Sunzoo manley is a new (side) project of Belgian multi-talented singer/songwriter, composer, painter Piet Goddaer aka Ozark Henry. Sunzoo manley is merely a new outlet for those musical creations that don't fit into the Ozark Henry-concept. Starting point for this new "band" was the idea of making music in an open-minded, non biased way, exploring the boundaries of music itself. Something Piet's father, a classical musician/composer himself, taught him at a very young age. He learned Piet how to appreciate the value and beauty of other musical genres, ranging from jazz to experimental stuff, from Miles Davis to John Zorn or Frank Zappa.
The influence of those great artists is clearly present on "To all our escapes", the first Sunzoo manley album, for which Piet Goddaer teamed up with such kindred spirits as renowned Belgian (jazz) saxophone player Frank Deruytter and drummer/percussionist Stéphane Galland. Frank Deruytter started his professional career in 1980 and has played with renowned artists as Toots Thielemans, Quincy Jones and Bobby Womack. Stéphane Galland received his first drum set at the age of 3, decided to take lessons in classical percussion at the age of 9, and by the age of 13, he already played with the best Belgian jazz musicians, developing a growing interest in that musical field. Together with jazz musicians Fabrizio Cassol and Michel Hatzigeorgiou he later formed a successful band called Aka Moon. He is considered as one of Belgium's finest drummers/percussionists.
No wonder "To all our escapes" oozes quality and craftsmanship! But above all, Sunzoo manley is about making and playing music with the same eagerness and amazement as young kids discovering the "forbidden" pleasures of life. Sunzoo manley is almost like "Alice in Musicland": it's about 3 musicians rediscovering the love of music, without any prejudice, blending all possible from jazz to lounge music, focusing on pleasure, emotion, feeling and melody.