MANTECA

 

German-born Uwe Stengel studied European classical and jazz traditions before coming to Australia on tour in the 1960s. He was profoundly influenced by meeting Dizzy Gillespie as a teenager, and took the band name from a Gillespie composition. He formed Manteca a jazz-fusion band in 1973 on the east coast. The band toured nationally.

In the late 70s Stengel moved to Western Australia to form a second version of the band. Manteca became one of Perth's hottest tickets with its (up to) 11 musicians. The band sold out the Old Melbourne and Windsor hotels, took full-page ads in the daily press and featured on national TV. In 1980, Manteca won the Radio 6iX WA Masters of Music Award and the following year featured in a 10-part ABC television series: Manteca In Concert.  

Their self titled debut album by was recorded in 1979 by the Perth Radio Station 720 6WF. The group fused a mix of jazz, funk and rock together to form their sound. Half the album's style is funky rock featuring Alan Lyford’s vocals, which is "kind of sound like mid 70′s average white band, Tower of Power etc." Their second album 'Fusion' was released in 1981 on ABC Records. Its a mixed bag with some instrumental fusion style tracks and some with vocal cuts. ''The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter'' is the best track with a mellow, laid back, Brazilian flavored groove. 

Calling it quits in 1983, the band went through many lineup changes in its ten year existence and some of its members came from Perth's well known rock bands - Paul Pooley (Matt Taylor Band), Ric Whittle (Fatty Lumpkin), Brendon Darby (SSARB) and Mick Glendinning (Fatty Lumpkin). In 2010 Stengel officially re-formed the band with a new 'All-Star' line-up, which was launched at the Perth Jazz Society Headquarters but that's another story.

Members

Uwe Stengel (sax/flute), Alan Lyford (vocals), Lennie Parker (guitar), Alan Pithers (piano),

Bruce Johnson (keyboards), Paul Pooley (bass), Ric Whittle (drums), Gary Ridge (percussion),

Paul Millard (sax), Brendon Darby (trumpet), Nigel Crocker (trombone), Sue Bluck (vocals),

Joanne Vine (vocals), Dee Baude (vocals), Mick Glendenning (bass), Clive Lendich (guitar), 

Glen Walsh (drums), Tony Borthwick (sax), Robbie Corveia (drums), Rolly Santos (vocals/trumpet),

Peter Lothian (trombone), Greg Shultz (keyboards), Cliff Lynton (guitar), Ross Gunther (sax/flute),

Andy Ross (trombone), Jenny Wrenn (vocals), Kerry Byron (vocals)