Manhu was the first band signed by Sea of Wood Records, in 2016. They were exactly the type of band the founders set out to support when the company was created. Originating from small villages around the area of the Stone Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the musicians are all from the Yi minority’s sub-group: the Sani. Performing traditional tracks to carry on their cultural heritage, they produced wonderful modern arrangements respectful of their roots, with a knack for getting audiences dancing at every show.
The road was not easy for these musicians of an impoverished area, juggling between their family responsibilities to till the land and their passion for the music so central to their cultural identity. In 2018 they were honoured in participating in a tour of the US produced by Arts Midwest, during which they performed over 90 concerts and workshops, even recognised in the city of Dubuque, Iowa as they declared the week of October 1st to 5th as the “Chinese music and culture week”.
Their first album published in 2020, Voices of the Sani, received critical acclaim within global music communities, racking up positive reviews from prestigious publications such as BBC Music Magazine, and Alan Tigay’s World Listening Post, and achieving 8th position on the Transglobal World Music Charts. Their recognition was further cemented when their photograph featured on the cover of the Rough Guide to World Music Unplugged in 2021, with their track “Sanhu Love”, and the track “Banquet Dance” appearing on World Music Network’s Rough Guide to the Music of Yunnan in 2022.
These excellent beginnings to their international career were stopped short by the advent of the COVID pandemic. In China, they continued to perform at music festivals throughout the country, albeit within a context of diminishing opportunities for artists of this kind. The team at Sea of Wood did not give up on their development, and we are particularly excited to share today that this most deserving band will get to perform at an official showcase of the World Music Expo’s 2025 edition, in Tempere, Finland.
Mennään, Manhu! Olemme niin ylpeitä sinusta!
