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.

John Primer & Bob Corritore The Gypsy Woman Told Me

John Primer & Bob Corritore
The Gypsy Woman Told Me
Vizztone/ SWMAC Records

This is the third recording by the former Muddy Waters-Magic Slim sideman and harmonica player Bob Corritore. Supporting Primer's vocals and guitars and Corritore's harp are a variety of other artists including guitarists Jimi 'Primetime' Smith and Billy Flynn, pianists Bob Welsh and Ben Levin, bassists Kedar Roy, Mike Hightower and Troy Sandow, and drummers June Core and Brian Fahey. Part of this recording of traditional Chicago blues was recorded at Greaseland Studios, and Kid Andersen plays organ on one track.

Primer is in good form with his straight-forward vocals that conjure up Muddy Waters and Magic Slim, while Corritore comes off like little Walter on some tracks and Sonny Boy Williamson elsewhere. The studio bands keep a crisp shuffle groove going and provide tight backing. There are plenty of strong Chicago blues performances, including the title track that Muddy Waters made famous, Jimmy Rogers' "Left Me With a Broken Heart," and the reworking of Little Milton's "Walking the Back Streets and Crying" into a 50s sounding Chicago band blues. Primer plays some driving slim on his original, "Little Bitty Woman," which musically evokes Junior Parker's "Mystery Train." The backing players sit out on an emphatic cover of Lil Son Jackson's "Gambling Blues." At the same time, Primer's "Walked So Long," is performed acoustically with Sandow playing upright bass and Fahey using brushes.

John Primer remains a treasure as he continues to play first-rate down blues in the classic Chicago blues vein with sympathetic backing from Corritore. With an imaginative selection of material and the idiomatic support provided, Primer and Corritore have another gem.

I received my review copy from Vizztone. Here are John Primer & Bob Corritore performing.

Bob Corritore & Friends Do the Hip-Shake Baby!

Bob Corritore & Friends
Do the Hip-Shake Baby!
Vizztone/SWMAF Records

"Do the Hip-Shake Baby!" is Bob Corritore's latest blues party recording with a variety of artists including vocalists Mighty Joe Mislap, Alabama Mike, Oscar Wilson, Henry Gray, John Primer, Bill 'Howl-N-Madd' Perry, and Jimi 'Primetime' Smith. Backing musicians include Corritore on harmonica throughout, Gray on piano, Primer on guitar, Andy T and Anson Funderburgh on guitar, LA jones, on guitar, Fred Kaplan on keyboards, and Kedar Roy on bass. There are many others, and the poor layout makes getting some details like songwriting credits hard to read.

Those familiar with the previous recordings Corritore has produced will not be surprised by the solid revivalist Chicago and swamp blues performances heard here. It opens up with a solid rendition by Mighty Joe Mislap of Slim Harpo's "Do the Hip-Shake Baby!" that allows Corritore to display his harp skills over a swampy, trebly foundation. Milsap, who is also backed by the Fremonts, also ably sings another Slim Harpo song, "I'm Gonna Keep What I've Got." Alabama Mike, with LA Jones guitar and Corritore on unamplified harp, rock Jimmy McCracklin's jump blues, "Gonna Tell Your Mama." His performances include two Sam Cooke styled performances, "Worried Blues" and Junior Parker's "Stand By Me," both ably backed by the Andy T Band. Henry Gray sounds pretty vigorous for a pleasant revival of "The Twist."

Oscar Wilson does a nice Jimmy Reed cover, "Bitter Seed," with Corritore emulating Reed's harp style and Fred Kaplan lays down some nice piano in the backing. Jimi 'Primetime' Smith also does a solid Jimmy Reed shuffle, "I Got The World In A Jug," with Corritore on amplified harp, Fred Kaplan on piano, Bob Stroger on bass and Brian Fahey on drums.

Bill 'Howl-N-Madd' Perry wrote and delivers a solid down-home vocal on "You Better Slow Down," that sounds like an unissued Excello recording as Corritore wails in his backing, while John Primer does a homage to his former boss Muddy Waters on "Love Deep As The Ocean," with Bob Welsh channeling Otis Spann. With Junior Watson swinging on guitar, Sugaray Rayford energetically (perhaps a bit over the top) revives Bobby Saxton "Trying to Make a Living" with a fresh arrangement. His other performance is a Howlin' Wolf styled original, "Keep The Lord On With You!" with Kid Ramos on guitar that is the closing track.

With a variety of performers and consistently solid, idiomatic blues performances, Bob Corritore has delivered another winning collection of traditionally oriented blues.

I received my review copy from Vizztone Records. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 384). Here is "Do the Hip-Shake Baby!"