Bob Corritore & Friends - Spider in My Stew

Bob Corritore & Friends - Spider in My Stew - Vizztone/SWMAF Records

This album is yet another compilation from Bob Corritore with the veteran blues harmonica teamed with some of today's most outstanding blues artists for many wonderful traditional Chicago blues. Among those heard, with Corritore's harp backing, are Sugaray Rayford, Lurrie Bell, John Primer, Alabama Mike, Diunna Greenleaf, Francine Reed, Johnny Rawls, Oscar Wilson, Willie Buck, and Bill & Shy Perry. Bell, Primer, Rawls, and Bill Perry also contribute guitar. Other guitarists on this album include Bob Margolin, Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, L.A. Jones, Jimi 'Primetime' Smith, and Jimmy Rapp. Among the keyboard players are Fred Kaplan, Shea Marshall, Doc Holiday, and Bob Welsh. Bob Stroger, Adrian Marie, Kedar Roy, and Troy Sandow are among the bassists, while the drummers include Brian Fahey, Andrew Guterman, Marty Dodson, and June Core. Shea Marshall and Doug James are heard on saxophone.

With this contemporary group of blues all-stars, one should not be surprised with just how good some of these performances are, starting with Oscar Wilson's robust singing on a cover of Fenton Robinson's "Tennessee Woman." Sugaray Rayford's "Soul Food" is one of the few originals here. It sounds like a hot 50's Memphis shuffle as he exuberantly shouts about going to get Big Mama's Soul Food. Corritore's fat wet tone evokes Papa Lightfoot here while drummer Marty Dodson channels Fred Below. Alabama Mike transforms Chuck Willis' "Whatcha Gonna Do" into what it might have sounded if Jesse Fortune had recorded it in Chicago. Junior Watson is outstanding on guitar. Mike also updates Harmonica Slim's "Drop Anchor."

Koko Taylor sang the original rendition of Willie Dixon's "Don't Mess With The Messer." Diunna Greenleaf makes this song her own on a recording that evokes Willie Dixon's productions. Here Corritore playing more in a Sonny Boy Williamson II manner. Add Doug James' rousing baritone sax solo and one has a gem of a performance. Willie Dixon also wrote the title track, which Lurrie Bell pours his heart into with fervent singing and white-hot guitar while Corritore shines on chromatic harmonica. Johnny Rawls contributes a soulful B.B. King-styled "blues, "Sleeping With the Blue." 

With trebly guitar from Kid Ramos and Johnny Main, Francine Reed powerfully updates the Staples Singers "Why Am I Treated So Bad" and Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released." Another standout selection is Willie Buck's channeling of Muddy Waters on "Soon Forgotten." Jimi 'Primetime' Smith's guitar, Fred Kaplan's piano, and Corritore's harp contribute to evoke the Chicago blues legend on this stellar cover. Everything on this album is wonderfully played, and again Bob Corritore has put together a collection of first-rate Chicago-styled blues with so many outstanding selections.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. Here is Bob Corritore and Sugaray Rayford.

Selwyn Birchwood Living in a Burning House

Selwyn Birchwood
Living in a Burning House
Alligator Records

It is a pleasure to have a new recording by Selwyn Birchwood to warm the winter blues away with the new year. The tall, lanky Birchwood has expanded his band, adding the keyboards of Walter "Bunt" May to his band. The rest of the band consists of baritone saxophonist Regi Olivier (who also plays alto and tenor saxophones and piccolo flute on this recording), bassist Donald "Huff" Wright, and drummer Philip "Squeak" Walker. Tom Hambridge produced this album and contributed backing vocals and percussion to some tracks. One selection is a duet with Diunna Greenleaf.

There is plenty of blues with a bit of rock energy. Hambridge's production gives this a hard-hitting feel opening with the opening "I'd Climb Mountains." There is plenty of his warm, grainy, expressive baritone and searing guitar. The songs range from this fiery number to the soulful loping ballad, "She's a Dime." Olivier's baritone helps lay down a deep bass groove on "I Got Drunk, Laid And Stoned." This song also showcases Birchwood's sizzling lap steel guitar.

One of the top originals, "Living in a Burning House," has Birchwood's dealing with a hellacious relationship with his passionate singing and fiery guitar along with Olivier's raspy, raucous sax solo. Then there is the rocking shuffle of "You Can't Steal My Shine," with a rollicking guitar break. May's organ is prominent in the backing on this. Then there is the duet with Diunna Greenleaf, "Mama Knows Best," about trying to get his mama's blessing about his girl, but Diunna sings that she won't cook or clean, and listen to your mama that this girl will be the death of Selwyn. Birchwood's guitar dances in and around Olivier's riffs and fills. I would expect this track gets much airplay.

One last track to highlight is another rocking shuffle, "Through A Microphone," where Birchwood celebrates being on the stage, and the only time he is at home when he bares his soul through a microphone. It is another first-rate performance on Selwyn Birchwood's latest stellar recording.

I received a download to review from Alligator Records.  Here is a video of "Freaks Come Out At Night," from this recording.

Bloodest Saxophone Texas Queens 5

Bloodest Saxophone
Texas Queens 5
Dialtone/Vizztone

I am familiar with the Japanese jump blues band, Bloodest Saxophone from a terrific Jewel Brown recording on which they backed her. I understand that they also did a disk with the late Big Jay McNeely. Eddie Stout brought them for one of his East Side Kings Festivals in Austin, Texas and then got them in the studio to back five blues queens, Diunna Greenleaf, Lauren Cervantes, Angela Miller, Jai Malano, and Crystal Thomas. Diunna and Angela both sing one song, Crystal and Lauren each sing two, and Jai sings three with all five on one song. Bloodest Saxophone's members include Koda "Young Corn" Shintaro on tenor saxophone, Coh "Colonel Sanders" on trombone, Osikawa Yukimasa on baritone saxophone, Shuji "Apple Juice" on guitar, The Takeo "Little Toyko" on upright bass, and Kiminori "Dog Boy" on drums and congas. Nick Connolly is on keyboards throughout, while Kaz Kazanoff and Johnny Moeller are added to two instrumental tracks by the band.

The disc opens with Diunna Greenleaf's superb, passionate cover of Big Maybelle's cover of "I've Got a Strange Feeling," with a first-rate booting tenor sax solo from Shintaro. All five are heard trading the lead and backing each other on a funky, Muddy Waters hit "I Just Want to Make Love to You," with another excellent tenor sax solo with Apple Juice's subtle comping on guitar. Crystal Thomas ably covers one of my favorite Johnny Adams recordings, "A Losing Battle," as well as Roscoe Gordon's "Don't Move Me," with the Bloodest Saxophone providing the funky mambo-inflected groove behind her vocal. Apple Juice displays his strong guitar skills on this as the horns riff behind him. Thomas, who played trombone behind the late Johnny Taylor, has also recorded a 45 and hopefully a full album by her on DialTone will be coming forth soon.

Jai Milano shows her vigorous singing on a cover of Rufus Thomas' "Walking the Dog," with blistering tenor sax and guitar solos. With "Colonel Sanders" baritone providing an anchor for the performance, Milano belts out the Charles Sheffield number, "Is Your Voodoo Working," with imaginative twisting guitar followed by more hard-edged tenor sax. Her final number is a take of an Amos Milburn recording, "I Done Done It." This track is a bit frantically performed, and her vocal comes off a tad shrill. Another number where the tempo is too fast is Lauren Cervantes cover of Louis Jordan's calypso classic "Run Joe." There is a terrific sax solo here. Her other song is a credible version of "The Grape Vine," an old Lucky Millinder recording. Angela Miller's recording of Mabel John's "Don't Hit Me No More," is a superb Memphis deep soul performance.

Shintaro composed the rousing "Pork Drop Chick," with the band reciting the title. All members get showcased, and there are torrid guitar and sax solos (refreshing to hear Yukimasa's gutbucket baritone and then listen to the baritione trading fours with the tenor sax). A down-in-the-alley rendition of Lafayette Thomas' "Cockroach Run" (with Johnny Moeller adding his guitar) closes this sampling of five Texas blues queens along with the Japanese Jump Blues Band, Bloodest Saxophone. Overall, this is an excellent set of blues and soul.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. Here Bloodest Saxophone is heard backing Jewel Brown whose album with them is fabulous.

DC Jazz Festival Picks for June 8

This is the eighth post I am making to highlight some of the shows associated with this year’s DC Jazz Festival. I am specifically not highlighting the DC JazzLoft Fest since I have posted on this already. I will may also pick a few other shows around the DC Virginia area that should not be overlooked. I am posting this a day ahead of the date of performances, and being a bit less verbose.  For more information visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org/content.cfm/schedule_and_major_events.

Mark Prince at 2012 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

Drummer Mark Prince’s Aqua Leo is at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden at 5:00PM. Prince is an accomplished drummer who is able to transverse hip hop and rhythm & blues to contemporary and straight-ahead jazz.

At the Hamilton, The Brass-a-Holics will be performing a tribute to the late Chuck Brown with a mix of go go and New Orleans Brass Band.

Vocalist Lena Seikaly will be performing at the Mandarin Oriental

Acclaimed Saxophonist Marcus Strickland will be the Bohemian Caverns. Here he is in performance.

Donvonte McCoy, who Capital Bop calls perhaps the DC area’s leading trumpeter, is at the 18th Street Lounge.

For a non Jazz Festival show, Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy along with Memphis Gold will be at the State Theatre for the opening event of the Tinner Hill Blues Festival. This evening I will be passing on the several excellent jazz programs to see this performance.

Diunna Greenleaf and Jonn Del Toro Richarson at 2010 DC Blues Festival at the Carter Barron

DC Area Has The Blues

Chick Willis returns to Lamont's for the Lamont's Blues Festival

Just want to highlight and make some comments on upcoming blues events in the Washington Metropolitan area through June that folks might want to be aware of.

Yesterday I attended a production Women of the Blues that takes place at the Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church in Falls Church Virginia. This is a blues review that is described as celebrating the lives and music of some of the greatest divas of the 20th Century. Directed by internationally acclaimed artist, Matt Conner, the show will take audiences on a soulful and sassy journey though some of the most memorable songs in the blues canon. It is being produced in conjunction with the Tinner Hill Foundation. It will run this and the next two weekends, Thursday through Sunday through May 20. The Creative Cauldron’s website is http://www.creativecauldron.org/. The link for tickets to this show is http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/193640#comments and there will be a bit more information on the production there.

Ruthie Foster will be at the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

Two weekends from now there will be two blues events in the Washington area. The annual Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival takes place May 19 and 20. This event takes place at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis and is a fundraiser for charities. Frankly, the festival is more of a blues-rock event, especially on Sunday with Jonny Lang as a headliner and performers like Albert Cummings although the Swiss artist Phillippe Faunkauser sounds promising. Sarturday, up against the Preakness in Baltimore, has a stronger line-up for those who want blues, not blues-tinged rock including Janiva Magness, Ruthie Foster and the Delta Guitar Slingers with Michael Burks, Bernard Allison and Lurrie Bell. I would also not mind seeing the Tedeschi-Trucks Band but would have to sit through Big Head Todd to wait for them. For more information on this festival, check www.bayblues.org.

Bobby Parker will be at the Lamont's Blues Festival

An alternative for a straight blues show on May 19 is the Lamont’s Blues Festival at Lamont’s in Indian Head (PoMonkey), Maryland. Performing at Lamont’s will be Chet ‘Dr. Feelgood’ Hines, Lady Rose, Clarence ‘The Bluesman’ Turner, along with DC Blues Legend Bobby Parker and the Stoop Down Man, Chick Willis. After the show outside, it will move indoors for the after-party with the Gridlock Band until the night runs late. Lamont’s Entertainment Complex is at 4400 Livingston Road, Pomonkey, MD 20640 and a phone number is 240 393-2525. It is easier for me to get to and less hassles. Also, every chance I have to see Chick Willis I try not to miss him. I intend to be here unless the Washington capitals are still in the playoff and playing at home.

Walter Wolfman Washington will be at the Western Maryland Blues Festival

The first weekend of June brings the Western Maryland Blues Festival in Hagerstown Maryland. Actually it starts on Thursday May 31 with a prelude show. It begins in earnest on Friday evening, June 1 with a nice line-up of Skyla Burrell Band, Billy Thompson Band, Walter “ Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters and Matt Schofield Blues Project. Saturday June 2 the festival has two stages of blues with Hard Swimmin’ Fish, Mike Westcott Band featuring Tommy Lepson, Trampled Under Foot, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, Moondog Medicine Show, Moreland & Arbuckle, The Lee Boys and Walter Trout. Both Friday night and Saturday’s shows take place in downtown Hagerstown. Sunday, there is the annual Festival in the Park at Hagerstown City Park with Paul Pfau Blues Band, Stack O’ Blues, Bad Influence Band and Bobby Parker Band. For more information including cost of tickets for Friday night and Saturday, see www.blues-fest.org.

Ironing Board Sam will be at the Tinner Hill Blues Festival as part of the Music Makers Revue

The following weekend, the same as the Chicago Blues Festival is the annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival produced by the Tinner Hill Foundation and held in the City of Falls Church VA City Park. On Friday night, June 8, the Festival presents at the State Theatre, the wonderful Texas blues powerhouse, Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy. with the superb guitarist Jonn Del Toro Richarson. Saturday, June 9, the Festival takes place at several locations. There will be blues at the weekly farmer’s Market. At 10 Am, Dianna Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley present the history, music and legacy of the Underground Railroad and its connection to Blues Music! at the Falls Church Community Center. At 11:00PM Big Ron Hunter from the Music Maker Blues Revue will create a Tinner Hill Blues Song at his Songwriting Workshop also at the Community Center. The main festival takes place at Cherry Hill Park with performers including the Big Boy Little Band, The Pluckerland Band, Cathy Ponton King Band, Dianna Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, the Kelly Bell Band, and the Music Maker Revue with Ironing Board Sam, Big Ron Hunter, Ardie Dean, Sol Creech and Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen. There will be screening of the film, “John Jackson; A Blues Treasure”

Other events include a showing of the award-winning short film documentary film on the life and music of John Jackson by film maker Beverly Lindsay-Johnson and narrated by DC legend Chuck Brown, and “Call it the Blues”, a juried Art Show, awards presentation at Art & Frame of 111 Park Avenue  Falls Church, VA 22046 which will be on view all weekend! The winner will be announced at the Festival at Cherry Hill Park. On Sunday, June 10 the Mad Fox Brewing Company & Restaurant will host a Blues Brunch, Tribute and Open Jam featuring musicians associated with the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. For more information on the festival check out the Tinner Hill website, http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival. Note that some events have a charge. For more information visit http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival. I hope to attend some of the events although I will also be attending some of the annual DC Jazz Festival that takes place June 1 through June 10.

Warner Williams will be at the Silver Spring Blues Festival

Two following weekend on Saturday June 16 will be two free blues festivals. The Columbia Pike Blues Festival takes place at the intersection of South Walter Reed and Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia. Performers include Karl Stoll & the Danger Zone, Moondog Medicine Show, Danny Blew and the Blues Crew, Chris Polk and headliners Peter Karp and Sue Foley. Information on the festival is at http://www.columbia-pike.org/?page_id=2172. The same day in downtown Silver Spring, the Silver Spring Blues Festival will take place with an electric stage lineup that is headlined by Warner Williams and also includes Moonshine Society, Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes, and DC Blues Society Band featuring Ayaba Bey. On the acoustic stage will be the Archie Edwards Blues Foundation Ensemble; Sheryl Sears Trio and Cooking with Gas. For more information on this event see http://silverspring.patch.com/events/4th-annual-silver-spring-blues-festival-at-downtown-silver-spring.

That captures some of the more significant blues events in the Washington DC area through mid-June. All photos on this blog entry copyright Ron Weinstock

DelGrosso and Richardson Pair For Solid Blues CD

I have known of Rich DelGrosso as one of the more significant acoustic blues performers and teachers. With his late wife Maureen, I remember he performed at a DC Blues Society fund-raiser some two decades ago, later ending their performance with Howard Armstrong and Cephas and Wiggins jamming. Since then he has established himself as one of the contemporary masters of the blues mandolin. I have known Jonn Del Toro Richardson more recently through his wonder playing with the terrific Houston singer, Diunna Greenleaf. The two have paired on a new recording, “Time Slips On By” (Grove House).

With a solid rhythm section and the Texas Horns, this is a disc that showcases the two in a diverse program. DelGrosso opens with a gruff, gravelly vocal on the opening “ Baby Do Right, with his mandolin matched by Richardson’s strong guitar. The title track showcases Richardson, whose singing can suggest a member of Los Lobos. With the Texas Horns adding to the mood, Richardson takes a crackling solo. “Mandolin Man” is an ebullient Chicago blues shuffle with Sonny Boy Terry’s harmonica added. DelGrosso’s lyric celebrates here early blues mandolin players Charlie McCoy, Yank Rachell and Johnny Young. Nick Connolly pushes things along with driving piano. Richardson’s “Katalin,” with Joel Guzman adding accordion, slows things down on appealing celebration of the sweetest girl he knows.

On “Shotgun Blues,” inspired by the music of Yank Rachell, DelGrosso evokes Elvin Bishop. Here, Richardson’s sharp electric guitar is followed by some of DelGrosso’s nifty mandolin. “Hard To Live For” is the lengthiest performance here, opening with mandolin setting the atmosphere on a slow blues with a real strong vocal on a fine lyric. Richardson’s “Where’s Laura,” is an instrumental opening with Richardson’s use of an echoey treble and DelGrosso and trumpeter Al Gomez take concise solos.

“Summertime Is Here,” celebrating barbecue and seeing old friends, has Lopez again on accordion, and is another number conjuring up Los Lobos, with DelGrosso’s mandolin adding the right touch. “I Wish I Heard,” has the tenor sax of Kaz Kazanoff in the spotlight with a strong solo as well as his responses to DelGrosso’s vocal. DelGrosso’s “She Is Sweet,” is a rollicking shuffle that suggests “Dust My Broom” with Sonny Boy Terry back on harp and Richardson strong, while “Good Rocking Johnny” is an easy rocking instrumental with nicely picked mandolin before Richardson displays a touch of chicken scratch tone is his choruses.

As one would expect from these two, the musicianship is exemplary. They are thoughtful yet passionate players and display a certain flair for crafting songs and delivering them and I was surprised by the singing was on most of this. Time Slips On By is a solid result of the partnership of DelGrosso and Del Toro Richardson, which one might hope would include some touring.

A review copy of this was provided by a publicist for the recording.

Diunna Greenleaf Rocked the DC Blues Festival

2010-0904 DC Blues Festival-9046363, originally uploaded by NoVARon.

Diunna Greenleaf and the Blue Mercy Band, with Jonn Richardson on guitar, was to these ears the highlight of this year's DC Blues Festival, this past Saturday, September 4. I had seen Diunna on the Blues Cruise several years back and at the Pocono Blues Festival. She was good now, but listening to her now was a revelation. She has grown as a singer and can really belt out a lyric without getting shrill or falsely frenzied. Jonn Richardson was superb as well. Highlights included a rendition of "Possession Over Judgement Day," a tribute to John Lee Hooker, and a terrific "(Call It) Stormy Monday," with great guitar. Some of the performance was songs from her last recording, "Cotton Fields to Coffee House," which is a few years old, but just touches on how good she is live. Its time for a new recording by her and her tight band.

The DC Blues Festival is a free festival for which I was one of those with a photographer's pass to shoot for the DC Blues Festival.