By now, blues music fans know what to expect from a Mannish Boys album and that of course is “more.” That’s right, more of everything. More songs, more minutes of music, more covers, more volume, more compression in the mastering process, and especially more special guests... Since this is the Los Angeles based Delta Groove Music’s “house band” it is kind of a Hollywood story. Maybe a movie analogy is in order. Listening to a record from this super group is like watching one of those “Oceans” movies. Every big name actor is sharing the big screen in a big budget spectacle. Everyone including the audience is having a reasonably good time, but part way through the film you realize you have seen it all before and by the time you have returned home from the theatre you have already forgotten the whole thing.  

Hollywood is America incarnate and is like a Super Bowl half time show or a Mannish Boys album, in that nobody has ever asked the question, “Why don’t we ratchet things down a notch?” Maybe this makes Delta Groove Music’s CEO and the man behind the Mannish Boys, Randy Chortkoff the quintessential American. I don’t know.

What I do know, is that on June 17, 2014, America and the world can get its hands on and ears around, Wrapped Up and Ready, the seventh Mannish Boys album to be released in the past ten years. I also know that Wrapped Up and Ready is by far the best and most full realized Mannish Boys album to date.  

There are several things that make this record one of the early contenders for album of the year, not the least of which is that the material that was recorded here is fresh and it is also first rate. The, ‘let’s throw everything at the wall and see what sticks’ approach to making a record doesn’t seem to be in effect here to the degree that it was in previous projects by the Mannish Boys.

A part of this album’s intelligently designed, six panel packaging is nicely written liner notes by Scott Dirks. He acknowledged that the plan for this outing was to “scale things down, simplify and to strip things down to the essentials.” Well, that didn’t exactly turn out to be the case, but it sure feels like that philosophy did seep into the consciousness of the album’s co-producers Chortkoff and Jeff Scott Fleenor.  

It is Fleenor who did much of the heavy lifting on Wrapped Up and Ready. His prints are all over this record. He is acknowledged by the boss (Chortkoff) as, “a major and vital contributor to every aspect (of this recording) from song choices, mixes, coordination of artists and production.” Fleenor also sequenced the sixteen song, seventy four minute CD. He had a lot to work with and believe me he made it work...in a big way.

This revolving door core band has remained pretty much intact since 2010’s Shake For Me. It includes drummer Jimi Bott and bassist Willie J. Campbell. Guitarists Franck “Paris Slim” Goldwasser and Kirk “Eli” Fletcher, who date back to the group’s 2004 inaugural release, are again on board for Wrapped Up and Ready. Randy Chortkoff generously steps aside for the most part and only plays his Jimmy Reed inspired harp on two tracks and sings on one of these. This Chortkoff original entitled, Can’t Make a Living that is very reminiscent of an old Slim Harpo tune, is the album’s low water mark and represents the only misstep on Wrapped Up and Ready.

The emerging star of this group of blues veterans is relative newcomer, Sugaray Rayford. Rayford, who comes to the blues via the world of gospel music, appears to be a quick study. He has been given the opportunity by Chortkoff to do some on the job training and is learning to sing in this related, but very different genre. He is also stepping into awfully big shoes as the original Mannish Boy, Finis Tasby, is still convalescing from several serious health maladies as well as a massive stroke that he suffered in December of 2012.

Now this is where things get complicated. There are no less than twenty special guests listed in the album’s liner notes. Trying to run all of these down would be an exercise in tedium, so I won’t even try.

However, there are several standout performances which I would like to bring to your attention, starting with the contributions of guitarist Steve Freund. His first appearance comes on the album’s fifth track, a Chortkoff original and album highlight entitled, It Was Fun.  His playing on this song is nothing short of sublime. Freund reappears later on with one of his originals, The Blues Has Made Me Whole. With this tune Freund also lends his wonderful singing voice along with some of the tastiest guitar lines heard anywhere. “Monster” Mike Welch, like Freund and others, made his Mannish Boys debut on Wrapped Up and Ready. Welch contributed two originals to the mix and his guitar is heard all over the album.

Returning Mannish Boys guests are pianist Fred Kaplan, who plays on twelve tracks, and guitarist Kid Ramos who plays guitar on two of the album’s tunes including the T-Birds inspired title track. That song also features Kim Wilson’s harp, Kirk Fletcher’s guitar and of course the rhythm section of Jimi Bott and Willie J. Campbell. This Sugaray Rayford original turned out to be a fabulous reunion of talent. Wilson can also be heard blowing harp on three other tracks.

Fleenor brought in a Magic Sam tune, She Belongs to Me and Ramos scorches it. It was another inspired choice of material. He also brought in a Roy Brown tune to the studio entitled, Everything’s Alright. Rayford’s vocals on this song actually remind me a little of Brown’s unique singing voice.  

Candye Kane stepped into the studio and did a nice job with the Ike Turner classic I Idolize You. Candye’s guitarist Laura Chavez takes a wonderful solo on this track.

Some of my other favorite moments of this fine recording are the inclusion of an eight minute instrumental by Kirk Fletcher entitled, Blues for Michael Bloomfield that closes out the album. It is great to hear Fletcher stretch out on his instrument and spend a little time in the spotlight.

Franck Goldwasser contributed two great originals including a tune entitled, Struggle In My Hometown. The very creative inclusion of a piano and Wurlitzer, courtesy of Rich Wenzel, are the perfect accents to a song that features some interesting tempo changes.

Wenzel should also be commended as he served as the album’s recording engineer and he mastered the record. Wenzel has a better understanding as to how to engineer and master a blues album than the folks who handled those duties on previous Mannish Boys projects. His Ardent Studios in Torrance, California, is where the tracking and mixing took place.

Upon hearing the first few notes coming out of the speakers I realized I was in for a different and more enjoyable Mannish Boys listening experience. The album also differs from its predecessors in that it is original material that dominates the proceedings on Wrapped Up and Ready.

Every Mannish Boys record represents some of the best music being produced by any of the major blues labels in this country. They are a smash hit on the international festival scene. Their recordings however fall just short of greatness. It has been frustrating, as we all know greatness lies within their grasp.

Mannish Boys releases also come with such high expectations, as there may be no other ensemble that can claim so much talent. For the first time this band has released an album that lives up to that talent and lofty expectations. It is the most original sounding record in their catalogue. Wrapped Up and Ready is the Mannish Boys album which is finally the equal to the sum of its parts.

Who knows what the future holds for this band, Delta Groove Music or any blues band or record label for that matter. However, for the moment fans of the Mannish Boys and the fans of great blues music have a wonderful Hollywood ending.

- David Mac