ALBUMS
sole voyage
Recorded in New York in 2016, Sole Voyage is the “Best Jazz Album of America 2016” winner from The Akademia Music Awards.
This album is a heartfelt dedication to the thousands of emigrants who left Crete in the 1920s for foreign lands, chasing the dream of a new beginning.
Featuring World-Renowned Musicians:
• Shai Maestro (piano)
• Petros Klampanis (bass & arrangement)
• Mavroudis Kontanis (oud)
• Tamer Pirnabasi (kanun)
• Ziv Ravitz (drums)
hidden trails
Hidden Trails is Maria’s highly anticipated second personal album. The inspiration for this work stems from her deep respect for those who, against all odds, confront a formidable adversary while defending their freedom, beliefs, and rights.
In Hidden Trails, Maria masterfully blends echoes of traditional Cretan melodies with the vibrant bursts of New York Jazz and rich Middle Eastern musical elements. Her distinguished, multicultural musicians lend their unique colors to her compositions, creating a soundscape that is an intense sonic celebration: from powerful, dramatic, and rousing sounds to expressive, melancholic melodies.
Featuring World-Renowned Musicians:
• Panagiotis Andreou (bass)
• Engin Gunaydin (drums) • Guy Mintus (piano)
• Haig Yazdjian (oud)
• Tigran Sargsyan (traditional flute)
• Zacharias Spyridakis (Cretan Lyra)
behind closed doors
This deeply personal album reflects themes of loss, sorrow, and rebirth, inspired by the natural transition from winter’s darkness to the renewal of spring. The title track was born during the first lockdown, as Manousaki returned to her hometown of Chania after years in the United States.
This period of solitude and reflection sparked an intimate and emotional musical journey, bridging past and present.
Performed by a stellar ensemble, including Dimitris Verdinoglou (piano), Michael Evdemon (bass), Alekos Roupas (percussion), and guests Thomas Meleteas (oud), Stratis Skarakis (vocals) Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis (laouto) Ziv Ravitz (drums) Christos Rafailidis ( vibraphone) Petros Klampanis (upright bass) and Andreas Polyzogopoulos (trumpet), the album weaves sophisticated improvisation with the earthy, ancestral tones of Cretan music.
Behind Closed Doors is an album of contrasts—light and shadow, longing and resilience, tradition and innovation—all guided by Manousaki’s passionate violin and fearless artistry.