THE MANNISH BOYS "BIG PLANS" Source: Blues In Britain Magazine Date: 06/2007 Writer: MIck Rainsford

Rating: 10 – Mick Rainsford

The Mannish Boys third CD for Delta Groove is yet another winner for this fluctuating band of bluesicians who include Finis Tasby, Johnny Dyer, Frank Goldwasser, Kid Ramos, Kirk “Eli” Fletcher, Leon Blue, Tom Leavey, Richard Innes and Randy Chortkoff- supplemented by some “extra special” guests in Jody Williams, Bobby Jones, Rick Holstrom, Jeff Turmes, Mitch Kashmar, Rob Rio, Larry Taylor and David Woodford.  With a line-up like that you would expect nothing but the “best of blues”- which is exactly what you get.
           
With fifteen tracks and a cast of top quality musicians picking out highlights is well nigh impossible, so I will confine myself to picking out some personal favourites- he “highlights of the highlights” as it were.
           
The set opens with Long John Hunter’s “Border Town Blues”, a Texan stomper laced with elements of Chuck Berry and Elmore James which finds Tasby’s strident blues vocals echoed by Fletcher’s muscular guitar.  “I Can’t Stay Here”- and adaptation of Johnny Littlejohn’s “Chips Flying Everywhere”- finds Goldwasser’s dark vocals mirrored by his own wild, uninhibited slide, with special mention going to Innes’ superlative skin work.
           
Jody Williams contributes two wonderful blues, the mellow “Groan My Blues Away” and the weary “Young & Tender”, both numbers finding Williams delivering a master-class in beautifully understated phrasing accompanied by rolling piano and lonesome horns.  Bobby Jones- soon to have his own set on Delta Groove- delivers two wonderful Chi-Town blues.  His laconic vocals are perfectly suited to the loping Jimmy Reed styled “Mary Jane”, whilst Wolf’s “California Blues” is a throwback to Chicago in the 50s, replete with wailing harp (Kashmar), Sumlinesque guitar (Fletcher) and Spann inspired piano (Leon Blue).
           
Rob Rio delivers a brooding “Carpet Bagger Blues” replete with lowdown vocals and barrelhousing piano; Leon Blue delivers a slab of pure Homesick James on “Gotta Move”- aided by Goldwasser’s keening slide, its accurate reflection of homesick’s style probably enhanced by his work with the blues meister; whilst Johnny Dyer accurately and sympathetically conjures up the spirits of Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers on “Just to Be With You” and “Broken Hearted Blues” respectively.
           
As I said previously- each track is a highlight in its own right and I can only apologise for not having the space to give an appraisal of each track.  Suffice to say that The Mannish Boys have delivered the goods yet again.