Manfred Mann Chapter Three by Manfred Mann Chapter Three

Manfred Mann Chapter Three is the debut album released in 1969 by Manfred Mann Chapter Three. It was one of the three first albums released on the Vertigo record label. The principal members of the group were Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg. Mann played the organ and acted as the group's musical arranger, whilst Hugg handled vocals, played piano and was the chief songwriter. The group was augmented by a five-piece brass section and several distinguished jazz soloists. The core songs "Travelling Lady", "Snakeskin Garter", "Devil Woman", and "Time" define the album's sound: long, slow, doomy one chord riffs beneath sections of breathy vocals, powerful brass and free-form improvised solos. "Konekuf" is the same without the vocals, while "A Study in Inaccuracy" is simply freeform. "Sometimes", "One Way Glass", "Ain't It Sad" and "Where Am I Going" are shorter and more melodic, wistful songs centering on Hugg's electric piano, on which he turns in an able solo on "Mister, You're a Better Man Than I".