APRIL 4 • 2024 | 53
J
N
A
nger over Brexit
— the United
Kingdom’s decision
to pull out of the European
Union in 2020 — led
one of rock ’n’ roll’s most
accomplished guitarists to
discover his Jewish ancestry.
And that includes a
genuine pirate of the
Caribbean, no less.
The musician in question
is Phil Manzanera, best
known as guitarist in Roxy
Music from 1972 until its
recent farewell tour in 2022,
and still
working
on archival
projects for
the band.
The Rock
and Roll Hall
of Famer’s
resume also
boasts solo
albums and a
collection of his own bands
as well as collaborations with
Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour
and producing artists such
as John Cale, Split Enz, Nina
Hagen, Robi Draco Rosa
and others. He and Roxy
saxophonist Andy Mackay
continue to work on musical
projects together.
It’s all chronicled in his
new memoir Revolucion To
Roxy (Expression Books) —
including an entire chapter
about his lineage back to a
historic Sephardic pirate.
“When the U.K. left the
E.U., Brexit, everybody was
so cheesed off and trying
to think of ways to get a
European, E.U. passport,”
Manzanera, 73, explains via
Zoom from his home studio
in England. He came across
a newspaper story saying
that anyone who could prove
Sephardic Jewish ancestry
could apply for a passport
in Spain or Portugal, “so
everybody started scrolling
through their Ancestry.com
to see what they can find.”
Manzanera, for his part,
“recalled hearing a rumor
that my mother’s long-
since buried family might
have some Jewish heritage,”
which led him to examine
his own family tree. That
genealogical spelunking led
him to the Cohen Henriquez
line from Curacao, part of
ARTS&LIFE
BOOKS
Phil Manzanera can trace his lineage
to a genuine Jewish pirate.
continued on page 54
GARY GRAFF CONTRIBUTING WRITER
and still
working
on archival
projects for
the band.
The Rock
and Roll Hall
of Famer’s
resume also
boasts solo
albums and a
Roxy Music Guitarist
Discovers His
Jewish Heritage
Jewish Heritage
Phil Manzanera
is best known as
the guitarist of
Roxy Music.
CTA