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Prayers in Transit

by Abe Maneri

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james bergin
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1.
Speed of Childhood 03:13
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2.
Sento Nel Core 03:11
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3.
Walk Sign 02:52
lyrics
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I love you like a walk sign. Indicating motion, but still be design. your face inhabits my brain, like a cancer, my beautiful death. Feel like loving you feel like dying young feel like getting old Feel like loving you Thundercats art history and alcohol instigate my sex thoughts like daffodils and incense in your eyes I imagine a cross walk where walk signs come alive Repeat Chorus, I love you like a walk sign.
4.
When Doves Cry 03:36
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5.
I'm So Glad 02:58
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6.
Isn't She Lovely 03:21
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7.
If 04:12
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8.
My Room 02:58
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9.
Blue In Green 03:10
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10.
Prelude to a Kiss 02:56
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11.
St. James Infirmary 03:02
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12.
Just a Closer Walk 03:47
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13.
A Prayer in Transit 03:14
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14.
Om 04:39
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Om. Om. Om. Om.

about

Prayers in Transit represents a somewhat monumental milestone for me as an artist, and as a person. I began recording this set of songs in June of 2020. I had just quit drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and coffee at the end of March. Every aspect of making music and art were impacted by these substances. Coffee and cigarettes to make the work, alcohol to celebrate completing something. This is the third full length album I have made where I play all of the instruments. The other two are on this website. Ernest Pop, recorded 07-08 just as my daughter was coming into the world, and Through Time, recorded over 12-14, and now this one, Prayers in Transit. I recorded the seven "covers" first, and then the seven original compositions. The order presented here, reflects a few hundred listens on my part, to try to arrange the 48 minutes of music in a logical and ultimately musically pleasing fashion while highlighting the different musical points of references contained in the music. We begin with, in my mind two sonically optimistic tracks, "Speed of Childhood" followed by"Sento Nel Core." The latter of which has the lyrics from an Italian song I learned in high school while studying singing at Walnut Hill School. The melody is original. This is followed by "Walk Sign" a song that I originally composed back in 2004, and then re-configured for my last rock band, Lost Kitten which existed from 05 to 07. On this version I re-interpreted bandmates Tom Jameson's guitar riffs and Marc Greene's bass improvisations along with a set of new melodic structures made possible by some of the fancy new toys I bought to record this album...pedals and instruments are listed in the album credits. These three originals are followed by a trio of "covers." First, "When Doves Cry" by Prince, "I'm So Glad" by Skip James, and "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder. Obviously I was not intending to do faithful recreations of the studio recordings of these songs. I think of covers more like the tradition coming from Jazz, re-interpreting standards like the way Miles Davis played "Someday my Prince will Come" or John Coltrane played "My Favorite Things." Then we return to originals for two more Lost Kitten re-imaginations "If" and "My Room". Both songs actually predated the band, so in essence these are the third versions of these songs. "If" takes the phrase from Franz Schubert's Ave Maria and gives it a sort of ironic rock anthem feel, while the lyrics express a sort of mid-life crisis mess of regrets. However, I tweaked the lyrics just a bit to infuse it with a sneaky note of spiritual optimism. Most of the lyrics of My Room come from a poem I wrote out of significant despair back in 1996 (I was 21). The "this world's fucked up" refrain is brand new, and anything if a touch ironic, as I added it to the song after finally ending my relationship with alcohol and drugs...While I don't use anymore, I certainly relate to the reasons why I, or anyone else might. Then we have the "Jazz" part of the record, four standards in a row beginning with "Blue in Green" which may or my not be by Miles Davis, but Miles Davis is undoubtedly why the song stays in the subconscious of most anyone interested in Jazz music. The use of the melodica on this track is somewhat of a nod back to Stevie Wonder who I covered in the first half of this album. Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss" follows, which remains one of my all-time favorite composition of any kind. It is also highly sentimental, as my father Joe Maneri loved the piece as well. Closing out the Jazz record portion of this album are two songs from the birth place of our country's greatest artistic achievement, St. James Infirmary and Just a Closer Walk With Thee. These were the first two songs I recorded for this album and most directly reflect my mood in June of 2020. The final track with words on this album, the title track, has a melody I wrote in 1997 when I was trying to be a jazz musician in Boston with a group called, "the Other Maneri" quartet. We never really got off the ground. The lyrics were written more or less simultaneously to this recording and expresses something of what I hope for this album, "This is a Prayer, It's stationed here, in this cloud, waiting for someone to hear, waiting for God to hear." and "My Prayers, move closer and further, Amen"
Last, is the second instrumental "Om." After Amen, and before Amen, we have Om. There is a peace and also a resignation I have that can be interpreted with the sound Om. If I have one truth I can share it is, that as long as I can take a breath and produce the sound Om, my prayers are answered.

credits

released November 23, 2020

Recorded and Produced by Abe Maneri June -September 2020
Voice, Nord Electro 2, Nord Lead 2, NS Design electric cello, PRS standard electric guitar, Yamaha bass recorder, Sakuhachi, Hohner Melodica, Alto Saxophone, Drum Machine. Pedals used include, a RAT 2 distortion pedal, Boss expression pedal, Canyon Electro Harmonex Digital Delay pedal, and a crybaby Wah pedal.

Reviews:

".... If I had not been sitting down, Maneri's performance would have knocked me on my can... he did not just play the piano, he transformed the instrument with energy and clashing sonorities."

--Stu Vandermark, Boston Jazz Scene

"Maneri fills the mind with words and thoughts that require—no encourage—repeated plays to get all of his metaphors. The music scores the poetry nicely; as practiced, the verse is delivered as if in song form."

--Mark Corroto, All About Jazz Magazine

...heavy and poignant, a dour Maneri is wry and sarcastic (his) free instrumental improvisation reflects the tension and anxiety as you would expect.

--Michael Nastos, Rovi

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Abe Maneri and the Agnostic Hep Cats image

Abe Maneri and the Agnostic Hep Cats Brooklyn, New York

Abe Maneri has studied music directly and indirectly his whole life; starting out on violin at the age of 4, cello at age 9, piano, recorders, guitar, voice, percussion, and clarinet there after. He has performed with many noted musicians including Joe and Mat Maneri, Jessica Jones, Sabir Mateen, Assif Tsahar and John Medeski. ... more

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