'Behind Closed Doors' marks the latest release from Maria Manousaki whose third full-length album continues to build upon the violinist's impassioned stance on jazz and composition.
Born in Johannesburg, raised in the Cretan city of Chania and later based in New York, Manousaki has cultivated an inspired world view shaped by her own cultural make-up, extensive travel and an open-mindedness that finds her as a storyteller keen to embrace varying ideologies. It's an endearing approach that reflects some of the most compelling parts of Manousaki's own music and has contributed to much of her incredible successes to date.
Having established herself as a formidable talent as a writer and performer - clocking up numerous awards, accolades and distinctions - Manousaki graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston before ultimately moving to New York and ushering in the next phase of her career. A frequent performer, the violinist has graced stages as part of a multitude of prestigious events from New York to the Middle East to Australia and continues to rack up collaborations with like-minded musicians including luminaries Thana Alexa, Gilad Hekselman and Shai Maestro.
The desire to create for Manousaki seems to serve as a driving force that leads her to a litany of projects and ensembles from the Stephane Grappelli Project, the swing quartet that seeks to celebrate the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, or The Cretan Jazz Project, a quartet that similarly celebrates the Cretan songbook.
Through past solo releases, 'Sole Voyage' and 'Hidden Trails', Manousaki has carved her own consummate sound which finds the band leader continue to openly embrace her Greek traditions while still finding ways to infuse them as part of an exquisite amalgamation of contemporary jazz alongside neo-classical compositions. 'Behind Closed Doors' seeks to build upon that framework through to sublime effect gifting listeners with a riveting project that confidently acknowledges the scope of Manousaki's inspirations presenting them succinctly as part of the project's seven tracks.
While 'Behind Closed Doors' continues to demonstrate Maria's boundless talents as a writer and composer, it would be criminal not to mention the nearly unrecognisable and haunting take on 'Lovesong' originally by The Cure. A genuinely beautiful and somewhat ethereal reimagining of the track that finds a fascinating new narrative within the 80s gem making it a masterpiece all over again.
An artist with inspirational levels of imagination and ambition, Maria Manousaki's career to date has led to some wonderful high-points and the blissful release of 'Behind Closed Doors' ironically looks set to open the door to even greater successes.
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