|
Blues Underground Network |
Bob Corritore And Friends "Harmonica Blues"
|
Their are Blues Albums out their that are absolutely essential to have in one's collection, and Bob Corritore And Friends "Harmonica Blues" is certainly one of them. Bob Corritore is a extremely well known Harmonica player who has played with many blues legends over the last 40 years. Bob Corritore's story, however, doesn't start and stop with that fact, far from it. Bob Corritore is also a tireless advocate for the blues, taking on many roles such as Band Leader, Club Owner, Record Producer, and Radio Show Host. He also finds a little time to keep us all informed about blues via his newsletter, the Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter, which I look forward to receiving each week. As mentioned earlier, Corritore has been playing Harmonica for 40 years and to celebrate that milestone, Bob Corritore And Friends "Harmonica Blues" was created. "Harmonica Blues" consists of 15 gems featuring live performances with Bob and what is described on the liners notes as, "a virtual who's who of traditional Blues". From Little Milton ("6 Bits In Your Dollar"), to Koko Taylor ("What Kind of Man Is This?"), from Honeyboy Edwards ("Bumble Bee") to Pinetop Perkins ("Big Fat Mama"), this Album has them all and many many of the greats past and present. In fact I counted well over 20 performers on this incredible homage to the blues. "Harmonica Blues" covers a 20 year span of performances from 1989 to 2009. The one thing that really stood out for me, on "Harmonica Blues", was the way Corritore' blended in with the rest of the performers, only letting loose when necessary, never stepping on anyones toes. That of course is what Bob Corritore is all about, respect for the blues and the many many artists that have helped him on his amazing 40 year journey. I give Bob Corritore And Friends "Harmonica Blues", my highest rating of 5*****. It is a rare treasure of an Album and a more than welcome and very important addition, to the ever growing collection of Blues History. Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) Other Info And Reviews Blues impresario Bob Corritore is widely recognized for his dedication to promoting the blues art form and his many roles he's actively taken on in the blues community. From band leader to club owner, to record producer and radio show host, Corritore's boundless enthusiasm for the blues never ceases to impress. Harmonica Blues finds Corritore taking center stage as he celebrates his 40th anniversary of harmonica playing with a brilliant set of performances featuring Koko Taylor, Robert Lockwood Jr., Little Milton, Pinetop Perkins, Honeyboy Edwards, Henry Gray, Nappy Brown, Eddy Clearwater, Louisiana Red, Carol Fran, Bob Margolin, Kid Ramos, Eddie Taylor Jr., Little Frank Krakowski, Bob Stroger, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Chris James, David Maxwell, Patrick Rynn, Brian Fahey, and a whole lot more! Amazon.Com Bob Corritore's Bluesy Friends Help "Harmonica Blues" Shine Bob Corritore has been championing blues for four decades, first while living in Chicago and producing albums by under-recorded harmonica masters Little Willie Anderson and Big Leon Brooks, then later after moving to Phoenix, Arizona, as a radio programmer on KJZZ as well as the operator of The Rhythm Room where so many blues greats and lesser known acts have played over the past couple decades. Corritore is a pretty fair harmonica player with a swinging touch and a nice fat tone and has recorded and played with many over the years, which have been represented on various compilations under his name or by the artist (such as a superb Robert Lockwood album). Delta Groove has just issued a solid new compilation of 15 performances, “Harmonica Blues,” on which Corritore adds his harp to a varied group of artists, some of whom are no longer with us. The opening “What Kind of Man Is This,” has him supporting the late Koko Taylor with a solid band that includes the Bob Margolin. Louisiana Red is in fine form backed by Corritore and Rhythm Room regulars Chris James and Patrick Rynn, while Dave Riley, with whom Corritore has shared albums with is solid on a tune by the late Frank Frost. Its interesting hearing the late Nappy Brown on the Piedmont-ish “Baby Don’t You Tear My Clothes,” with atypical guitar from Kid Ramos and Johnny Rapp lending this a unique feel. Eddie Shaw is present for “1815 West Roosevelt,” an atmospheric instrumental with Shaw’s raspy sax complimenting Corritore’s harp, while Robert Lockwood reworks “That’s All Right,” with henry Gray on piano for a terrific take on the Jimmy Rogers classic. Big Pete Pearson really tears vocally into “Tin Pan Alley,” with Chris James and Johnny Rapp’s guitar among the sup[port and Corritore sounding terrific on chromatic harmonica. Tomcat Courtney, another down home bluesman that Corritore has championed and recorded struts on “Sundown San Diego,” while That’s My Baby,” is a slightly frenzied Eddy Clearwater rocker. “Things Have Changed,” is a strong performance by pianist Henry Gray with the late Chico Chism, while Pinetop Perkins is heard on an engaging, if unremarkable “Big Fat Mama.” Chief Schabuttie Gilliame does a fresh take on “No More Doggin’” as if it was John Lee Hooker’s song, while Honeyboy Edwards has the company of Corritore, James and Rynn to help hold his performance of “Bumble Bee,” together. Carol Fran’s “I Need to Be Be’d With,” is a terrific vocal and the disc closes with a solid Little Milton performance that is a bit more down home in its flavor. It is a solid ending to a very spirited compilation of very good to superb performances. Bob Corritore’s solid harp enlivens all of these performances, but at no time does he overshadows the blues legends and masters he shares the recordings with on this most entertaining compilation of real deal blues. Review By Ron W (In A Blue Mood) http://inabluemood.blogspot.com/2010/08/bob-corritore-bluesy-friends-help-blues.html Tracklist
1. What Kind of Man Is This? 4:18
Listen To Samples Here...
About Bob Corritore Bob Corritore is one of the most active and highly regarded blues harmonica players on the scene today. His style passionately carries forward the old school of playing that Corritore learned as a young man directly from many of original pioneers of Chicago Blues. His sympathetic, yet fiery harmonica playing is featured on over 35 releases to date, on labels such as HighTone, HMG, Blue Witch, Blind Pig, Earwig, Putumayo, Random Chance, and the VizzTone Label Group and Delta Groove. Many of these acclaimed releases have been nominated or winners for various Handy, Grammy, and Blues Music Awards and Blues Blast Music Awards. Bob is also widely recognized for his many roles in the blues, as band leader, club owner, record producer, radio show host, arts foundation founder, and occasional writer. His amazing website www.bobcorritore.com and his weekly e-newsletter reflect a life thoroughly invested in the blues. Born on September 27, 1956 in Chicago, Bob first heard Muddy Waters on the radio at age 12, an event which changed his life forever. Within a year, he was playing harmonica and collecting blues albums. He would see blues shows in his early teens, including attending a Muddy Waters performance at his high school gymnasium. He would cut his teeth sitting in with John Henry Davis on Maxwell Street until he was old enough to sneak into blues clubs. He hung around great harp players such as Big Walter Horton, Little Mack Simmons, Louis Myers, Junior Wells, Big John Wrencher, and Carey Bell, and received harmonica tips and encouragement from many of them. He would regularly see the Aces, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Billy Boy Arnold, John Brim, Sunnyland Slim, Smokey Smothers, Eddie Taylor, and in many cases became personal friends with these blues veterans. Corritore worked with Tail Dragger, Big Moose Walker, Willie Buck, Louis and Dave Myers, and Eddie Taylor in the late 70s and early 80s. He also produced his first recordings during that time, taking unheralded harmonica greats such as Little Willie Anderson and Big Leon Brooks into the studio to produce their now classic debut albums. In 1981, Bob ventured southwest to live in Phoenix, Arizona. Within months, his Chicagoland friend Louisiana Red joined Bob, and the two played together around Phoenix for about a year until Red went to live in Germany. Bob quickly joined up with Big Pete Pearson, who was and is the reigning King of Arizona Blues in a musical relationship that continues to this day. He also worked around the southwest with Buddy Reed, Tommy Dukes, Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, and an emerging Janiva Magness in one of her earliest bands. In 1984, Bob supplemented his performances with a blues radio show called Those Lowdown Blues on KJZZ, which is still going strong. In 1986, former Howlin' Wolf drummer Chico Chism moved to Phoenix at Bob's invitation to start a 20 year partnership that lasted until Chico's passing in 2007. In 1991, Bob opened the now famous Blues and Roots Concert Club, The Rhythm Room. Having a club created yet another catalyst for Bob's musical projects. Often he would invite great artists to come to Phoenix, and Bob's band, the Rhythm Room All-Stars would back them on shows and in recording sessions. Bob's archives of these sessions are now famous, and include sessions with Bo Diddley, Little Milton, John Brim, Jimmy Rogers, Henry Gray, Pinetop Perkins, Henry Townsend, Honeyboy Edwards, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Smokey Wilson. Lil’ Ed, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Nappy Brown, R.L. Burnside, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Sam Lay, Barbara Lynn, and numerous others. In 1999, Bob released his first CD as a national recording artist, combining some of the highlights of his vaults. The CD was called All-Star Blues Sessions, and was released on the HighTone record label to great fanfare. This momentum created a long series of CDs on HighTone with Bob in the harmonica player/producer role. Bob started breaking into the national circuit in festival appearances with Henry Gray and Louisiana Red. In 2005, Bob brought the Rhythm Room All-Stars featuring Big Pete Pearson to The Marco Fiume Blues Passions Festival in Italy, which opened a whole new world of European interest in Bob's harmonica artistry. This led to return visits to Europe for various festivals and performances, as well as an ever-growing world-wide fan base. In 2007, the Mayor of Phoenix officially proclaimed September 29, 2007 to be "Bob Corritore Day" in honor of Bob's musical contributions to his community. Also that year, Bob received a "Keeping The Blues Alive" award from the Blues Foundation. Bob's 2007 collaboration with Dave Riley, Travelin' The Dirt Road, was nominated for a Blues Music Award. Bob also contributed harmonica work on the 2008 Grammy®-nominated CD/DVD by Pinetop Perkins, On The 88s. Bob contributed harmonica work on the 2008 release by Chris James and Patrick Rynn which won a Blues Blast Music Award. Bob 's prolific activity with the Blue Witch record label as producer/harmonica player has garnered him additional notoriety. Bob has recently signed with the great Delta Groove record label for a 2010 release that will surely solidify Bob's strong standing as a major player in today's blues world. Bob performs regularly with The Rhythm Room All-Stars featuring Big Pete Pearson, and numerous side projects with Dave Riley, Louisiana Red, Henry Gray, Sam Lay, Tomcat Courtney, The Bob Riedy Blues Band, and others. http://www.myspace.com/bobcorritore
|