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News from Bob Corritore
Robin Rogers hospitalized. Singer / harmonica player /Blind Pig recording artist Robin Rogers has emerged over the last few years as major player in the blues world. She most recently has been doing some extensive touring with Debbie Davies, and has a forthcoming second CD due out in a couple weeks. Last week, Robin was hospitalized with serious liver problems. She has a very tough set of circumstances as described on her Facebook fan page; "Robin Rogers has had Hepatitis Type C and this condition has attacked her liver and has caused multiple complications. Robin has had to have an emergent intubation (tube to maintain her airway) and sedated to help with her pain and discomfort of being placed on a the ventilator (breathing machine)". Prayers for our sister in the blues.
Thomas Yearsley in train accident. Thomas Yearsley, the longtime bass player of the Paladins, and the former husband of Candye Kane, was hit by a train on August 16th, while trying to save his dog Swango, who was stuck on the tracks. The dog did not make it, but Thomas survived with a a broken leg and a banged up head. A web site has been set up for Thomas at http://www.helpthomas.com/. Thanks to Candye Kane and Dave Gonzalez for this information.
RIP Steve Arredondo, July 12, 1952 - July 30, 2010. Steve Arrendondo was a San Diego based blues harmonica player who was active with both BLUSD (Blues Lovers United of San Diego), and the Paul Butterfield Fund and Society. He passed away from complication of cancer on July 30th at age 57. Though not well known outside of his region, he was a positive and supportive force for the blues in all of his dealings. We are not aware of any recordings by Steve, but any harmonica player who has appeared in San Diego, would have likely met Steve, who would would frequent such occasions with sincere interest and an outreached hand. Chet Cannon organized a San Diego memorial show for Steve that happened on Sunday, August 15th, at Tango Del Rey.
Mississippi Country Blues New Releases! Rural Mississippi blues is being well represented by a number of new releases. T-Model Ford has a brilliant new disc out called Ladies Man on the Alive record label that finds him playing in an acoustic setting backed by members of Moreland & Arbuckle and Gravel Road (for more information click here). Wolf Records recently released R.L. Burnside / Rollin' & Tumblin' which features field recordings of this very celebrated artist from 1975, 1989, and 1991 (for more information click here). Just released is a new Mississippi Fred McDowell CD called Come and Find You Gone, on Devil Down Records, which includes previously unissued recordings from Bill Ferris' archives. For more information and a song sample click here). Jeff Konkel of Broke & Hungry Records reports "This fall we'll be issuing a two-CD retrospective of the label's first five years. It's title is Mistakes Were Made: Five Years Of Raw Blues, Damaged Livers, and Questionable Business Decisions. The collection will feature 28 songs, about half of which are previously unreleased. Among the previously unreleased recordings are archival recordings by Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, Pat Thomas, Odell Harris, Terry "Big T" Williams and the Mississippi Marvel. Additionally the collection will feature newly recorded tracks by both Terry "Harmonica" Bean and Bill Abel. Exact release date is TBD, but we're anticipating an October, or November street date." It is great to see so much activity celebrating the deep Mississippi blues sound!
Big Pete Pearson moves to Maine and opens restaurant!. Arizona's king of the blues has now become Maine's king of the blues. Big Pete Pearson has moved from his long standing digs of Phoenix, Arizona to his new residence in Trenton, Maine. He has opened a restaurant called The Blues Wagon that specializes in Big Pete's Texas style barbeque. Big Pete once before had moved to Maine for a few years in the 1990s, but then returned back to Phoenix. His move leaves an irreplaceable gap in the Phoenix blues scene. Big Pete Pearson recently completed a week long run of shows in Europe, where he was backed by a European blues band known as the Gamblers. Best wishes and continued success to this great bluesman.
Delmark to release 1966 live recordings by Junior Wells with the Aces! Other good Delmark news! Delmark records emerged in the 1960s to be the label that most avidly represents the Chicago Blues. It roster has always represented the top shelf of Chicago Blues with releases by Junior Wells, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, JB Hutto, and more recently, Eddie C. Campbell, Tail Dragger, Jimmy Burns, Rockin' Johnny, Willie Buck, and Shirley Johnson. If there is one artist most emblematic of the label, it would surely be Junior Wells, who's 1966 Hoodoo Man Blues with it's stark sound and even starker album graphics, has become a definitive Chicago blues classic. Delmark lovingly has announced a fall release of Junior Wells & The Aces / Live In Boston 1966. Of course the Aces with Louis & Dave Myers, and Fred Below, were the consummate backing band, and years before (early 1950s) had hired a budding Junior Wells, as their singer (this was before the Little Walter / Aces partnership). This should be a very exciting release! To see a sneak peak of the CD art, click here. To see a wonderful photo page devoted to the Aces, click here. Other Delmark news is a September 11th show at Rosa's billed as a modern day "Muddy vs Wolf" battle with Tail Dragger and Willie Buck, plus special guest James Kinds (look for a forthcoming CD by James on Delmark). Also in the Delmark information line is the good news that Kevin Johnson's lovely wife Brianna, is expecting! How nice it will be to have a new baby in the blues community! Thanks Kevin for this heartwarming news!
BOB'S BIO:
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 25 releases to date, on labels such as HighTone, HMG, Blue Witch, Blind Pig, Earwig, Putumayo, Random Chance, and the VizzTone Label Group. Many of these acclaimed releases have been nominated for various Handy, Grammy, and Blues 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 's prolific activity with the Blue Witch record label as label producer/harmonica player has garnered him additional notoriety. 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, Paris James, and others.
For more information, please contact:
Bob Corritore
bobcorritore@yahoo.com
http://www.bobcorritore.com/
Phone: (480)994-1234
Copyright © 2010 Copyright Monica L. Yasher and Bob Corritore. All Rights Reserved.
Photos courtesy of Bob Corritore
