Mandel, Harvey - Snake Box 6 x CD box set (due to weight, this price for the USA only. Outside of the USA, the price will be adjusted as needed)
SKU
28-PRLE3014.2
“Legendary blues guitarist from Canned Heat, Harvey "The Snake" Mandel, presents this deluxe limited edition box set that includes 5 classic solo albums from 1968-1972 plus a bonus vintage concert recording from 1968 that features guests Jerry Garcia & Elvin Bishop! Each of these albums showcase Mandel's innovative, hugely influential playing that earned him a place alongside not just the Heat but also The Rolling Stones, John Mayall and others! All 6 CDs come individually packaged in it's own cardboard sleeve reproducing the artwork from the vinyl jacket along with a full color booklet with detailed liner notes by rock historian Dave Thompson!”
“Harvey Mandel is one of those curiosities in the music world. A man possessed with great talent as a guitarist--who played with John Mayall, The Rolling Stones, The Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band, Canned Heat, Pure Food & Drug Act (his own band), Arthur Lee/Love, plus many solo albums under his own name--and he's still relatively unknown. His name isn't listed in any of the All Music Guide books in any genre for example--hmmm. If you're reading this you're probably familiar with Mandel's albums, so this review is aimed more for those newcomers interested (hopefully) in late '60s/early'70s instrumental (primarily) music from a true unsung master of the guitar. I gave this set 5 "stars"--probably one of those "stars" is for memory's sake for the good times back then when music was changing and morphing so fast--but the best of the music across these albums contains many high points which elevates this collection beyond an "average/okay/it's pretty good" rating. To each his own on how you hear this music (today). Music has obviously changed a lot since the late'60s/early '70s.
This box set collects Mandel's first five (good sounding) albums plus a sixth (78 minutes with okay/decent sound) previously unreleased album from a (pretty nice) live jam/gig at The Matrix in the '60s, each album in a cardboard jacket that recreates the original album cover. The graphics for the sixth "jam" album fit in nicely with the other album covers. (Arguably) the only album not included from this period is "Shangrenade" (recorded for another label), which is well worth owning if you like what you hear on these albums. Mandel was capable of "stretching the slinkys" on his fretboard with an individual style and seemingly apparent ease that many guitarists wish they could copy. His sound (and ears) incorporated a number of genres (listen to the shimmering harp--"A harp! On a rock album!? That's classical music!" I heard some people say--on "Cristo Redentor") including rock, jazz, funk, blues, and combinations of those styles. But he never went in for long solos or guitar pyrotechnics to prove he was a good guitar player. His playing always fit into whatever tune and arrangement he was playing at the time. So if you're looking for scorching guitar solos--keep on looking--Mandel never seemed to have the need to show off his chops--even the couple of times I heard him on stage as a "guest" player with another band--he just got the job done subtly and beautifully. And in that era of long solo tangents by Bay Area bands his playing was a refreshing change of pace.”-Stuart Jefferson
- LabelPurple Pyramid
- UPC889466301421