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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

ENORMOUS FLOWERS



(Tony Cox)

For the past four decades, Zimbabwean-born virtuoso guitarist Tony Cox has poignantly expressed his deepest thoughts and emotions through his nimble fingers and family of guitars. By pushing his guitar playing to its limits, this man - of little words in song - has told beautiful rich textured stories, thrilling audiences with his flawless, innovative technique and skill.

Twenty album releases later, a clutch of awards and a lifetime of performing, Tony Cox has decided to put some meaningful lyrics and his voice to his compositions. Enormous Flowers is his latest release.

Durban’s jazz specialist and radio presenter, Richard Haslop, comments: "Overall there’s a slightly retro feel to the stylistically broad album where a gently South African folk-rock dotted with classic adult orientated rock touchstones, like Paul Simon with Ladysmith Black Mambazo here, perhaps, and, maybe, Sting with Branford Marsalis there, as well, even, as a couple of shots of pre-hip hop R&B. It’s superbly played”

Cox describes the songs: 'They are dark, funny, whimsical and a few are political in nature, all are deeply connected to me as this person who lives here in South Africa, expressing what I think, feel, see and hear. I fervently hope my fellow South African peeps hear it and feel it too...that would be the cherry... Although I'm now a lot older but not yet fucked, I still have a lot to do musically and so this is me now, songs, with lyrics'

The first single House of Parliament Blues (now affectionately known as Voetsek Shutup) has received super traction. Already hitting over 43,000 views on Facebook and 5450 views on you tube, the song, and black comedy lyric video have struck a sociopolitical chord with many South African listeners and viewers evoking much feedback and commentary. Watch the lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/user/tonycoxmusic

The second single to be released is the foot-tapping feel-good track Enormous Flowers dosed with strutting bass lines and sassy, honeyed backing vocals. Listen to the track Enormous Flowers here: :https://soundcloud.com/tony-cox-20/enormous-flowers