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Manuka Honey has been a work in progress for over four years, blending Jazz, Classical piano, Alternative, Blues, Reggae, Latin, Eastern Indian Kirtan, and other genres into the sound that has become Manuka Honey. The band’s mission is to assemble a group of musicians that share a passion for improvisation, musical mysticism, exploration, and to develop a united vision.
The focus of the band is on the art form itself, despite the current trend of image-driven music on the scene today. Manuka Honey aims to create progressive music in an effort to move the art form forward and re-establish substance over hype. Following is a brief history of the band, and the diverse background of the musicians that make up Manuka Honey.
Sarah Hale
Born into a musical family, Sarah Hale spent her adolescent years taking piano lessons, playing recitals, painting and listening to an eclectic mix of music from the creative madness of The Mother’s of Invention and early Pink Floyd, the blusiness of John Mayall and Taj Mahal, to the prog rock of the day, Tool and Smashing Pumpkins. She discovered an inclination to improvise and play by ear and began to create her own arrangements. “It became like a meditation for me to come home after school when the house was quiet, no one but me and piano, and I’d just sit down and quit thinking, just letting whatever sound to flow.” This method of writing would become Sarah’s signature style, valuing simplicity and capturing the magic of a moment rather than aiming for absolute technical perfection.
After a few years break from playing piano, Sarah returned to her musical roots in 1998 as a student at Fort Hays State University in Kansas where she took concert piano. Here the real creation began when her friend Joshua Richards, a fellow musician and inspiration, gifted her with a 4 track tape recorder. “I would go into the practice rooms any time, day or night, sit down and just hit record.” Many of these recordings became the bones of songs now performed by Manuka Honey.
Cheri Abrams
Cheri Abrams started playing the bass in her late teens with a punk rock band called “The Cichlids” on the west coast of Florida. After a hiatus from playing music to study Martial Arts and Massage Therapy, she picked up the flute with the encouragement of a friend who would teach her. Cheri met Sarah through work and that is when she became serious about playing music again.
As Manuka Honey, grew so did Cheri’s instrument collections. “We knew what we where looking for but it was hard to find these musicians in our small town that would what to join a band.” So she started to explore other instruments and to date plays the flutes, sax and the cello for Manuka Honey.
The music that influenced Cheri ranges from J.S. Bach, and old world, to Led Zeppelin, David Bowie and The New York Dolls.
Ken Primus
Ken Primus started playing bass at the age of 16 after his church bass player had to leave for college in 1981, and he’s been playing ever since. He played with several bands of all genres over the years, ranging from rock to jazz. In the mid 80’s he taught bass for several years in New York City at a local music store. It was during this time that Ken was introduced to John
Patitucci by the owner of the music store, and became a student of his techniques.
Later that year he was introduced to Sting by a mutual friend, and met his bass player Daryl Jones while they were recording the Blue Turtle album. Another connection this same year led him to record a demo that fell into the hands of David Sanborn’s, and Miles Davis’s bass player Marcus Miller. This provided him the exhilarating opportunity to jam with them. It was this year of experiences and meetings that cemented his love of the up and coming genre of smooth and contemporary jazz. Through this time he gathered and incorporated valuable techniques into his current bass playing style.
His musical influences range from Lenny Cagan who first taught him how to play, and Corey Pena, “Who showed me what someone who knows how to the play the bass, can do with a bass,” John Paul Jones, and Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, Ron Carter, Larry Graham, Les Claypool, John Patitucci, Noel Redding, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Bootsy Collins, Meshell Ndegeocello and the great Robbie Shakespeare.
Sheldon Primus
The final addition to the group is drummer and percussionist Sheldon Primus. At the age of 8 Sheldon was taught drums by his older brother Mark in their Queens, NY basement. Throughout his formative years, Sheldon honed his skills through private lessons in both drums and percussion. Sheldon’s drumming style and influences range from classic drummers like Buddy Rich and Art Blankey, to the syncopation of Stewart Copeland.
Music has often been a part of his life, although Sheldon took a hiatus from drumming for several years. In the mid to late 90’s he was often heard in Orlando, Florida nightclubs spinning records as DJ Primalprime.
Manuka Honey bassist and Sheldon’s eldest brother Ken invited him to sit in on a few songs at a show in Vero Beach, Florida. The seeds of the current group were sewn, and shortly after that gig, Sheldon joined the group full time. |
