Main Blues

By Malcolm Kennedy

The whole Mannish Boys project is about three things: 1) one playing some damn good music with a bunch of friends, 2) focusing some attention on the music of some of the artists who gave us the blues, some well known others less known, and 3) focusing some long overdue attention on some first class singers like Finis Tasby, Bobby Jones, Arthur Adams and Johnny Dyer.

They do this in true revue style with players and singers moving in and out of the band. Shake For Me marks the Mannish Boys fifth anniversary and once again, as on their first four releases, finds the band hitting on all cylinders and delivering the goods. The first five tracks are all different in style and introduce some new players including the rhythm section of Willis Campbeli on double bass and Jimi Bott on drums. Finis opens things up with a ripping take on the classic "Too Tired," backed by sister label Eclecto Groove's Nick Curran on guitar. Bobby Jones is up next for a medley of Bo Diddley's "Mona" and Johnny Otis' "Willie and the Hand Jive" backed by Eclecto's Mike Zito on guitar and vocals. Finis comes back for a laid back version of one of my all time favorite blues, Lowell Fulson's "Reconsider Baby" with Frank Goldwasser laying it down on lead guitar. If you don't already have some Mannish Boy's in your collection there is no better time to start than with Shake For Me, and I am sure after you listen one time you will be back at the platter store to get the whole collection. I give this CD my highest recommendation.