Vozero
Studio Album - October 1999
Vozero is the first Phil Manzanera album in 9 years, he spent the most of the 1990's doing session work and producing other artists. On Vozero, Manzanera passionately embraces a Latin flair, expressing his Colombian and British roots, flavoured with his years spent in Cuba.
The result is a selection of sensuous rock tunes which glisten with authoritative guitar, intricate percussives, soaring trumpet, anthemesque bass lines, and sneaky electronics. Vocals alternate between distant voices, heavenly crooning, and choir. You can trust the guitar to manifest as each composition's backbone, from delicate Spanish guitar to outbursts of squealing, ecstatic fury.
This music is ruled by compelling melodies, sinuous rhythms blending with fiery guitar to generate a mood of jungle celebration. Complex riffs cavort through the songs, mating to give birth to even tastier patterns.
Rejoining him for this release are Robert Wyatt (whose distinctively charmed vocals, tricky percussion, ghostly trumpet, and grandly grand piano grace several songs), and Andy MacKay (whose haunting oboe shows up on one track).
The track 'Tropical' was added to the 2005 reissue.
Album Track Listing
- Vozero
- Mystic Moon
- Verdadero
- Tuesday
- Rayo De Bala
- The Art Of Conversation
- Vida
- Golden Sun
- Mundo Con Paz
- Hymn
- La Vida Moderna
Album Musicians & Credits
- Phil Manzanera Album Producer, Vocals on Vozero, Guitars & Lead Vocals on Mystic Moon, Guitars Synths & Vocals on Verdadero, Guitars Vocals & Loops On Tuesday, Guitars Vocals Piano & Syhth On Rayo De Bala , Guitar Piano & Vocals On The Art Of Conversation, Spanish Guitars & Vocals On Vida, Guitars & Vocals On Golden Sun, Vocals & Guitar On Mundo Con Paz, Guitars & Vocals On Hymn, Guitars & Backing Vocals On La Vida Moderna.
- Robert Wyatt Trumpet & Vocals On Vozero, Vocals & Trumpets On Mystic Moon, Backing Vocals Percussion & Trumpet On Verdadero, Drums Piano & Percussion On Rayo De Bala, Backing Vocals On The Art Of Conversation, Trumpet Piano & Vocals On Vida. Backing Vocals On Golden Sun,, Backing Vocals, Trumpet & Piano On La Vida Moderna.
- Billy Nicholls Backing Vocals On Mystic Moon & Mundo Con Paz, Vocalist With Mundo Choir.
- Livingstone Brown Bass On Mystic Moon, Vocalist With Mundo Choir.
- Ashley Howes Drum Programming On Mystic Moon, Additional Engineering & Mixing.
- Nigel Butler Loops On Verdadero, Loops Synths & Programming On The Art Of Converstion, Synths On Vida, Synths Samples & Bass On Hymn, Loops & Synth Programming On La Vida Moderna.
- Chucho Merchan Acoustic bass On Rayo De Bala, Bass On Mundo con Paz.
- Enrique Bunbury Sampled Voice On Vida, Backing Vocals On Mundo Con Paz, Lead Vocals On La Visa Moderna, Vocalist With Mundo Choir.
- Jamie Johnson Bass On Golden Sun, Album Recorded By
- Don Chiorboli Congs & Percussion On Golden Sun.
- Ravi Birimbao Kora & Kavel On Mundo Con Paz.
- Claire Singers Backing Vocals On Mundo Con Paz, Vocals On Hymn, Vocalist With Mundo Choir African Gypsies Choir On Mundo Con Paz.
- Mundo Choir On Mundo Con Paz.
- Andy Mackay Oboe On Hymn.
- Gallery Studio Recorded At Louth Lincolnshire Location Recording Benoni South Africa Location Recording Auckland Town Hall New Zealand Location Recording Awesome Studio Durban Location Recording
- Charles Rees Additional Engineering & Mixing
- Oliver Mtukudzi Vocalist With African Gypsies
- Ray Chipaka Phiri Vocalist With African Gypsies
- Kenny Mathaba Vocalist With African Gypsies Clifford Bangukwasi Vocalist With African Gypsies Concorde Nkabinde Vocalist With African Gypsies Lindelani Mathonst Vocalist With African Gypsies Gito Baloi Vocalist With African Gypsies Dan Chiorboli Vocalist With African Gypsies Ed Harcourt Vocalist With Mundo Choir Tomas Mateos Vocalist With Mundo Choir Oscar Manzanera Vocalist With Mundo Choir Gabtiel Manzanera Vocalist With Mundo Choir Felipe Manzanera Vocalist With Mundo Choir Lucho Brieva Vocalist with Mundo Choir Vicky Lanes Vocalist With Mundo Choir
- Ryan Art Sleeve Design Mujer Photos Dave Hogan Photos