THE MANNISH BOYS

Double Dynamite

Delta Groove Music

26 Tracks

by Rick Davis

The Mannish Boys are back, this time with a double disc set anchored by their star-studded core band comprised of: Finis Tasby and Sugaray Rayford on vocals, Kirk Fletcher on lead and rhythm guitar, Frank Goldwasser on vocals, lead, rhythm, and slide guitar as well as harmonica, Randy Chortkoff on vocals and harmonica, Willie J. Campbell on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. This twin disc set is a festival of blues stars you won't hear anywhere else!

With the foregoing band on Disc One, titled Atomic Blues, there are an additional 14 guest musicians, including ex-Chicagoan and Phoenix blues club owner Bob Corritore on harp, Elvin Bishop on slide guitar, plus Rod Piazza and Jason Ricci blowing the Mississippi saxophone.

 It opens with the Son House number "Death Letter" with Sugaray Rayford belting out the vocals; he also handles lead vocals on Robert Nighthawk's "Bricks In My Pillow," the Randy Chortkoff tune "Please Forgive Me" and Otis Spann's "The Hard Way." Finis Tasby takes over the lead vocals on the Little Walter songs "Everybody Needs Somebody" and "Mean Old World," as well as Frank Frost's "Never Leave Me At Home." Randy Chortkoff adds his lead vocals on the Chortkoff/Kashmar tune "You Dogged Me." Frank Goldwasser handles the lead vocals on Willie Dixon's "Bloody Tears." Guest artists delivering vocals include: James Harman on his self-penned song "Bad Detective," Jackie Payne on the Muddy Waters medley "She's Nineteen Years Old/Streamline Woman," and special guest, Chicago’s own Mud Morganfield, oldest son of Muddy Waters, singing the Sonny Boy Williamson tune "Elevate Me Mama" and ending the disc with the world famous London/McDaniel/Morganfield tune "Mannish Boy." What a finish to an all-star blues production!

Round Two, titled Rhythm & Blues Explosion is equally as star-studded, this time with the addition of a superb horn section. The Mannish Boys stay with the same core band members with an additional 23 sensational guest artists on the R&B disc. Kid Ramos, Junior Watson, Nathan James and others contribute their talents, along with some of the guests from Disc One.

Finis Tasby opens on lead vocals with the Bell/Jones song "Born Under A Bad Sign" and continues with vocals on "Later On" by Jimmy McCracken, the Walker/Young tune "You Don't Love Me," and "Woke Up Screaming" by Willie Headen.  Sugaray Rayford delivers lead vocals on the McCoy/Toombs number "That Dood It," the Brown/Terry tune "You Got The Power" along with singer Cynthia Manley, the Jones/Gregory R&B song "Drowning On Dry Land," James Brown's "Why Does Every-thing Happen To Me," and the James Cotton blues tune "West Helena Blues." Guest artist Mike Finnigan takes the lead vocals and keyboards on the Ray Charles jazz/blues song "Mr. Charles Blues," and the James Brown/Ellis tune "Cold Sweat." Jackie Payne takes center stage with lead vocals on the Jeffrey Monjack song "Bed For My Soul." James Harman finishes the CD with vocals on his song "Hittin' The Groove." Disc 2 will have you hittin’ the groove on the dance floor!

This is an extraordinary collection of talent featuring different contemporary West Coast musicians on vocals, strings, keyboards, horns, harps, drums, and hand-claps on each and every of the 26 tracks, delivering some of the best blues, soul, and R&B tunes you will ever hear on one double album. It is really a double dynamite/top gun blues release!

For info: http://www.themannishboys.com