Harvey Mandel (born March 11, 1945)
is an American guitarist best known as a member of
Canned Heat. He also played with
Charlie Musselwhite
Charles Douglas Musselwhite (born January 31, 1944) is an American electric blues harmonica player and bandleader, one of the white bluesmen who came to prominence, along with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop, as a pivotal ...
and
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, musician and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among it ...
as well as maintaining a solo career.
Early life
Mandel was born in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
, and grew up in
Morton Grove, Illinois, a
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separ ...
of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
.
Career
His first recording was the album ''
Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's Southside Band
''Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's South Side Band'' is the 1967 debut album of American blues-harp musician Charlie Musselwhite, leading Charlie Musselwhite's Southside Band.There is discrepancy in sources as to the year of initial ...
'' in 1966 with
Charlie Musselwhite
Charles Douglas Musselwhite (born January 31, 1944) is an American electric blues harmonica player and bandleader, one of the white bluesmen who came to prominence, along with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop, as a pivotal ...
.
Described in ''Legends of Rock Guitar'' (1997) as a "legendary" album, it was influential in bridging the gap between blues and
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
, with Mandel's "relentless fuzztone, feedback-edged solos, and unusual syncopated phrasing." He relocated to the
San Francisco Bay area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...
, performing often at
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
, a club where local favorites like
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician best known for being the principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence ...
or
Elvin Bishop
Elvin Richard Bishop (born October 21, 1942) is an American blues and rock music singer, guitarist, bandleader, and songwriter. An original member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a mem ...
would sit in and jam. He then met the pioneering San Francisco disc jockey and producer
Abe "Voco" Kesh (Abe Keshishian), who signed Mandel to
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. It was founded as Philips Phonographische Industrie in 1950. In 1946, Philips acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet i ...
and
produced his first solo album, ''Cristo Redentor'', in 1968.
Mandel recorded with
Barry Goldberg
Barry Joseph Goldberg (born December 25, 1942) is an American blues and rock keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. Goldberg has co-produced albums by Percy Sledge, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton, and the Textones, plus Bob Dylan's ve ...
on a
bootleg
Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to:
* Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially
* Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence:
** Moonshine, or illicitly made a ...
from Cherry Records and recorded with
Graham Bond
Graham John Clifton Bond (28 October 1937 – 8 May 1974) was an English rock/blues musician and vocalist, considered a founding father of the English rhythm and blues boom of the 1960s.
Bond was an innovator, described as "an important, un ...
. He cut two more solo LPs for Philips, ''Righteous'' (1969) and ''Games Guitars Play'' (1970), followed by four more solo albums for the
independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
Janus in the early 1970s, which included ''Baby Batter''.
On the night that
Henry Vestine quit Canned Heat, Mandel was in the band's dressing room at the
Fillmore West
The Fillmore West was a historic rock and roll music venue in San Francisco, California, US which became famous under the direction of concert promoter Bill Graham from 1968 to 1971. Named after The Fillmore at the intersection of Fillmore Str ...
.
Mike Bloomfield joined them for the first set, and Mandel came in for the second set. His third performance with the band was the
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
in 1969. During this period, with Canned Heat bandmates
Larry Taylor
Samuel Lawrence Taylor (June 26, 1942 – August 19, 2019) was an American bass guitarist, best known for his work as a member of Canned Heat from 1967. Before joining Canned Heat he had been a session bassist for The Monkees and Jerry Lee L ...
and
Fito de la Parra A unit prefix is a specifier or mnemonic that is prepended to units of measurement to indicate multiples or fractions of the units. Units of various sizes are commonly formed by the use of such prefixes. The prefixes of the metric system, such a ...
, Mandel contributed to the 'Music from Free Creek' super session project. Mandel stayed with Canned Heat for a year, touring and recording material which appeared on three albums. "
Let's Work Together", a song by
Wilbert Harrison which was included in the album ''
Future Blues'' became an international hit. He is also on the ''Live in Europe'' album recorded prior to the death of
Alan Wilson.
With Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor, Mandel joined
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, musician and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among it ...
's band for the next two years.
He is heard playing on the two albums from that period ''
USA Union
''USA Union'' is a 1970 album by blues musician John Mayall, featuring Harvey Mandel on guitar, Larry Taylor on bass and Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin. The album was recorded on July 27 & 28th, 1970 at Larrabee Studios in LA and released by ...
'' and ''Back to the Roots''. In 1972, he teamed up with
Don "Sugarcane" Harris,
Randy Resnick
Randy Resnick is an American guitarist and saxophonist who has played with many prominent blues and jazz musicians, such as Don "Sugarcane" Harris, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall, Canned Heat and Freddie King. He was developing both one- and tw ...
on guitar, Victor Conte on
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
, and Paul Lagos on drums to form the band
Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, also known as Dr. Wiley's Law, was the first of a series of significant consumer protection laws which was enacted by Congress in the 20th century and led to the creation of the Food and Drug Administratio ...
, which released one album, ''Choice Cuts''.
During the 1970s Mandel released the albums ''Baby Batter'' (1970), ''The Snake'' (1972), ''Feel the Sound of Harvey Mandel'' (1974) and ''Shangrenade'' (1973),
in the latter employing the technique of two-handed tapping. He also released an instructional video, ''Harvey Mandel: Blues Guitar & Beyond''.
When
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
guitarist
Mick Taylor left the band, Mandel was given an audition as his replacement.
He recorded two tracks with the Stones for their 1976 album ''
Black and Blue'': "
Hot Stuff" (providing the lead guitar solo throughout) and "
Memory Motel
"Memory Motel" is a ballad song from English rock band the Rolling Stones' 1976 album ''Black and Blue''. The song is credited to singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards (named Richard at the time). It's one of the few which feature both ...
".
Mandel acted in the film ''Chalk'', which was directed by
Rob Nilsson
Rob Nilsson is a filmmaker, poet, and painter, best known for his feature film '' Northern Lights'', co-directed with John Hanson and winner of the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival (1979). He also is known for directing and playing the l ...
.
In 2009, Mandel and Larry Taylor reunited with
Fito de la Parra A unit prefix is a specifier or mnemonic that is prepended to units of measurement to indicate multiples or fractions of the units. Units of various sizes are commonly formed by the use of such prefixes. The prefixes of the metric system, such a ...
and the rest of the current Canned Heat lineup to perform certain shows on the Canned Heat tour. Taylor, Mandel and de la Parra had all been part of the 1969
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...
lineup. Mandel rejoined Canned Heat permanently in 2010.
''Harvey Mandel and the Snake Crew'' was released in 2006. Notable guest performers included
Elvin Bishop
Elvin Richard Bishop (born October 21, 1942) is an American blues and rock music singer, guitarist, bandleader, and songwriter. An original member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a mem ...
,
Norton Buffalo,
Marcy Levy, and
Nick Gravenites, plus
Freddie Roulette,
Pete Sears
Peter Roy Sears (born 27 May 1948) is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than six decades, he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock o ...
,
Peter Albin,
Mic Gillette
Mic Gillette (May 7, 1951 – January 17, 2016) was an American brass player, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay. He is best known for being a member of the bands; Tower of Power, Cold Blood, and The Sons of Champlin. He pl ...
,
Barry Goldberg
Barry Joseph Goldberg (born December 25, 1942) is an American blues and rock keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. Goldberg has co-produced albums by Percy Sledge, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton, and the Textones, plus Bob Dylan's ve ...
and
Howard Wales. ''Live at Biscuits & Blues'' followed in 2009.
In 2014, Harvey collaborated with the herbalist Ron Teeguarden on an album titled ''Dragons at Play'', which consisted of nine tracks.
In 2015, Cleopatra Records issued a six-disc retrospective of Harvey's career featuring the first five of Harvey's solo albums, and a sixth disc containing a live performance from the Matrix Club in San Francisco, on December 24, 1968. The performance included Jerry Garcia, and Elvin Bishop.
In 2016, Harvey, along with
Ryley Walker's backing band,
entered the recording studios at Fantasy Records, Berkeley, for two days of live studio recording, which resulted in the eight self-composed tracks which made up the album ''Snake Pit''.
In 2017, Harvey released the 10 track album ''Snake Attack''. According to Harvey, "I wrote all the songs, performed all the instruments and mixed and mastered all the songs myself. Working in my own home studio allowed me to do all sorts of great guitar overdubs that I'd never have been able to do in a regular studio."
Solo discography
*1968 ''
Cristo Redentor'' (LP,
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters is ...
PHS 600-281)
*1969 ''Righteous'' (LP, Philips PHS 600-306)
*1970 ''Games Guitars Play'' (LP, Philips PHS 600-325)
*1971 ''Baby Batter'' (LP,
Janus
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Jan ...
JLS-3017), also released as ''Electronic Progress'' (
Bellaphon, Germany)
*1972 ''The Snake'' (LP, Janus JLS-3037), with Don "Sugarcane" Harris
*1972 ''Get Off in Chicago'' (LP,
Ovation OV/1415)
*1973 ''Shangrenade'' (LP, Janus JLS-3047), with Don "Sugarcane" Harris
*1974 ''Feel the Sound of Harvey Mandel'' (LP, Janus JLS-3067)
*1975 ''The Best of Harvey Mandel'' (LP, Janus 7014)
*1993 ''Twist City'' (CD, Western Front WFE 10022)
*1995 ''Snakes & Stripes'' (CD, Clarity Recordings CCD-1013)
*1995 ''Harvey Mandel: The Mercury Years'' (Includes first 3 solo albums) (CD, PolyGram Records 314 528275-2)
*1997 ''Planetary Warrior'' (CD, ESP/Lightyear/WEA, 54215-2)
*1997 ''Emerald Triangle'' (CD, Electric Snake Productions ESP-9701)
*1999 ''Snake Live'' (CD, MP3.com)
*2000 ''West Coast Killers'' (Includes tracks missing from 'West Coast Killaz') (CD, MP3.com)
*2000 ''Lick This'' (CD, Electric Snake Productions)
*2003 ''West Coast Killaz'' (CD, Electric Snake Productions)
*2003 ''NightFire featuring Harvey Mandel/Freddie Roulette'' (CD, Electric Snake Productions NF1470)
*2006 ''Harvey Mandel and the Snake Crew'' (CD, Electric Snake Productions)
*2009 ''Live at Biscuits & Blues'' (CD, Electric Snake Productions)
*2014 ''Dragons at Play '' (CD, Electric Snake Productions)
*2015 ''Snake Box '' (Included first five solo albums plus ''Live at the Matrix'' from 1968) (CD, Cleopatra CLP-CD-2100)
*2016 ''Snake Pit '' (CD,
Tompkins Square TSQ 5296)
*2017 ''Snake Attack'' (CD, RockBeat Records ROC-3357)
*2018 ''Live at Broadway Studios, San Francisco'' (CD, RockBeat Records ROC-3366)
*2022 ''Who’s Calling'' (CD, Tompkins Square TSQ 5920)
References
Bibliography
*''Fito De La Parra, Living the Blues'' (2000),
External links
Official Harvey Mandel siteWide Hive Records Harvey Mandel PageWide Hive Players II Guitar Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mandel, Harvey
1945 births
Living people
American blues guitarists
American male guitarists
American rock guitarists
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers members
Canned Heat members
People from Morton Grove, Illinois
Ovation Records artists
Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area
Guitarists from Detroit
20th-century American guitarists