Manfred Mann Chapter Three-Manfred Mann Chapter Three (1969)

Manfred Mann Chapter Three was the continuation of the pop band Chapter Two, which topped the charts for much of the 1960s. This third incarnation was more focused on jazz and progressive sounds, and only released two albums: "Manfred Mann Chapter Three" (1969) and its sequel, "Volume Two" (1970). Founded in 1969, its lineup, in addition to the core members and leaders of the band, included Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg (both on keyboards, vocals, and string arrangements), and the rest of the lineup consisted of drummer Craig Collinge, bassist and electric harpist Steve York, and saxophonist and flautist Bernie Living. Their two albums also featured various guest musicians, such as guitarist Brian Hugg, and a large horn section. This second incarnation is a clear example of how the band progressed stylistically from the pop sounds of the early 60s, with hits like “Do Wah Diddy” and “Sha La La”, towards a progressive and spacey style with the later and definitive version known as Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. Therefore, we could define these two albums as transitional, but with a fascinating progressive jazz-rock sound, featuring powerful horns and distorted fuzz organs, which lend it great musical depth. The style of their first album is based primarily on verse-chorus structures before exploding into instrumental excursions, making them more intelligent than flashy. The bluesy tone of the opening track, “Travelling Lady”, immediately hints at the path the rest of the album will follow. Highlights include the psychedelic “You’re A Better Man Than I”, the jazzy and progressive instrumental “Konekuff”, the sinister free jazz “Devil Woman”, and the blues jazz “Time”, with its magnificent vocal segments and horn section. The remaining tracks maintain the psychedelic feel, though with less instrumental complexity, such as “One Way Glass” and “Ain’t It Sad”, which lend considerable variety and balance. A year later, their second and final album was released, continuing in a similar musical direction before they transformed into the aforementioned Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.