Representative Albums: "The Mercury Years," "Baby Batter," "Baby Batter/The Snake"
Representative Songs: "Tears for Eric," "The Snake," "Long Hard Journey"
Biography
In the mold of Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, and Mike Bloomfield, Mandel is an extremely creative rock guitarist with heavy blues and jazz influences. And like those guitarists, his vocal abilities are basically nonexistent, though Mandel, unlike some similar musicians, has always known this, and concentrated on recordings that are entirely instrumental, or feature other singers. A minor figure most known for auditioning unsuccessfully for the Rolling Stones, he recorded some intriguing (though erratic) work on his own that anticipated some of the better elements of jazz-rock fusion, showcasing his concise chops, his command of a multitude of tone pedal controls, and an eclecticism that found him working with string orchestras and country steel guitar wizards. Mandel got his first toehold in the fertile Chicago white blues-rock scene of the mid-'60s (which cultivated talents like Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Steve Miller), and made his first recordings as the lead guitarist for harmonica virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite. Enticed to go solo by Blue Cheer producer Abe Kesh, Harvey cut a couple of nearly wholly instrumental albums for Phillips in the late '60s that were underground FM radio favorites, establishing him as one of the most versatile young American guitar lions. He gained his most recognition, though, not as a solo artist, but as a lead guitarist for Canned Heat in 1969 and 1970, replacing Henry Vestine and appearing with the band at Woodstock. Shortly afterward, he signed up for a stint in John Mayall's band, just after the British bluesman had relocated to California. Mandel unwisely decided to use a vocalist for his third and least successful Philips album. After his term with Mayall (on USA Union and Back to the Roots) had run its course, he resumed his solo career, and also formed Pure Food & Drug Act with violinist Don "Sugarcane" Harris (from the '50s R&B duo Don & Dewey), which made several albums. In the mid-'70s, when the Rolling Stones were looking for a replacement for Mick Taylor, Mandel auditioned for a spot in the group; although he lost to Ron Wood, his guitar does appear on two cuts on the Stones' 1976 album, Black & Blue. Recording intermittently since then as a solo artist and a sessionman, his influence on the contemporary scene is felt via the two-handed fretboard tapping technique that he introduced on his 1973 album Shangrenade, later employed by Eddie Van Halen, Stanley Jordan, and Steve Vai. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
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 gig 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 bass player 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 keyboardistBarry Goldberg and referred to his cracked leather jacket. Mandel acted in the filmChalk, directed by Rob Nilsson, and contributed some original music. Mandel has two daughters, Camille and Lola who currently live in France. In 2007 Harvey Mandel 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. Taylor, Mandel and Fito were all part of the classic Woodstock 1969 line-up including the Woodstock Boogie now available on DVD.
