| Name | Harvey Mandel |
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| Landscape | no |
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| Background | solo_singer |
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| Origin | Morton Grove, IllinoisUnited States |
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| Born | Detroit, MichiganUnited States |
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| Instrument | Guitar |
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| Genre | Rock and roll |
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| Occupation | Musician |
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| Years active | 1966 - Current |
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| Label | Epic, Philips, Bellaphon, Janus, Repertoire, BGO, Ovation, Western Front, Clarity, Lightyear, Orchard, Electric Snake |
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| Associated acts | Pure Food and Drug Act, |
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| Url | Official Harvey Mandel.com |
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Harvey Mandel (born March 11, 1945) is an American guitarist known for his innovative approach to electric guitar playing. A professional at twenty, he played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones, and John Mayall before starting a solo career. Mandel is one of the first rock guitarists to use two-handed fretboard tapping.
Career
Mandel was born in
Detroit,
Michigan but grew up in
Morton Grove,
Illinois, a
suburb of
Chicago and his first record was the album
Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's Southside Band in 1966 with
Charlie Musselwhite. Described in 1997's
Legends of Rock Guitar as a "legendary" album, it was influential in bridging the gap between blues and
rock and roll, with Mandel's "relentless fuzztone, feedback-edged solos, and unusual syncopated phrasing." He relocated to the
San Francisco Bay Area, performing often at a club called
The Matrix, where local favorites like
Jerry Garcia or
Elvin Bishop would sit in and jam. He then met up with Abe 'Voco' Kesh, who
produced his first solo album,
Cristo Redentor in 1968. He recorded with
Barry Goldberg on a
bootleg from Cherry Records and recorded with
Graham Bond.
On the night that Henry Vestine quit Canned Heat, Mandel was in their dressing room at the Fillmore West. 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 in 1969. During this same period, with Canned Heat bandmates Larry Taylor and Fito de la Parra, 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 which became an international hit. He is also on the Live in Europe album prior to Alan Wilson's death.
With Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor, Mandel joined
John Mayall for the next two years. He is heard playing on the two albums of that period
USA Union and
Back to the Roots. In 1972, he teamed up with
Don "Sugarcane" Harris (who had played
violin for Mayall),
Randy Resnick on guitar, Victor Conte on
bass, and Paul Lagos on drums, and formed the band
Pure Food and Drug Act, which released one album,
Choice Cuts.
When The Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor (also a former Mayall sideman) left the band, Harvey Mandel was auditioned for a replacement and recorded two tracks for their 1976 album Black and Blue, "Hot Stuff" and "Memory Motel". During the 1970s Mandel released the albums Baby Batter, The Snake and Shangrenade, in the latter employing the technique of two-handed tapping. He has also released an instructional video titled Harvey Mandel: Blues Guitar & Beyond.
Mandel's nickname, "The Snake," was given to him by keyboardist Barry Goldberg and referred to his cracked leather jacket.
Mandel acted in the film Chalk, directed by Rob Nilsson, and contributed some original music.
Mandel has two daughters, Camille and Lola who currently live in France.
In 2007 and Larry Taylor reunited with Fito de la Parra and the rest of the current Canned Heat line-up to perform certain shows on the Canned Heat tour. Larry Taylor, Mandel and de la Parra were all part of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival line-up including the Woodstock Boogie now available on DVD.
Discography
1968 Cristo Redentor, Philips Records
1969 Righteous, Philips
1970 Games Guitars Play, Philips
1971 Baby Batter, Stinger Records
1971 Electronic Progress, Bellaphon Records
1972 Get Off in Chicago, Ovation Records
1972 The Snake, BGO Records
1973 Shangrenade, Janus Records
1974 Feel the Sound of Harvey Mandel, Repertoire Records
1994 Twist City, Western Front
1995 Snakes & Stripes, Clarity
1997 Planetary Warrior, Lightyear
2000 Emerald Triangle, Orchard
2000 Lick This, Electric Snake
2003 West Coast Killaz, Electric Snake
References
Fito De La Parra, Living The Blues (2000), ISBN 0-9676449-0-9
External links
Official Harvey Mandel site
Category:1945 births
Category:Living people
Category:American blues guitarists
Category:American rock guitarists
Category:John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers members
Category:Canned Heat members
Category:People from Morton Grove, Illinois
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