is ever prevalent to the listener throughout. With so many gems The Ziur Movement is definitely not the last we'll hear from Maneli Jamal.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Ziur-Movement/dp/B002M2X4HA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1252345978&sr=8-1

- Amazon.com - B. Ruiz

Maneli Jamal had lived in four countries and moved 20 times by the time he reached the tender age of 18. What was learned along the way shows in the way he mixes musical styles—folk, flamenco, classical, Persian, minimal serial, etc.—in complicated percussive Kottkean / CandyRat-ian work, extremely refreshing for its brightness, wide open spaces, and dizzying patterns. At the moment, the fusion spotlight is once again on exotic guitar play, and Jamal is among its high-water technicians.

All the cuts on this CD are just him, instrumentals, but you'll swear he has accompaniment. T'ain't so, and that's just one part of The Zuir Movement's appeal. Playing an acoustic 6-string, the guy wrings more out of that axe than a honey-hive has bees, and the imagery isn't inapt. Often, notes swirl and swarm, flying like freed spirits caught by a sheer lust for life and the sun, dancing through zephyrs and eddies of balmy summer days. However, don't expect only density and interlocking tapestries, as Jamal counterpoints beautifully, not just in ballads materials like Mov.3 - Vasat, flanking itself against whirlwinds before and after, but also within the tsunamis themselves, interjecting oases of relative calm and varied flora.

As if that weren't sufficient, the guy produced, recorded, and mixed the music…then did the liner layouts and artwork! The boardwork is superb, resulting in a sonically perfect atmosphere, but Zuir is visually an understatedly elegant piece of art. The sole cartooned (actually a French clear-line or Japanese ukiyo-e informed style) self-figure is an excellent piece of work, washed by muted background colors. Jamal's a quadruple threat: technician, composer, player, and graphic artist, and I hope he never gives up the graphic side. That one drawing speaks volumes about his command.

Listen to this release when you're poring over Kottke, Georgiou, CandyRat, or Shimabukoro discs because it's of an ilk with those nonpareils. Maneli obviously disciplined himself over thousands of hours to arrive at a sound that would provoke admiration even from Carnatic musicians. Persian music is actually quite similar to it and sadly neglected in this country (um, maybe because the Bush family and the fellow conservative bastards who coup d'etated their way into the White House are still busy demonizing and plundering the very cultures in the mid-East that birthed us) and Maneli Jamal is a modern ambassador of the mode, globalized and refurbished.

- Mark Tucker

I initially ran into Maneli Jamal's music in early 2006, at which point he had no formal albums out, only a handful of scattered songs, featuring acoustic and electric guitar and a bit of violin. His guitar playing was impressive, but there were stutters and imperfections, the tapping wasn't always confident, and sometimes the song writing and structure were less than incredible. It's evident within a minute of listening to his brand new release and first full length album, The Ziur Movement, that he has been practicing a whole lot recently. The tapping is crisp and confident, and perhaps more importantly, difficult to distinguish as even being tapping. The songs are tighter and stronger, varied and complex without wandering aimlessly. The recordings are pristine, both in terms of recording and playing quality. All told, I think he's finally found his style.

The world of solo acoustic guitar badasses is a curious one. There's an alarming number of people out there who are shockingly adept at making the steel string guitar a viable solo instrument in a rather rock-based, folk-inflected fashion. Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Kaki King - there's enough instrumental music slapped and tapped and finger-picked and strummed on a single guitar to fill up days worth of listening. What there are less of, however, are such guitarists that write music both technically impressive and worth listening to. That's true of most any genre with a technical bent, prog rock being a fine example. What I find somewhat unique to the solo acoustic guitar instrumental corner of the musical world, however, is that even among artists whose music I enjoy, there are relatively few that can remain interesting for a CD's length or more. Don Ross is fantastic, and writes good music, but I'm usually done with the album before it's done playing. Maneli Jamal won't have a true test of this until he has a second album out, but as far as Ziur is concerned, it easily manages to hold my attention for its forty-seven minute length.

The centerpiece of the album is rather obviously the suite for which it's named, The Ziur Movement. There are four movements within it, the first of which, Norym, is also the highlight of the album. Norym is rooted in a rapidly picked single note, around which the initial part of the song forms. The piece moves to a killer riff that is repeated seldom enough that it's all the more excellent when it returns near the end. Unfortunately, it's not available for listening at his music page, but a few other movements in the suite are - of which number three, Ziur, is my favorite. There are a number of older songs available on the album as well, ones that I still have recordings of from my first encounter with his music back in '06 - Southern Magnolia, Morning in Adanac, and Lucid Drawl. This is where it's most obvious that Maneli has improved his chops - the hearts of the songs remain intact, but there are lots of additional technical flourishes, more confidence in the playing, and some slight structural reworks that really help the songs. There are a few videos of these older songs up on his site, which will help to give you a feel for this style of playing if you're not familiar with the Kaki King / Andy McKee / Maneli Jamal / slap-tap-thump / etc. thing.

It's taken Maneli a number of years to get to this point. He's been playing the guitar for quite some time, certainly, but some of the songs present on The Ziur Movement, songs that delineate the formation of his style, have been around since 2006 and likely before. There's a solid three and a half years, at least, between then and now, years that haven't gone to waste as far as the acoustic guitar is concerned. The Ziur Movement is the product of time and effort and practice, all of which are evident in the listening. It's a great album, and I look forward to hearing Maneli's future work.

- Why So Hostile

Hello and welcome to the second EP Edition of The Vinyl Experience featuring a single artist; this time, Maneli Jamal.

It’s not enough to tell people to listen to Maneli Jamal’s music, because I believe that before you can truly appreciate the complexity and sheer depth of his songs, you have to watch him.

You see, for the most part, Maneli uses a percussive style which involves a lot of deft hand work. There are harmonics, hammer-ons, tapping on the body and frets and then some.

What’s most impressive however is not the speed with which he plays, nor the fact that he is entirely self taught. It’s not that he is able to blend a variety of styles , whether classical, jazz or some alternative fusion. It’s not that you would swear you are listening to more than just one man playing whenever you hear him.

I think what is most impressive is the root cause of all of this. Because of the life that Maneli has lived thus far, he is more adept at expressing his emotions through music. This is why his songs aren’t standard pop tracks. They take you on journeys if you’ll allow them, much like strong classical music will. Sometimes there’s a sharp turn here or there, but if you trust in him, you will most certainly enjoy where he takes you.

Maneli’s CD, The Ziur Movement is absolutely incredible. Truly. Four of the songs form a movement, and if you listen to them intently, you will be able to feel the flow of the music through you. And if you’ve a strong imagination, you will be able to create a story to go along with it.

Maneli was also quite generous and sent over 5 CDs for me to giveaway. I would suggest acting fast on these. If you are interested, as with all other giveaways, simply send an email to thevinylexperience (at) gmail (dot) com and write Maneli Jamal in the subject line.

I’ll then contact the winners to ship the CDs out to you.

If you didn’t get a free copy from me, I would strongly urge you to buy one from Maneli. We have to support this kind of talent. It’s the kind of beauty which he creates which make all of our lives richer. We can’t afford not to have that in our lives.

- The Vinyl Experience

Thank you for all the brilliant entries to Acoustic Glory.
It was a pleasure to see the huge wealth of talent on show.

The Winners are Maneli Jamal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmAhtzRFFa0

The 1st prize winner has been an inspiration. His music is just beautiful and his technique refreshing, restrained and effortless.

Winners in the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM6oOtpNfro

- Faith Guitars

2010 Guitar Solo Showdown:
Best acoustic solo, original material: Maneli Jamal
- Taylor Guitars

1st Place - Taylor Guitars Showdown [+ Show]
Taylor Guitars
Your votes have been tallied, and we’re pleased to...
Your votes have been tallied, and we’re pleased to crown the four winners of the
2010 Guitar Solo Showdown:
Best acoustic solo, original material: Maneli Jamal
Best electric solo, original material: Michael Linden
Best acoustic solo, cover material: Frank DeLorenzo
Best electric solo, cover material: Timothy Daigle

1st Place - YouTube Faith Guitars Competition [+ Show]
Faith Guitars
Thank you for all the brilliant entries to Acousti...
Thank you for all the brilliant entries to Acoustic Glory.
It was a pleasure to see the huge wealth of talent on show.

The Winners are Maneli Jamal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmAhtzRFFa0

The 1st prize winner has been an inspiration. His music is just beautiful and his technique refreshing, restrained and effortless.

Winners in the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM6oOtpNfro

CBC Radio One Interview [+ Show]
CBC
Listen to the Interview on CBC Radio One "Big City...
Listen to the Interview on CBC Radio One "Big City, Small World"

Maneli Jamal featured on Vinyl Podcast Sept 2009 [+ Show]
The Vinyl Experience
Hello and welcome to the second EP Edition of The ...
Hello and welcome to the second EP Edition of The Vinyl Experience featuring a single artist; this time, Maneli Jamal.

It’s not enough to tell people to listen to Maneli Jamal’s music, because I believe that before you can truly appreciate the complexity and sheer depth of his songs, you have to watch him.

You see, for the most part, Maneli uses a percussive style which involves a lot of deft hand work. There are harmonics, hammer-ons, tapping on the body and frets and then some.

What’s most impressive however is not the speed with which he plays, nor the fact that he is entirely self taught. It’s not that he is able to blend a variety of styles , whether classical, jazz or some alternative fusion. It’s not that you would swear you are listening to more than just one man playing whenever you hear him.

I think what is most impressive is the root cause of all of this. Because of the life that Maneli has lived thus far, he is more adept at expressing his emotions through music. This is why his songs aren’t standard pop tracks. They take you on journeys if you’ll allow them, much like strong classical music will. Sometimes there’s a sharp turn here or there, but if you trust in him, you will most certainly enjoy where he takes you.

Maneli’s CD, The Ziur Movement is absolutely incredible. Truly. Four of the songs form a movement, and if you listen to them intently, you will be able to feel the flow of the music through you. And if you’ve a strong imagination, you will be able to create a story to go along with it.

Maneli was also quite generous and sent over 5 CDs for me to giveaway. I would suggest acting fast on these. If you are interested, as with all other giveaways, simply send an email to thevinylexperience (at) gmail (dot) com and write Maneli Jamal in the subject line.

I’ll then contact the winners to ship the CDs out to you.

If you didn’t get a free copy from me, I would strongly urge you to buy one from Maneli. We have to support this kind of talent. It’s the kind of beauty which he creates which make all of our lives richer. We can’t afford not to have that in our lives.

CD Review 'The Ziur Movement' 2009 - Why So Hostile [+ Show]
Why So Hostile
I initially ran into Maneli Jamal's music in early...
I initially ran into Maneli Jamal's music in early 2006, at which point he had no formal albums out, only a handful of scattered songs, featuring acoustic and electric guitar and a bit of violin. His guitar playing was impressive, but there were stutters and imperfections, the tapping wasn't always confident, and sometimes the song writing and structure were less than incredible. It's evident within a minute of listening to his brand new release and first full length album, The Ziur Movement, that he has been practicing a whole lot recently. The tapping is crisp and confident, and perhaps more importantly, difficult to distinguish as even being tapping. The songs are tighter and stronger, varied and complex without wandering aimlessly. The recordings are pristine, both in terms of recording and playing quality. All told, I think he's finally found his style.

The world of solo acoustic guitar badasses is a curious one. There's an alarming number of people out there who are shockingly adept at making the steel string guitar a viable solo instrument in a rather rock-based, folk-inflected fashion. Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Kaki King - there's enough instrumental music slapped and tapped and finger-picked and strummed on a single guitar to fill up days worth of listening. What there are less of, however, are such guitarists that write music both technically impressive and worth listening to. That - Maneli Press