Summit Records has just released John Manniing's debut solo CD called Four Corners: Tuba Music from around the World on their Summit Education division. The recording features works by composers from several different countries, including Costa Rica, Australia, China, and the United States.

Recorded in June 2005, this CD features the premier of Retratos by Vinicio Meza, which commissioned by Manning. FourCorners also features a very unique work for tuba and Guzheng, an ancient Chinese string instrument, played by Shin-Yi Yang, and arranged by Dr. Chi-Sun Chan. From Australia, the Tuba Concerto by Barry McKimm includes three beautiful and lively movments. From the United States, Fantasy on a Lakota Theme by Kenton Bales and the melodic one-movement work, Silhouette, which was written for  Sam Pilafian.

The final selection on this CD is entitled Dark. In three movements; "Playing Hearts with Jerrry", "Shelliloquy", and "Asunder", is an acoustic landscape composed and recorded by Manning, and improvised over. Free bonus tracks through Summit Records will include the background tracks to Dark, for those who might be interested in improvising and/or performing their own version.