Manu Lanvin

Man On A Mission

Gel Production

Manu Lanvin born Emmanuel Lanvin in 1973, is a French blues rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is the son of  French actor Gerard Lanvin. He began his career with three rock albums recorded between 2000-2006 before finding his  true sound with ‘The Devil Blues’. In 2009 Manu co-wrote and produced Texan legend Calvin Russell’s final album ‘Dawg Eat Dawg’. In 2012 he followed-up with ‘Mauvais Casting’ leading  to over 120 shows in 2013 across international stages. Lanvin  went on to represent France at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis and won the 2015 Cognac Blues  Passions Prize. In 2016 Manu released ‘Blues, Booze, and  Rock ‘n’ Roll hailed as one of the years best albums by Le Parisien, earning him a nomination for ‘Best Male Performer’ at the Globes de Cristal. Manu embodies the grit of a bluesman  with the heart of a rock ‘n’ roll optimist. His last album ‘Grand Casino’ is a blues and rock ‘n’ roll celebration featuring duets  with Taj Mahal, Johnny Gallagher, Popa Chubby, and Paul  Personne. Manu collaborated with his father Gerard Lanvin, for whom he produced one of the most successful French albums of 2021 ‘IciBas’. In 2024 he also honored his songwriting mentor with the album ‘Tribute to Calvin Russell’. Every album that Manu released has reached #1 on the French Blues Charts.

The opening track “Just Need Me” is the only track not co-written by Manu; it is written by J. Clarkson, and A. Bauer; with an ensemble  that includes Manu, lead vocal and electric guitar; Axel Bauer, electric  guitar and drum machine; Nicolas Bonniere, Moog bass; Raphael Chassin, drums and percussion; and backing singers, Bennett Holland, Jenny Bonneau, BJ Scott, Steve Kashala, Chantal, and Manu. As  Manu sings “As the dust is falling from my screeching wheels, I see her silhouette, suddenly feels real, it’s the end of the road, Oh, for you and me, but I’ll just keep drivin’, new horizons to see…well, I don’t need you, Oh, I just need me”. “I Can’t Get Enough of You” is a bittersweet  tug-of-war between passion and pain, as Manu admits “No matter what  you put me through, I can’t get enough of you”, with Laurent Vernerey,  bass; Michael Desir, drums, and percussion; Bennett Holland, on keys;  and The Haggis Horns, Malcolm Strachan and Athol Ransome.

On “Did U See Judy ?” Manu chimes “Can’t take back the things I said, her ghost still sleeps in my bed, memories of things we used to do, walking down 5th Avenue. Did you see Judy in the city lights, I’ll be searchin’ til the morning comes, since she walked out it just ain’t right. someone help me bring my girl back home”, with Manu on slide guitar. “Change My Ways” again features the Haggis Horns as Manu chants “If I could change my ways, would you still walk away, baby will it make  you stay, If I could change my ways”.

“I Got The Blues” includes Karim Bouazza, drums;  The Post Boys, percussionists; Nicolas Bonniere, Farfisa organ;  Bako Mikalian, harmonica; and Quentin B, vinyl scratch; as Manu  bursts “I got the blues, and the rain comes down, I got the blues,  Johnny law come around, and my whiskey run dry, and the  president lies, I got the blues runnin’ through my brain, can’t get  back home cause I missed my train”. On “Savigny-Sur-Orge” Manu  cries out “We used to meet up at the candy store, I had blue flowers  in my hand, you’d always tell me you were sorry for how life didn’t  go as planned, mama it’s time to leave Savigny behind…memories  we choose to keep, will be the ones that shine”.

On “What’s The Matter With U ?”, Manu belts “In a castle with  golden gates, you wake up with a smile on your face, poor babies cry in a dirty place, you could save the whole human race, what’s the matter with you ?”. “Saving Angel” features Manu as he moans “The late Father Murphy, never let me sing, with the sweet pretty girls, on Sunday morning choir, ain’t no salvation, for dirty souls like mine, dancing in hell, eternal fire”.

On “I Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye” Manu groans “The stage lights turn down low, face the mirror after the show, am I just the image that you see ?, I don’t wanna say goodbye, because I never ever really learned how, can you hear my heart cry out, I don’t wanna leave you know”, once again with the horns. “Could It Be Love?” features Manu as he chirps “Could it be love?, love we all need, could it be love ? love we all need, could it be looove?”

On “Make It Right” Manu shouts “I believe there is something going down’ troubled people talking about nothing all around, There’s a change that’s a coming and it’s not good,  communications ain’t working like it should, I believe there is something going down, I’m gonna rock, I’m gonna roll, I’m  gonna live without control”. On the title track, “Man On A Mission”, Manu croons “I would follow the trail of the righteous and free, Calvin Russell said, it takes courage to be me, I’m a  man on a mission, who wants to cut through the lies, no I don’t need no permission, already know what’s wrong from right”. On the closer, “Une Nuit” Manu sings in French.

With “Man On A Mission” Manu Lanvin presents his most  wide-reaching work yet, recorded in Paris, Nashville, Montreal, Fort Lauderdale, and Sheffield. Each track revels the craft of a songwriter-producer at the top of his game. It’s a bold, heartfelt journey shaped by the roads he’s traveled and the stories he’s lived.

Richard Ludmerer

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