THE MANNISH BOYS "SHAKE FOR ME" Source: Blues In Britain magazine Date: 06/2010 Writer: Mick Rainsford

“Shake for Me” celebrates the fifth anniversary of Delta Groove Records with the fifth Mannish Boys CD – a group for whom the label was initially conceived and set up to “assemble a group of like-minded musicians to capture the spirit and joy of this timeless music, and reintroduce it for a whole new generation to appreciate and discover”.

Well, five years on and Delta Groove, along with it’s sibling Eclecto Groove, has become one of the most influential blues labels in the world, releasing a plethora of award winning CDs and garnering a roster of award winning artists that must be the envy of the blues recording world. – as the artists who appear on this fifth anniversary release will surely testify.

Just look at the Mannish Boys line-up of Finis Tasby, Bobby Jones, Randy Chortkoff, Kirk Fletcher, Frank Goldwasser, Willie J Campbell and Jimi Bott and draw in a blues saturated breath.  Then check out the guest list of Rod Piazza, Kid Ramos, Mitch Kashmar, Nick Curran, Mike Zito, Arthur Adams, Johnny dyer, Lynwood Slim, Rob Rio, Fred Kaplan, Andy Kaulkin and “Big Pete”  van der Pluijm and try to convince yourself that you are not in blues heaven.

With that number of artists, and sixteen killer tracks, I can only hope to give you a flavour of the delights on offer in this set – so here goes – personal favourites in no particular order.

The set opens with Finis Tasby delivering that old blues chestnut “Too Tired”, his relaxed, hip vocals underpinned by Curran’s hot guitar and swinging 50’s styled horns from David “Woody” Woodford and  Lee Thornburg.  Bobby Jones, aided by Mike Zito, sings a medley of “Mona/Willie And The Hand Jive” in his richly expressive baritone, Zito’s urgent guitar adding new textures to these old warhorses.  Jones again takes the lead on “Educated Wings”, his evocative vocals, laden with machismo, underpinned by “parping” horns, bone rattling piano and vicious slide (Goldwasser) on this Chi-Town shuffle.

Goldwasser and Jimi Bott deliver a wildly percussive rendition of  “Number 9 Train”, a number I have seen him perform to massive audience acclaim with Chris Millar – “Half Ain’t Been Told” finds Jones capturing Jimmy Oden’s declamatory anguished mood to perfection accompanied just by Rob Rio who melds elements of Walter Davis and Otis Spann into his playing – whilst Piazza’s mellifluous harp is the perfect foil for Tasby’s plaintive vocals on Little Walter’s “Last night”.