News from Bob Corritore

RIP Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, June 9th,1926 - August 9th, 2010. Best known as the longtime bass player of the Muddy Waters Blues Band, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, a Greenwood, Mississippi native, passed away last night of complications from lung cancer. He was 84. "Fuzz" was the definitive blues bass player, a stirring vocalist, and a wonderful human being. Here is the email that Bob Margolin, his longtime friend, and fellow Muddy alum, wrote this morning:

Calvin “Fuzz” Jones passed away early this morning at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven, Mississippi. His family is making funeral arrangements for Saturday in Mississippi. No more information on that yet, update soon.

Calvin “Fuzz” Jones is best known for the 10 years he played bass in Muddy Waters’ band, about 1970-’80. Previously, he had worked with Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, and Elmore James. He was appreciated for his strong electric bass playing, rocking stage presence, deep Blues singing, and the friendly laugh and smile he had for all.

Calvin had been living in Senatobia, MS for the last few years after decades in the Chicago area. Some of you receiving this e-mail were very kind to help him financially to stay in his apartment when he faced eviction in January. He appreciated that so deeply, understanding fully that the Blues music we all love had brought him your timely help. He had beat lung cancer, and in the late 1990’s he had a large tumor successfully removed from the back of his neck. Apparently the cancer came back in one lung and he developed pneumonia in the other and couldn’t breathe and was rushed to the hospital. He suffered a heart attack there, and though he was stabilized, his heart was weakened and gave out on him for the last time this morning.

I visited him last Friday afternoon, and he was deeply sedated. I’m glad to have seen him one more time, but he didn’t know I was there. I think he was beyond medical recovery, and that his illness overtook his strength. He was 84 years old, and was enjoying his life as much as possible until very recently. He had a sincere good word for everyone, and his reaction to any kind of health, musical, or financial challenge was his hearty trademark laugh. I asked him how he could laugh so easily when life hurt him, and he said “When you laugh the world laughs with you, when you cry, you cry alone.” He brought us deep Chicago and Mississippi Blues on the bandstand and on recordings, and his Blues and love for his friends, family, and all of us are his legacy.

Sadly, Bob Margolin

More sad blues news to share:

RIP Phillip Walker, February 11th, 1937 - July 22, 2010. It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Phillip Walker at 4:30 AM of heart failure. He was 73. Phillip was a great singer and guitarist who was considered legendary, though he never broke through to the success that his talent merited. He played guitar on the Specialty and Chess recordings of Clifton Chenier (Phillip once said that it was him and Etta James singing the backup on Clifton's song "My Soul"). He moved from Louisiana to California in 1959, and released his first record "Hello My Darlin", produced by J.R. Fulbright. Phillip's first full album, produced by Bruce Bromberg and called Bottom Of The Top was released in 1973 on the Playboy Record Label (actually a business division of the magazine). He also made great recordings on Galaxy, Vault, Joliet, HighTone, JSP, Black Top, Rounder, Alligator, P-Vine, MC, and most recently on Delta Groove. Additionally, Phillip was a noted sideman who contributed to albums by Lonesome Sundown, Eddie Taylor, Percy Mayfield, and Johnny Shines. Phillip toured frequently with a great band that included his longtime partner, James "Broadway" Thomas, on bass. He was lovingly booked by Tom Radai of Blues Management Group. His passing highlights the loss of the few remaining blues artists of his generation. We salute Phillip for always delivering the true blues, for his kind and giving personality, and for his unique and awe inspiring blues style. So long Phillip, we will miss you.

RIP Randy Joe Fullerton, Sept 18, 1949 - June 27, 2010. This news comes in from Will "Smokey" Logg. Bassist Randy Joe Fullerton passed away on June 27 in Dallas, Texas. He was 60. Fullerton was a popular blues bass player in the late 60s and 70s who worked with Luther Allison, Rod Piazza, Paul Filipowicz, Jim Liban, Billy Flynn, Madison Slim and many others. He is probably best known as the young, long haired bass player in the 1970 video of Howlin' Wolf performing Highway 49 at a blues festival in Washington D.C. where he was a capable fill in for Wolf's curtailed bass player. Randy remained an active performer his whole life and is considered a top shelf bassist by all that knew him. He will be greatly missed.

RIP James "Slim" Sroggins, April 28, 1953 - July 9, 2010. Phoenix based blues and soul drummer James "Slim" Scroggins was a talented and popular performer in his home town. He died on July 9th at age 57 from complications of blood clots. Over the last 30 years Slim worked with some of the quintessential Phoenix artists and bands including George Bowman, Big Pete Pearson, Fire In The Sky, The Whitehead Brothers, and his own James Matthews Band. He most recently was the powerhouse drummer with Cold Shott & The Hurricane Horns. Slim stood 6' 8" tall and had a professional and charismatic personality.

RIP Calvin Leavey 1940 - June 6, 2010. Arkansas blues singer/guitarist Calvin Leavey was best known for his often covered hit "Cummins Prison Farm". He died Sunday, June 6th of complications from Diabetes. He was 70. Aside from "Cummins Prison Farm", Calvin also had regional hits with "Going Back To The Dogs", and "If Life Lasts, Luck Is Bound To Change". Sadly his songs were prophetic as Calvin would be sent to Cummins for a drug related charge. He passed away with just one more year of time to serve. His rich, warm voice, great guitar work, and perfect blues songwriting will assure him his eternal place in blues history.

In other news:

Ike Turner honored with Mississippi Blues Trail Marker! Ike Turner was a brilliant guitarist and pianist who is considered to be the founder of Rock & Roll. A great business man, producer, arranger, band leader, and talent scout, Ike Turner helped to launch the careers of Howlin' Wolf, Little Milton, B.B. King, Elmore James, and many others. He is best known for his work with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, and for a villainous and misleading portrayal in the movie What's Love Got To Do With It. Ike passed away on December 12, 2007, at age 76, leaving an amazing musical legacy.Though considered a controversial figure in today's world, nobody can deny that Ike was a simply brilliant musical force. Ike Turner will be honored with a Mississippi Blues Trail marker which was unveiled in Ike's hometown of Clarksdale on Friday, August 6th. The ceremony took place at 10 am at 127 Third street in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi. Thanks to Alex Thomas of the Mississippi Department of Tourism for this information.




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

Mississippi Valey Blues Festival in Davenport

(Memphis, Tennessee) Here's a few more shots of our fun trip to Kankakee, Illinois, where we played July 3 at the River Bend Bar and Grill for the Friends of the Blues. Fireworks photo above by Doug McMinn.

author, photo by Amanda McMinn

Reba Russell
photo by Amanda McMinn

Doug and Amanda McMinn

Wayne Russell and Josh Roberts compare facebook accounts and play the blues

photo by Amanda McMinn

It all starts off innocently
To the tune of Jerry Lee Lewis singing, "What made Milwaukee Famous..."

And then, before you know it, the Crazy Guggenheim effect...

Reba and Wayne Russell.
photos by Amanda McMinn

On July 4th the Reba Russell Band arose and traveled to Davenport, Iowa, to play the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival on the banks of the Mississippi River. First we checked into our hotel and signed a bunch of festival posters for the Mississippi Valley Blues Society.

The mighty Mississippi River

The Lodge in Davenport...what a cool old hotel!

cherubs on the sconces everywhere

Descending to head to the show on the groovy old elevator

Ornate is great.

Pianoforte in the front lobby.

The Lodge in Tudor style glory

The festival had a great lineup for this Sunday: The Legendary Blues Cruise Revue featuring Tommy Castro and Debbie Davies, the Reba Russell Band, Dave Riley and Bob Corritore, and The Nighthawks with Hubert Sumlin.

After some snacks we headed to the stage and were lucky to have a window of opportunity to play after some rain showers. Regardless, this crowd could not be dissuaded.

Concert poster inside the dressing room

Reba Russell

photo by Amanda McMinn

Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms behind the Hammond B-3

photo by Amanda McMinn

Josh Roberts gently bends while applying plectrum action

photo by Amanda McMinn

Doug McMinn's ferocious playing actually ignites the drums

photo by Amanda McMinn

Wayne Russell in Foster Grants, Josh Roberts in ecstatic tone creation

Reba Russel Band closes out their set

Josh Roberts, slight heat exhaustion but plowing on con mucho gusto!

photo by Amanda McMinn

selling CD's after the show

Thanks to everyone who bought our music, we sincerely appreciate it.

Davenport truly supports the Blues. What a great town!

author rehydrates and takes a fistful of cardiac medication after the big show
photo by Amanda McMinn

After collapsing for a few minutes to dissipate the heat of the stage, I regrouped and wandered around backstage to see some old friends and take a few pictures for the American Blues News.

hanging with Tommy Castro by his tour bus before he goes on stage

Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms and Bob Corritore behind stage after the performance
Both agree that the 1958 Fender Bassman was the zenith of American musical technology.

I had a wonderful opportunity to talk for a while with my friend, Bob Corritore, harmonica player most excellent and a highly informed intellectual who knows music as well as anybody living. Bob often contributes to the American Blues News and also produces a superb newsletter featuring all things musical with a particular emphasis on the blues. Bob runs the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, plays with Dave Riley and has jammed my band in Memphis. Listen to Bob hold out this long note in the video below! Cooool Bob!

The Legendary Rythm and Blues Cruise Revue takes the stage.

Tommy Castro
photo by Amanda McMinn

Tommy uses rocket power to propel himself across the stage
photo by Amanda McMinn

Tommy's bassist, who upon seeing our band, said, "Who are these people?"
I forget his name but he played some pretty good bass.

the very talented Debbie Davies
photo by Amanda McMinn

Before heading to the stage to hear a few more tunes I ran into Magic Dick who asked if we had any water in our dressing room. I said hello, reminded him of the last time we met when we opened for J. Geils at B.B. King's in Memphis and took him to our stash of Purell. He has always been one of my favorite harp players and he played some cool stuff on stage with Tommy as the sun sank slowly in the west.

Magic Dick and Tommy Castro
photo by Amanda McMinn

Tommy Castro
photo by Amanda McMinn

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society honored my friend Hubert Sumlin with the RiverRoad Lifetime Achievement Award and he played this day with the Nighthawks

After watching some of the other acts it was time for the band to head back toward the Lodge. Before we could leave the grounds the road ahead was blocked for a fireworks display...God bless America!

photo by Doug McMinn

Sitting beside the Mississippi River we watch as fireworks are ignited just a few feet in front of us. Doug took the opportunity to snap a few shots for your enjoyment.

This would be the proverbial rockets' red glare.
photos above by Doug McMinn

My accomplices Amanda and Doug McMinn and I prepare for an assault on pasta at Old Chicago. Thank God they were open this late on the 4th of July. Photo by Doug McMinn.

After we arrived back at the Lodge we ambled down to the basement where a jam session was taking place. At the time I got there there were 4 guitars on stage so I sensibly retreated to the bar to avoid being overwhelmed by guitar frequencies. We got to hang out with old friends, in particular, the greatest showman to come out of West Virginia since Jessco White the Dancin' Outlaw, Mark Stutso. Mark, although not too keen on Mountain clog dancing, is a great drummer and singer and a beloved old friend. Mark is now traveling with the Nighthawks after playing many years with my old buddy Jimmy Thackery and his band, the Drivers. Mark states that among the high points in his life was jamming with our editor Monica Yasher at a jam in Pittsburgh. Mark is a rare talent, a fine drummer and singer and an old school professional touring musicianer.

The bear behind the bar at the Lodge

photo by Wayne Russell

old friend Mark Stutso of the Nighthawks and the author

Josh Roberts is called to get up early and exhibits his unfriendly side

(photo by Wayne Russell)

Driving south through St. Louis.

After three days of driving and outdoor gigs, we set course south for Memphis and the comfort of home. We had a blast in Davenport and we'd like to thank everyone for the warm reception. I hope they will allow us to come back and play for them again very soon. It's a beautiful place full of great people and their festival is highly recommended...quality entertainment virtually on the banks of the Mississippi river.

This week I travel to Nashville with Doug and Amanda McMinn on a tour bus hunting expedition and then south to gig at Atlanta's Blind Willie's and then Tallahassee's Bradford Blues Club. Please join me next Monday for a report on the trip.

RCT

©Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms, 2010
unless otherwise noted, pictures and text © Robert "Nighthawk' Tooms
© Wayne Russell, 2010
© Amanda Mcminn, 2010
©Doug McMinn, 2010

News from Bob Corritore

her



UPCOMING EVENTS:
Advance tickets available for June 10th Harp & Soul Festival. Harp & Soul Festival at SPACE in Evanston. This year's Blues On The North Shore will be a harmonica festival called Harp & Soul, which happens on June 10th, 8pm, at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois. Bob Corritore will kick off the event with a set featuring Billy Flynn on and guitar vocals, Chris James on guitar and vocals, Bob Riedy on piano, Patrick Rynn on bass, Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith on drums, and a guest appearance by the legendary Sam Lay. This set will also serve as a CD pre-release party for Bob's new CD, Harmonica Blues on the Delta Groove label. Other sets in the Harp & Soul Festival feature Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (who has a new CD with Pinetop Perkins on Telarc), Rob Stone (who has a new CD out on the Earwig label), and Grady Champion (this year's winner of the International Blues Challenge). Emceeing the event will be Bill Wax, host of B.B. King’s Bluesville on Sirius/XM Satellite radio. This show will be the unofficial pre-party for the 2010 Chicago Blues Festival which kicks off its 3 day run the next day.Thanks to Lynn Orman and Scott Shuman for producing, organizing, and promoting Harp & Soul.


Bob Corritore to do a June 14 harmonica seminar at the Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago! Each Monday night, harmonica master Joe Filisko (of Filisko & Noden fame) teaches a class for some of the most dedicated blues harmonica students in Chicago. His classes have become a Chicago subculture, and his students are well known for their knowledge and proficiency. Bob Corritore will be a guest of this wonderful gathering on Monday, June 14th. The event takes place at the Old Town School Of Folk Music at 4544 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625-2103, (773) 728-6000. Joe will kick off the class at 6:30 with Bob appearing around 8pm. There is no cover charge, and visitors are welcome, but non-class members are asked to make reservations by emailing michelle@filisko.com. Please note that the legendary Jerry Portnoy will also be a guest speaker in this class on September 13, 2010.
Amanda's harmonica extravaganza is named, expanded, and tickets are now on sale! Amanda Taylor is no stranger to good blues harmonica, being the current wife of Kim Wilson and the former wife of Greg "Fingers" Taylor. She has put together a brilliant lineup of some of the greatest traditional harmonica masters on the scene today, for a show she has christened "Amanda's Rollercoaster" (named after the Little Walter instumental "Roller Coaster.") The 3 night event happens on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 2010 at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. Acts include James Cotton, Billy Boy Arnold, Lazy Lester, Kim Wilson, Paul Oscher, James Harman, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Dyer, Bharath Rajakumar, Johnny Sansone, Jerry Portnoy, Dave Waldman, Bob Corritore, RJ Mischo, Steve Marriner, Billy Flynn, Chef Denis Depoitre, Vincent Bury, and more! Amanda has constructed a website for the event and a few preliminary tickets have been put on sale. Please note there are a very limited number of tickets for this show so best to order tickets now.


Gary Allegretto's Harmonikids program returns from Haiti. Harmonica player and goodwill missionary, Gary Allegretto recently returned from Port Au Prince, Haiti where he brought his music therapy program called Harmonikids to bring comfort to the children of this earthquake stricken area. Thanks Gary, for your continued goodwill offerings, and for channeling the magic of blues harmonica into a healing force.

Wolf Records to release a CD of 70's and 80's recordings by R.L. Burnside! The late R.L. Burnside, along with Fat Possum Records, spearheaded a movement that popularized Mississippi blues for a new generation. R.L.'s larger than life personality, a spellbinding, hypnotic approach to blues, and his rich, southern voice were all parts of his successful formula. He passed away in 2005 after converting hundreds of thousands of young people into blues fans. Wolf Records has announced the June 7th release of R.L. Burnside / Rollin' & Tumblin, with 19 songs and an interview, all recorded in 1975, 1981, and 1982 on R.L.'s front porch.

PAST NEWS

Simi Valley Festival Reflection. Special thanks to Randy Chortkoff and everyone from Delta Groove Records for successfully and inspirationally hosting the blues stage at the Simi Valley Cajun and Creole Festival last Saturday and Sunday. The Delta Groove roster (including artists on sister label Eclecto Groove) was shown to great advantage at this two day festival with performances by the Hollywood Blue Flames, Elvin Bishop, The Mannish Boys, Mitch Kashmar, The Soul of John Black, Mike Zito, Kirk Fletcher, Arthur Adams, Candye Kane (with guest appearance by Bob Corritore), Lynwood Slim with the Igor Prado Band, The Jackie Payne / Steve Edmondson Band, Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos, and The Insomniacs. the Delta Groove label has created a family feeling for its artists, and its multi-band presentations. The Delta Groove label has recently opened a booking agency called Festivals Exclusive which promises more great events to come!


PLACES TO NOTE:

Buddy Guy's Legends moves to new location! Buddy Guy's Legends has been a leading force in bringing blues to the heart of Chicago. It is the Chicago stop for most touring blues acts. After years of hearing about changing venue locations, Legends officially opens today at its new address on 700 S. Wabash Avenue, with a show by Shannon Curfman.


Rhythm Room acknowledged by 944 Magazine! Phoenix's 944 magazine has declared the Rhythm Room "Small Music Venue Worth The Price Of Admission" in their current "944 Pics" issue! Thanks for these kind words.


PLEASE REMEMBER

RIP Willie Pooch - 1937 to May 5th, 2010 Columbus, Ohio based blues singer Willie Pooch passed away on May 5th, 2010 from diabetes complications. He was 72. Born William Johnson in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1937, Willie grew to be a spectacular vocalist and entertainer. He was a huge part of the Columbus, Ohio Blues Scene and will be greatly missed by his community. He recorded and great CD with Cadillac Zak called The Blues Do Something To Me.


RIP Larry Dale - January 7, 1923 to May 19 2010. Guitarist/vocalist Larry Dale is best known for 1950s and '60s session work in New York which yielded many great sides. His amazing vocals could transport a song to an other-worldly quality but he also was a fine guitarist who would be called into recording sessions as an accompanist to other vocalists. Born Ennis Lowery on January 7th, 1927 in Wharton Texas, he would later move to New York where he would record sides for Atlantic, Jax, Herald, Groove, Vik, and Glover. In addition to his own fine recordings, he played on sessions with Champion Jack Dupree, Bob Gaddy, Paul Williams, Big Red McHouston, Mr. Bear, Cootie Williams, and others. He passed away on Wednesday at his apartment in New York. He was 86 years old.


RIP Rene Solis Sept 1954 - April 2010. We have word that beloved bay area guitarist/vocalist Rene Solis has passed away. He was 55. Rene was the leader of Nite Cry, a band which, years ago, also featured a young Tommy Castro. Rene also worked with John Lee Hooker, Luther Tucker, Coco Montoya, and Debbie Davies. Thank you Rene, for a life devoted to the blues.

RIP Esther Mabry (aka Mama Nip) - May 25, 1920 to May 31, 2010 - She was 90 years old. Esther Mabry is best known in the Oakland, California area for owning and operating a legendary blues club called Esther's Orbit Room. After moving from Texas to Oakland in her early 20s, she opened Esther's Breakfast Room in 1950. Nine years later, she and her husband William bought the building and expanded it to offer live music and cocktails. So began Esther's Orbit Room, a club that would be known in the Bay Area for appearances by B.B. King, Charles Brown, Lou Rawls, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Ike & Tina Turner, Jimmy McCracklin, Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulson, Al Green, Etta James, and others. The club ran until just last year, when Esther's health problems dictated that she close the business after its glorious 59 year run. Esther was a behind the scenes hero of the blues who was not well known outside of her community, but people like Esther are the backbone and the spirit of this industry. and the provider of a place for blues musicians to play. God bless you Esther for all you did.

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

Guest writer Bob Corritore

It's been a while since we had Bob's writings on our site. There is a lot of catching up to do. So, let's get started:

Blues Stage at Simi Valley Festival! Bob Corritore to guest with Candye Kane! Delta Groove Records will host it's annual All-Star revue this year as a blues stage with two days of non stop entertainment at the 21st Annual Cajun Creole Music Festival on Saturday May 29, and Sunday May 30 (Memorial Day Weekend), in Simi Valley, California. Artists from the Delta Groove and Eclecto Groove labels appearing at the festival include the Jackie Payne / Steve Edmondson Band, Arthur Adams, Lynwood Slim with the Igor Prado Band, The Insomniacs, the Kirk Fletcher Band, Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos, The Soul of John Black, The Hollywood Blue Flames, Mike Zito, Candye Kane (with guest appearance by Bob Corritore), the legendary Elvin Bishop and a very rare Southern California appearance by The Mannish Boys! Simi Valley’s Cajun Creole Music Festival, now with a Blues Infusion, is put on every year by the Rotary Club, with one hundred percent of the profits going to charity.For more information, please visit the festival’s website at http://www.simicajun.org/.

Blues On The North Shore's "Harp and Soul Festival" to be Chicago Blues Festival Preparty! Blues powerhouse, Lynn Orman, is the mastermind behind Blues On The North Shore, which has grown into a series of events that will take place around the Chicago Blues Festival. The series kicks off on Thursday, June 10th, 2010 with the "Harp and Soul Festival" at SPACE in Evanston, a wonderful music venue co-owned by blues guitarist Dave Specter. The line up includes the legendary Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (blowing harp and fronting his band), International Blues Challenge winner, Grady Champion, Earwig recording artist, Rob Stone, and the evening will commence with a CD pre-release party for Bob Corritore's new Delta Groove release Harmonica Blues. Bob's band that evening will include Billy Flynn, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, Bob Riedy, and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith. Copies of the CD will be available for the first time at this event! Bill Wax, host of B.B. King’s Bluesville on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, will be the master of ceremonies. The three day Chicago Blues Festival will commence the next day so this event starts the party!

Bob Corritore signs with Delta Groove! The Delta Groove record label has emerged as an industry leader in blues music, with great releases of both contemporary and traditional blues, a groundbreaking marketing strategy, and an exciting roster of talent. Label chief Randy Chortkoff and Bob Corritore have been close friends and collaborators for over 25 years, and share a common love and dedication to traditional blues. So Bob's signing with Delta Groove is a natural merging of blues energies. On August 17th Delta Groove will officially release Bob Corritore and Friends / Harmonica Blues. This release will be a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Bob's harmonica playing (Bob started at age 13). The 15 tracks included feature Bob performing with a simply amazing list of special guests that includes Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Pinetop Perkins, Honeyboy Edwards, Nappy Brown, Eddy Clearwater, Louisiana Red, Carol Fran, Dave Riley, Big Pete Pearson, Tomcat Courtney, The Rhythm Room All-Stars, Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Eddie Shaw, Chico Chism, Bob Margolin, Kid Ramos, David Maxwell, Eddie Taylor, Jr., Bob Stroger, and more. These sides are selected highlights from Bob's extensive master tape vaults, and were recorded between 1989 and 2009 (20 years!). A number of CD release parties and pre-release parties will happen around various festivals including a June 9th pre-release celebration at SPACE in Evanston, as part of this year's Blues On The North Shore (an event that coincides with the Chicago Blues Festival and is presented by Lynn Orman).

Delmark Records Activities. The Delmark record label, headed by the unwavering Bob Koester, has been the label most reflective of the Chicago Blues and Jazz Scene over the last 5 decades. Delmark's good will ambassador, Kevin Johnson, reports of a forthcoming CD reissuing Jimmy Dawkins' Leric Record label. Leric put out a number of 45s during the 1980s including singles by Tail Dragger, Johnny Christian, Nora Jean, Queen Sylvia Embry, and others. Other recent Delmark releases include Tail Dragger (both a CD and DVD), Dave Weld, Mississippi Heat, a vintage boogie woogie piano collection, a collection of vintage doo wop from the United label, and a reissue of an 80s Willie Buck LP with Louis & Dave Myers, Little Mack Simmons, and John Primer as the backing band. Delmark has recently reissued a vinyl LP version of The Blues World Of Little Walter, with a forthcoming LP reissue of Junior Wells / South Side Blues Jam. Thanks Delmark Records for your consistently great work on behalf of the blues!

Louisiana Red racks up awards and nominations! Down-home blues master Louisiana Red has always been an amazing force in the blues. With last year's release of Louisiana Red with Little Victor's Juke Joint / Back To The Black Bayou on Ruf Records, Red was propelled into great visibility. That was followed up later in the year with a collaboration with piano ace David Maxwell called You Got To Move on the VizzTone Label Group. Red has recently been recognized with these awards, nominations, and recognitions:

1) 2009 Grande Prix du Disque (for Blues music) in France. This is the French equivalent of the Grammy and it recognized Back To The Black Bayou as the best blues album of last year. The award was signed by French president Nicholas Sarkozy.

2) 2009 Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (quarterly critics award) in Germany.

3) 2009 Blues News Magazine (Germany) Poll 'best national album of the year' and 'best international album of the year.' This is the first time both awards were won by single artist!

4) Red was honored in March by the Oslo Blues Society in Norway with a "Lifetime Achievement Award"

5) Red will be have a feature interview in a forthcoming issue of Blues Revue Magazine!

6) Red received five Blues Music Award nominations this year! Winners will be announced May 6th in Memphis! Red's nominations were in the following categories: Blues Album, Traditional Blues Album, Acoustic Blues Album, Traditional Male Blues Artist, Acoustic Blues Artist.

RIP Walter "Mississippi Slim" Horn, August 13 1943 to April 14th, 2010. Beloved Mississippi based blues singer Mississippi Slim passed away on Wednesday. He was 66. Slim, known for his multi-colored suits and remarkable stage presence, was a crowd favorite at the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival in 2008. He was born in Shelby, Mississippi, raised in Greenville. He recorded for the Sunflower, LaJam, and G-Town labels.Thanks to Alex Thomas for providing us with this information.

Harmonica Summit DVD filming planned! Amanda Taylor (Kim Wilson's wife) is producing a spectacular gathering of some of her favorite harmonica players. Included in this lineup are James Cotton, Lazy Lester, Kim Wilson, Paul Oscher, Johnny Dyer, Bharath Rajakumar, Johnny Sansone, Jerry Portnoy, Dave Waldman, Bob Corritore, RJ Mischo, Steve Marriner, Billy Flynn, Vincent Bury and a few suprise guests. The excellent backing band for this event consists of Larry Taylor, Richard Innes, Billy Flynn, and Barrelhouse Chuck. The event will happen on Friday and Saturday, October 1st, and 2nd, at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. It will be filmed and recorded with Clarke Rigsby at the technical helm, and will be released in 2011 on CD and DVD on MC Records. This is a once in a lifetime gathering of some of the greatest living players of the blues harmonica traditions. There is a multi generational "fathers and sons" sub-theme running through this event with ages 22 through 76 represented. There be limited tickets sold. A hotel deal will be made available and we expect tickets to go on sale via Ticketmaster.


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

Guest writer Bob Corritore

It's been a while since we had Bob's writings on our site. There is a lot of catching up to do. So, let's get started:

Dave Riley / Bob Corritore to appear at The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival! This just in: Dave Riley & Bob Corritore will appear on July 4th at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, in Davenport, Iowa. The three day festival, now in its 26th year, takes place each 4th of July weekend, and brings in top blues entertainment to perform on numerous stages and workshops. More information and a full festival lineup will be forthcoming.

Vintage Phoenix Blues Anthology now available! The Southwest Musical Arts Foundation has released a complilation of Phoenix Blues from the 1950s and 60s! Though Phoenix is not often celebrated as a town with a rich blues history, but this release will remedy any misconceptions. This limited edition, collectors issue is titled Flyin' High, A Collection Of Phoenix Blues, Rhythm, and Spirit from the 1950's and 60's. The CD's 27 tracks include Big Pete Pearson's first recordings, Reverend Louis Overstreet, J.C. Arline, The Lone Wolf, Duke Draper, Maxine Johnson, John "Oklahoma Zeke" Lewis, Dumas King, Roosevelt Nettles, Budd Spudd & The Sprouts, Jimmy Knight, Baby Jean, the Curtis Gray Combo, and more. Look for this release in early 2010. This CD is currently available only through Bluebeat Music. Proceeds from the sales of this CD will go to the Southwest Musical Arts Foundation who are planning more historically important blues releases.

Music Maker Foundation Artists on YouTube! The Music Maker Relief Foundation is one of the modern miracles of blues philanthropy. Headed by Tim Duffy, and based in Hillsborough, NC, the Music Maker Relief Foundation has provided financial assistance and recognition for some of the nearly forgotten, veteran heroes of the blues, particularly from the southeastern area of the United States. Here are a few filmed examples of the artists they have helped: Adolphus Bell's Public Service Announcement. Adolphus Bell performing "Pawn Shop Blues", Captain Luke with Tim Duffy Public Service Announcement, and John Dee Holeman performing "One Black Rat". Thank you MMRF for your great service to the blues!

Art Tipaldi New Editor Of Blues Revue! Art Tipaldi is known throughout the blues as a writer, reviewer, educator, emcee, photographer, and an active Blues Foundation participant. He now adds editor of Blues Revue magazine to his long list of credentials! Art succeeds editor Ken Bays as the next in the grand tradition of this noble magazine. We congratulate and welcome our friend Art Tipaldi as he takes on another great service to the blues.

Eddie Taylor honored with Mississippi blues Trail Marker! The late Eddie Taylor was a spectacular blues guitarist, best known for his sensitive accompaniment on the Vee Jay recordings of Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker. Eddie was also a great singer and his recordings such as "Bad Boy", "Big Town Playboy", and "Stroll Out West", show him to be a star in his own right. Though Eddie Taylor's work has helped to define Chicago blues, he always brought forth the feel of his native Mississippi. Clifford Antone, of Antone's records, once referred to Eddie as "the greatest guitar player in the world". Eddie will be honored with a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker in his hometown of Benoit, Mississippi. The unveiling ceremony took place on Monday, February 1st, 2pm, at the intersection of Highways 1 and 448 in Benoit. Thanks to Leigh Portwood and everyone involved in recognizing this legendary artist.

More Big Walter information. In the last newsletter, we reported that a new Big Walter Horton reissue had come out called King Of The Harmonica Players. Since then, we have been notified by Clas Ahlstrand of the Scandinavian Blues Association, who recorded some of these wonderful sides on a portable recorder while visiting Chicago, that this is not a licenced release. Clas also reports that eight of these sides are available as free downloads on the Jefferson Magazine site. Along with the downloads are the story and photos of the journey to Chicago and the home recording sessions with Big Walter. Thank you Clas for this additional information, and for recording these great sides for the world to enjoy.

Wolfgang's Vault releases Muddy Waters solo appearance at Newport in 1969, and Willie Dixon with Big Walter Horton from 1972! Wolfgang's Vault is a website devoted to Rock & Roll Memorabilia and downloadable concerts. Along with their featured rock music offerings are numerous blues nuggets, of which the latest two are very exciting. In July of 1969, both Muddy Waters and his mentor, Son House were scheduled to perform at the Newport Folk Festival. When word came that Son would not be able to make his appearance, Muddy Waters graciously stepped in to cover for his friend, and he performed an impromptu solo acoustic set. Six songs from this set are now available. In 1972, Willie Dixon brought his Chicago Blues All-Stars to the Ash Grove in California. The band on that show included Big Walter Horton, Buster Benton, Lafeyette Leake, and Frank Swann. Seven songs from this concert are now available. Special thanks to Jim Themelis for the tip.

Etta James Hospitalized. The legendary Etta James has been hospitalized in California after suffering various ailments including blood infection. Etta has had numerous health issues over the years, but has always come through them to warm our hearts with her amazing performances. The latest word is that she is slowly recovering.

Nick Curran Diagnosed With Tongue Cancer. This sad news came from Harry Turner; 31 year old singer / guitarist Nick Curran has recently been diagnosed with tongue cancer and will be undergoing radiation treatments. Though still a young man, Nick is a road veteran, having worked with various, blues, rockabilly, and roots rock acts including The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ronnie Dawson, Kim Lenz, and his own band Nick Curran and the Nitelifes, Nick has a new CD just out on the Eclectro Groove record label, and was to have numerous national and international tours that are now all postponed. Prayers to Nick, as he fights this battle.

RIP Lil' Dave Thompson - May 21, 1969 - February 14th 2010. It is with great sadness that we report that Mississippi blues guitarist Lil' Dave Thompson died yesterday from an auto accident outside of Augusta, Georgia, while touring with his band. His van overturned and Dave was thrown from the vehicle and pronouced dead on the scene by the paramedics. Other members of the group were reportedly not seriously injured. Dave was born in Hinds County, Mississippi and was greatly influenced by musicans from that area. He made his first record for Fat Possum in 1995, and subsequently had two beautiful releases for Electro-Fi. In the last few years he had toured extensively as he built his career. He had developed into a spectacular singer and a fine, modern blues guitarist. Rest In peace Lil' Dave.

RIP Arnie Caplin, May 8, 1929 - December 25th, 2009. Arnie Caplin, the founder of Biograph Records, died on Dec 25th, at a nursing home in Massachusetts. He was 80. Arnie was a jazz drummer and artist before starting his Biograph Records in 1967. The Biograph label would release over 250 titles in the genres of blues, jazz, ragtime and folk music. Blues releases included Bukka White, Skip James, Reverend Gary Davis, Furry Lewis, Robert Wilkins, Son House, Leadbelly, and more. In addition to his blues work, Arnie had a major influence in bringing forth the ragtime music of the now famous Scott Joplin. Though a behind the scenes force in the blues, the importance of Arnie Caplin can not be overemphasized. Thank you Arnie for your great work.

RIP Teddy Pendegrass, March 26,1950 - January 13, 2010. Best known for his stirring, romantic soul songs of the 70s, Pendegrass rose to popularity as lead singer of Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, before creating a string of his own hits. Pendegrass' life was severely altered in 1982, when a tragic auto accident left him paralyzed. Despite his crippling injury he remained active in music throughout his life. He also created the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, a foundation that helps those with spinal cord injuries. He died in Philadelphia on Wednesday of complications from colon cancer. He was 59. He will be remembered as a superstar of the highest degree.

RIP Bobby Charles, February 21, 1938 – January 14, 2010. Louisiana Singer and Songwriter Bobby Charles Guidry, AKA Bobby Charles, is best know for being the writer of Fats Domino’s “Walking to New Orleans,” Bill Haley and the Comets’ “See You Later, Alligator,” and Clarence Frogman Henry’s “But I Do,” Charles died Thursday at his home in Abbeville, Louisiana at age 71, after a struggle with diabetes and cancer. He had recently completed an album called Timeless, which was co-produced by Dr. John and dedicated to Fats Domino. His beautiful songs helped to define the music of Louisiana, and will live on forever.

Passings. Always so hard to say goodbye to the many great blues people that passed away. Here is the list of those who have left us in 2009. There may be some that I have missed: James Odell Johnson Jr. (of the Whispers), Ray Topping (of Ace Records), Sam Taylor, Claude Joseph Johnson Jr. (of Ray Charles Band), Reverend Leroy Taylor (of the Soul Stirrers), Leroy Cooper, Leslie Carole Johnson (of Mississippi Rag Magazine), Al Harris, David "Fathead" Newman, Hank Crawford, Piney Brown, Snooks Eaglin, Mark Sallings, John Cephas, Willie King, Lester Davenport, Eddie Bo, Mel Brown, Manuel Arrington, Michael "Dr. Mike" James, Ted Jarrett (songwriter "You Can Make It If You Try"), Roosevelt Dean, Rocky Hill, Pee Wee Moore, Stephen Bruton, Ashton Savoy, Koko Taylor. Sam Butera, Nick Holt, Wesley "Junebug" Jefferson, Betty Miller (Southern California Blues Society), Billy Lee Riley, Les Paul, Jim Dickinson, Johnny Carter (of the Flamingos and the Dells), Marie Knight, Jesse Fortune, Kenny Martin, Doris Carr, Sam Carr, Willie "Big Bo" Thomas Jr., Freddie Robinson, Alex "Easy Baby" Randle, Johnny Jones, Dennis Brooks, Luther Dixon, Norton Buffalo, Terry Scott (VP of the Phoenix Blues Society), Sara Moore (Sara's Kitchen), Big John Evans, Alvin Short, Cam Waters and Earl Gaines. Please forgive me if I left anyone out of this list. Each of these people are remembered warmly for their contributions to the blues.

Here is the previous Bob Corritore Newsletter.


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

www.bobcorritore.com
Phone: (480)994-1234



Copyright © 2010 Copyright Monica L. Yasher and Bob Corritore. All Rights Reserved.
Photos courtesy of Bob Corritore