Blessed (Joe Maneri album)

Blessed is a 1997 album by American jazz saxophonist and composer Joe Maneri, released on Leo Records. The album features Maneri on tenor and soprano saxophone, Mat Maneri on violin, and Randy Peterson on drums.

The album is notable for its free improvisation and atonal approach. It showcases Maneri's unique harmonic language and his distinctive approach to microtonal saxophone playing. Blessed is considered a key recording in Maneri's discography and an example of his contributions to the development of free jazz and avant-garde music. It consists of spontaneously composed pieces, capturing the interplay and communication between the three musicians in real-time. The album has been praised for its intensity, its exploratory nature, and the innovative use of extended techniques. It offers listeners an example of the type of harmolodic-derived free improvisation Maneri explored throughout his career.