Joe Maneri
Joseph Gabriel Esther Maneri (born February 9, 1927, Brooklyn) is an American jazz composer, saxophone and clarinet player. He is a former students of Joseph Schmidt. His son is violinist Mat Maneri.
In his youth, Maneri played clarinet and saxophone in various dance bands, often performing traditional Greek music or Klezmer at weddings and other gatherings. He would later incorporate some elements of such music in his own compositions.
Maneri was impressed by the music of Arnold Schoenberg and organized a jazz ensemble that performed some twelve tone music. In 1963, this quartet recorded a demo for Atlantic Records, due in part to Gunther Schuller's interest in Maneri. The recording was not released until 1998, when American Splendor writer Harvey Pekar--who had obtained a copy of the demo--played the music for composer John Zorn, who released the music on his Avant Records as Paniots Nine.
Maneri has taught at the New England Conservatory of Music since 1970, leading one of the only microtonal composition courses in the United States.
He continued his teaching, but Maneri performed and recorded rather rarely until the early 1990's, due in part to his son Mat coaxing him into more public appearances. Maneri gained significant attention, and released a number of recordings.
Writer Harvey Pekar--a longtime fan of Maneri--insisted Maneri's music be featured in the film version of his comic book American Splendor.
Discography
- 1989 Kalavinka
- 1993 Dahabenzapple
- 1995 Let the Horse Go
- 1995 Three Men Walking
- 1995 Get Ready to Receive Yourself
- 1997 In Full Cry
- 1997 Coming Down the Mountain
- 1998 Paniots Nine
- 1999 Blessed
- 1999 Tenderly
- 2000 Tales of Rohnlief
- 2001 The Trio Concerts
- 2001 Out Right Now
- 2002 Going to Church
- 2004 Angles of Repose
