The Paintings
Liz Mandeville is a largely self taught artist who paints boldly colored, highly energized canvasses
using acrylic paint. She takes her inspiration from her environment. Scenes on Liz’s canvases are
captured from blues clubs, bistros & barrooms around the world. They are wrestled from the
landscapes flying by the van windows as she travels, hastily sketching the scenery on the back of
her map-quest pages, re-interpreting them on her living room easel.
The canvasses on display represent over two decades of Liz’s artistic journey. Her destination,
visual self expression, her road map largely written by the Dutch, Italian & French masters who
took painting out of the drawing room & placed it firmly in the venues of real life. Liz has spent
countless hours in the great museums of the world, studying the work of Dali, Delacroix, Monet,
Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Da Vinci & Serrat to name just a few.
“Although I consider myself a musician first, the visual arts have always been food for my soul.
Ever since my father took me to the Art Institute of Chicago as a child, I have craved the
sustenance of great paintings. They feed my writers muse, inspire my inner eye & help me
remember the miracle my life has been.” Liz Mandeville
The Music
Have you caught Liz Mandeville live? Ms Liz & her fabulous Blue Points make high energy,
inspired groove music that will transport you to a wonderland of emotion. Surrounding herself
with the finest players on the Chicago Blues Scene, Liz Mandeville delivers. She’ll make you need
to dance, leave you smiling, sweating & craving more!
Critics have called Liz Mandeville’s fourth CD, Red Top, “…a party on a platter from start to
finish!”
The prolific, award winning songwriter, had this to say:
“I wanted to make a swinging- urban ‘Chicago Blues Record’ that brought together all the
elements that mean blues to me. More than that, I wanted to make a CD that would make people
want to dance, sing along & forget their troubles.”
Red Top is all that. It showcases Liz’s love of American Roots music of the 1950’s & ‘60’s. Tipping
her hat to some of her favorite artists of that era, Liz swings, lumps, & boogies her way through 15
original, new tunes that take the listener from the acoustic, front porch, to the electric Lumpmasters. You might hear inspiration from Muddy Waters & Jimmy Reed in her 12-bar instant
classic, Corner Bar Blues & the politically charged Illinois National Guard Blues. With a wink & a
twirl, she pays tribute to T-Bone Walker & Big Maybelle with such naughty swing numbers as
“Scratch the Kitty” “Bad Man Blues” & “Spanky Butt”. She combines both genres on the title track
that has Liz swinging on her trusty washboard.
Red Top is the perfect showcase for everything people love about her live show: Liz’s
astonishingly lush, pitch perfect voice, her tasty, tradition laden guitar chops and her abilities as a
producer. Bringing together some of the finest musicians in the field, including the legendary
Eddie Shaw & his screaming sax, all playing at the top of their game, Liz has created a set of music
that will satisfy time & again.