THE MANNISH BOYS "LIVE & IN DEMAND" Source: Mary4Music Date: 12/2005 Writer: Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro

With all due respect to many "All-Star" blues ensembles and the various "Tribute-Bands" that have, over the years, assembled phenomenal personal to perform as one unit, not since the 1969 gathering of Willie Dixon, Sunnyland Slim, Big "Shakey" Walter Horton, Johnny Shines and Clifton James - who collectively known as THE CHICAGO BLUES ALL STARS - recorded "LOADED WITH THE BLUES", have I seen such a wealth of talent in one blues band.

Having said that, allow me to now introduce you to the all stars that make up this discs version of the MANNISH BOYS: FINIS TASBY, vocals; JOHNNY DYER, vocals and harmonica; DAVID "KID" RAMOS, guitar; FRANCK "PARIS SLIM" GOLDWASSER, guitar; LEON BLUE, piano; TOM LEAVEY, bass; RICHARD INNES, drums; and RANDY CHORTKOFF, who besides being on vocals and harmonica, is the discs Producer, the bands Founder and the head of Delta Groove.

If reading those names made you think of James Harman, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Hollywood Fats, T-Bone Walker, Jimmy Reed, Lightnin' Hopkins, Albert Collins, Albert King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Lowell Fulson, Big Mama Thorton, Joe Turner, Billy Boy Arnold, Otis Rush, Homesick James, Jimmy Dawkins and dozens more, it because they are just a few of THE MANNISH BOYS former co-workers.

Attempting to list the highlights on "LIVE & IN DEMAND" would literally mean saying something about every track. However, in the best interest of a review that's reasonable in length, I'll do my best to just touch on a few......or more.

The CD opens with a hot number called "KID'S JUMP". It's your basic three piece instrumental, but then again there's nothing basic when KID'S on guitar, TOM'S on bass and RICHARD'S on drums. This one, as you'd expect, features lots of that fast played, west coast flare that KID'S famous for.

"I'M READY", is another smoker. With the rhythm cats tightly locked into a smooth groove, RANDY - the CEO himself - tears it up on vocals and harmonica. This one features lots of that wonderfully high pitched, and sharply pointed harmonica notes that my personal favorite harp player, Jimmy Reed made famous.

Although I wasn't there, I'd still be willing to bet that on July 17th, at the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival, when the next track was recorded, there was not a still body within earshot of the stage. This track even had me doing the chair-cha-cha. It's all about LEON on this one. His dynamic vocals and brilliant piano playing are surely the highlights on "SHE WANTS TO SELL YOUR MONKEY".

An all too short version of "YOU'RE SWEET" features JOHNNY D. on vocals and harp. Just as he's getting into it the track seems to end. Fear not, he's on several more.

The next six tracks feature THE MANNISH BOYS main man - FINIS TASBY on vocals. He kicks it off with "GOIN' CRAZY OVER TV". This is another one that must have made the dancers happy. FINIS, with his very fine vocals, and RANDY, with his "Reed-like" harp steal the show on this one.

"IT'S TOO BAD" is low down, slow burning Chicago blues at it's best. With LEON leading the rhythm section precisely to the right place, FINIS' vocals - along with the two guitars setting the pace, are this tracks highlight.

"AS THE YEARS GO PASSING BY" is unquestionably, according to this listeners ears, the best track of the lot. On this slow, soulful ballad, FINIS is at his finest. Of course the guitar work of KID and FRANCK is, quite frankly, phenomenal.

In addition to keeping your eyes out for THE MANNISH BOYS, who are a world wide touring act, make sure you keep your eyes on this record label as well. Considering they are the relatively new kid on the block, a sampling of some of the top products that DELTA GROOVE has already released are: Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers - "For The Chosen who", Mitch Kashmar with Jr. Watson - "Nickels & Dimes", The Hollywood Blue Flames (original Hollywood Fats Band) - "SOUL SANCTUARY" and Kirk Fletcher's "Shades of Blue".