Fluent, mellifluous guitarist Harvey "Snake"Mandel was one of several young aspirants learning his chops in the Chicago blues clubs of the early 1960s. He played in the bands of Charlie Musselwhite and Barry Goldberg, and released his own Cristo Redentor in 1968. The widely acclaimed, wholly instrumental set was followed by Righteous (1969) and Baby Batter (1971), during which time Mandel played with Canned Heat, then joined John Mayall's band. Mandel continued to record stylish solo albums through the mid-'70s, pioneering the two-handed fretboard tapping technique. Recruited to join the Rolling Stones' after Mick Taylor's departure, he played on Black & Blue. After decades of session work, he went back to regular solo recording with Twist City in 1994. Mandel returned with 2016's Snake Pit for Tompkins Square. In 2022, he returned to the label to release Who's Calling.