Reviews from these publications are listed below in chronological order. Scroll to see all reviews.
Blues News (Netherlands)
Chicago Blues Guide
Culture Blues (France)
Keys And Chords (Belgium)
Making A Scene
Paris Move (France)
Philly Cheeze’s Rock & Blues Reviews
Culture Blues (France) (February 18, 2026)
English Translation: He continues… The tireless and highly prolific Bob Corritore—who turns seventy this coming September 27th—announces a new album, *Ernestine Blues*, set for release via VizzTone on April 10, 2026. The record consists of recent recordings drawn from sessions held over the past three years. As always, the Chicago-based harmonica player has surrounded himself with an illustrious lineup of top-tier artists—and the roster is indeed impressive: Pat Thomas (Corritore traveled to Clarksdale in October 2024 to record with Thomas, who passed away in February 2025), Sugaray Rayford, Bob Stroger, Tia Carroll, Johnny Rawls, Oscar Wilson, Carla Denise, Tony Coleman, Charles Wilson, Willie Buck, Jimi “Primetime” Smith, Bob Margolin, Teeny Tucker, Billy Flynn, Anthony Geraci, Ben Levin, Kid Ramos, Johnny Main, Doug James… The album features sixteen tracks, and—for the eighth time—the cover artwork was entrusted to the talented artist Vince Ray.
– Daniel Léon
Blues News (Netherlands) (March 14, 2026)
Harmonica master Bob Corritore returns with Ernestine Blues, a major new collaboration album featuring Johnny Rawls, Sugaray Rayford, Tia Carroll, Bob Stroger and more. The first single, “I Love the South,” pairs Corritore with soul-blues legend Johnny Rawls and sets the tone for a powerful release arriving April 10, 2026 on VizzTone.
Bob Corritore & Friends Announce Ernestine Blues — Star-Studded Blues Album Arrives April 10 on VizzTone
Few modern blues artists collaborate as naturally—and as successfully—as harmonica master Bob Corritore. With Ernestine Blues, his latest album under the banner of Bob Corritore & Friends, the Arizona-based blues champion gathers an extraordinary lineup of vocalists and musicians from across the contemporary blues scene.
Set for release on April 10, 2026 via VizzTone, the album brings together powerful voices and seasoned bands for a collection of story-driven songs that move comfortably between classic Chicago blues, early R&B, Mississippi country blues, and soul-blues traditions.
First Single: “I Love the South” with Johnny Rawls
The first taste of the album arrived on March 13, 2026 with the release of “I Love the South“, a collaboration between Corritore and soul-blues legend Johnny Rawls. The pairing proves once again how naturally Corritore’s expressive harmonica fits within the rich textures of Southern soul.
Rawls’ church-raised vocals carry the song with warmth and authority, while Corritore’s feel-good harmonica lines weave through a tight rhythm section and a joyful chorus of female gospel singers. The result is a bright, uplifting Mississippi-inspired anthem that celebrates the easy living and musical heritage of the American South.
A Who’s Who of Modern Blues
Ernestine Blues was recorded between 2023 and 2025 and features an impressive list of guest artists. Among them are Sugaray Rayford, Bob Stroger, Tia Carroll, Oscar Wilson, Willie Buck, Teeny Tucker, Pat Thomas, and Johnny Rawls, alongside standout musicians including Kid Ramos, Bob Margolin, Billy Flynn, Anthony Geraci, Ben Levin, Doug James and many more.
Each track highlights a different voice and style, with Corritore’s harmonica acting as the connective thread. His long-standing reputation for bringing out fresh, heartfelt performances from established blues singers shines throughout the album.
From deep Chicago blues grooves to soulful Southern storytelling, Ernestine Blues plays like a guided tour through the many branches of the blues tradition—honoring the roots while celebrating the vitality of today’s blues community.
Making A Scene (March 15, 2026)
Bob Corritore was born in Chicago in 1956 and became hooked on blues harmonica at the age of twelve. By the time he was twenty-five, Corritore had moved to Phoenix, where he would eventually become one of the central figures in that city’s blues scene. Ten years later he opened his own club, The Rhythm Room, a venue that quickly became a major destination for touring blues artists. With his house band, The Rhythm Room All-Stars, Corritore regularly backed visiting musicians and helped keep traditional blues alive in a live setting.
Since 2017, Corritore has earned thirteen Blues Music Awards nominations. He won his first Blues Music Award in 2011 for Historical Album of the Year and won again in 2025 for Traditional Blues Album for “Crawlin’ Kingsnake,” recorded with John Primer. He is also nominated for a 2026 Blues Music Award in the category of Best Instrumentalist–Harmonica. This new compilation serves as a brilliant survey of his work with many guest artists, with Corritore playing harmonica on all sixteen tracks.
Corritore opens with “How’d You Learn To Shake It Like That,” written by Snooky Pryor in 1985. The track features Tony Coleman on vocals and drums, Jimi ‘Primetime’ Smith on guitar, Bob Stroger on bass, and Anthony Geraci on piano, as Coleman sings, “I had a good woman, she was as good as gold, she used to let me play but she don’t no more, how’d you learn to shake it like that, you’re daddy was a preacher, your mama an alley cat”.
“Tell Me Darling,” written by Betty Everett and Lucious Porter Weaver in 1959, features Carla Denise on vocals alongside Smith, Stroger, Geraci, Wes Starr on drums, and Doug James on saxophone, as Denise chimes, “Please tell me, how can I go on without your love, you know I want ya, to be my turtle dove”.
“Big Fat Mama,” first released in 2013, features Pat Thomas on guitar and vocals, as she chants, “well everytime she makes a drink, well it’s white lightnin’, and the days are comin’…she got lovely kisses”.
“Blind Man,” written by Sugaray Rayford, includes Rayford on vocals with Smith and Johnny Rapp on guitars, Russ Harwood on organ, Yahni Riley on bass, and Brian Fahey on drums, as Rayford moans, “I been around the world seen many things, saw birds flying in the sky, fish swimming in the sea, but the saddest thing I’ve ever seen is a blind man cry”.
“Ernestine,” written and first recorded by Sam Cooke in 1963, features Smith and Bob Margolin on guitars, Stroger on bass, Geraci on piano, Starr on drums, Doug James on saxophone, and backing vocalists Eboni McDonald, Diamond Porter, and Yolanda Tharrington, with Tia Carroll vocalizing, “Ernestine, Ernestine I believe this is the beginning of the end for me…when your dancing with him, I can tell your mesmerized by his charms”.
“Trouble No More,” originally recorded by Muddy Waters in 1955, features Willie Buck on vocals with Smith and Margolin on guitars, joined by Stroger, Geraci, and Starr. Buck sings, “I don’t care how long your gone, I don’t care how long you stay, but this time baby, I’ll bring you home someday, but someday baby you won’t be trouble, for me, any more”.
“I Love The South,” written and recorded by Johnny Rawls, features Rawls on vocals and guitar, joined by Smith on guitar, Terry “D” Harris on organ, Yahni Riley on bass, and Brian Fahey on drums, with backing vocalists Eboni McDonald, Yolanda Tharrington, and Clarke Rigsby. Rawls sings, “I been up north too long…I need to get back down south, I need to get back home to where I come from…going back to Mississippi where I can smell the green grass after the rain”.
“Going Fishing,” written by Jimmy Reed, features Smith on vocals and guitar, Margolin on guitar, Stroger on bass, Geraci on piano, and Starr on drums, with the lyric, “I was fishin’ one day and it crossed my mind, I want to go fishin’ baby, and I want you to take the line”.
On “Troubles On Your Mind,” written by Henry Glover and Sonny Thompson in 1952, Carla Denise returns on vocals with pianist Ben Levin, as she wails, “you have so many troubles on your mind…now you heard my story everything, I saw is true, I’m gonna leave you behind, you got so many troubles on your mind”.
“Wild As You Can Be,” written by Ricky Harper, again features Carla Denise, with Smith and Margolin on guitars, Stroger on bass, Geraci on piano, Starr on drums, and Doug James on saxophone, as she howls, “you tell me that you love me, but I don’t believe a word you tell me…all you want to do is fight…I don’t believe a word you say, ’cause your lyin’ to me”.
“Pretty Girls Everywhere,” written by Eugene Church and Thomas Williams in 1958, once again features Smith and Margolin on guitars, Geraci on piano, and Starr on drums, while Stroger takes the vocal lead singing, “everywhere I go, there’s some pretty girls there, pretty girls, pretty girls everywhere, when I go to the show there’s a pretty girl there, pretty girls, pretty girls, every where”.
“Standing On The Bank,” written by William Crawford and later covered by Tab Benoit, features Willie Buck on vocals with Smith and Margolin on guitars, Stroger on bass, Geraci on piano, and Starr on drums, as Buck cries, “well I was standing on the bank, when I saw a pretty girl walk and sit down, I would do anything I could to get next to her…well I don’t care, I’m like a catfish, swimming in a deep blue sea”.
“Sorry I Had To Leave You Behind,” written by Albert Holder and Ferdinand Washington, features Charles Wilson on vocals with Kid Ramos and Johnny Main on guitars, Mike Turturro on bass, and Brian Fahey on drums, as Wilson sings, “sorry I had to leave you darlin’, sorry I had to leave you behind, when you broke my heart, I just can’t stay in this old house and listen to your big mouth, sorry I had to leave you behind”.
“She Might Need Me,” written by Joe Tex, features Oscar Wilson of The Cash Box Kings on vocals, with Nick Moss on guitar, Ross Harwood on organ, Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, and Pierce Downer on drums. Wilson sings, “so they say go on to Dallas and leave this old town behind, go see the six flags over Texas…so they say go on to Las Vegas, you’ll have so much fun in Vegas, but if I go to Vegas that’s where she might be, but she might need me and not know where I am”.
“Down in Mississippi,” another Jimmy Reed composition, again features Oscar Wilson with Smith and Margolin on guitars, Stroger on bass, Geraci on piano, and Starr on drums, as Wilson sings, “Down in Mississippi where cotton grows tall, oh yeah, boll weevil, overall”.
The closer, “Shoes,” written by Teeny Tucker and Robert Hughes, features Tia Carroll on vocals with Smith and Billy Flynn on guitars, Stroger on bass, Geraci on piano, and Starr on drums, as Carroll croons, “I got shoes in the closet, lined up across the wall, I got one’s that make me tall, a pair when I want to put a spell on you, I got shoes for every season, I got shoes, shoes, shoes, in every room”.
On this edition of Bob Corritore & Friends, Corritore’s musical adventures once again showcase stunning collaborations with many of today’s finest blues performers. These storytelling songs provide the perfect setting for his masterful harmonica. The performances move through straight traditional Chicago blues, early rhythm and blues, Mississippi country blues, and soul blues. Corritore captures the nuanced purity of each style, creating a guided tour through the many branches of blues tradition and its living extensions.
– Richard Ludmerer
Philly Cheeze’s Rock & Blues Reviews (March 28, 2026)
It’s a thrill for me whenever Bob Corritore releases a new blues collaboration album. His records always feature an amazing cast of guests and deliver a spectacular compilation of real-deal blues. Ernestine Blues, the latest release from Bob Corritore and Friends, is comprised of sixteen bodacious story-telling-centric blues tracks recorded between 2023 and 2025, and packaged once again with brilliant, eye-catching album-art from the fabulous Vince Ray. With Corritore on harmonica, Jimi “Primetime” Smith on guitar, Bob Stroger on bass, Anthony Geraci on piano, and Wes Starr on drums for the majority of the recordings, the list of friends this time around include Pat Thomas, Sugaray Rayford, Tia Carroll, Johnny Rawls, Oscar Wilson, Willie Buck,Carla Denise, Bob Margolin, Teeny Tucker, Kid Ramos, Johnny Main, Billy Flynn, Ben Levin, and Doug James.
Hearing the sound of Pat Thomas’ voice sing “Big Fat Mama” instantly brought back memories of my first excursion to the Sunflower Blues & Gospel Festival at Clarksdale, Mississippi in 2019. He was one of the first acts I saw for that event. He was quite memorable. Thomas sadly passed away last year at the age of 64, and was the son of bluesman James “Son” Thomas. One can honestly feel the blues linage with every note played and every word sung on this recording. I can’t help but break a smile when Eugene Church’s “Pretty Girls Everywhere” rolls in. Fronted by Stroger on lead vocals, this track features Stroger’s thumpin’ bassline and a cookin’ performance by Geraci on piano. Tia Carroll’s vocal delivery on title-track “Ernestine” is a timeless and classic one. Accompanied by Doug James on saxophones with backing vocals from Eboni McDonald, Diamond Porter, and Yolanda Tharrington, this lost gem was written by the legendary Sam Cooke and originally recorded by Patience Valentine as the B-side to her 1963 single “Unlucky Girl”. The deep cuts continue with a cover of Joe Tex’s lost-love ballad “She Might Need Me” from his 1970 album Joe Tex Sings with Strings &Things. Oscar Wilson (The Cash Box Kings) sings this with a suave soulfulness while Corritore masterfully injects a melancholy mood into the song in a way much akin to John Barry on the theme to Midnight Cowboy. I dig it when soul-blues heavy-hitter Johnny Rawls steps in for “I Love the South”. As the first single released for Ernestine Blues, this original track written by Rawls brings the listener along to a trip down to Mississippi where one can enjoy a tall cool glass of sweet tea and take time to smell the grass after a fresh rain. It makes me think of my own earlier years. Corritore’sharmonica is served piping hot with Willie Buck behind the mic on Muddy Waters’ classic “Trouble No More”. This is a surefire shindig. I love the Teeny Tucker song
“Shoes” too. It’s a fun and funky original, perfect for cutting loose on the dance floor.
I’m very much impressed with the musicianship and song selection which Corritore’s series brings to the table. He has definitely hit another out-of-the-ballpark homerun with Ernestine Blues.
– Phillip Smith
Paris Move (France) (April 8, 2026)
INDISPENSABLE! On the eve of his 70th birthday (this coming September), our favorite blues-session workhorse presents us with a fresh harvest—this time drawn from a dozen recording sessions spread between 2023 and 2025, and almost entirely captured at his regular haunt, Tempest Studios in Phoenix. We won’t insult your intelligence by introducing—yet again—the estimable Bob Corritore (already reviewed many times, nor most of the other players assembled here. Suffice it to say that the bass lines of the eminent Bob Stroger once again anchor two-thirds of the tracks, while the six-string work of Jimi “Primetime” Smith does the same on two others (with Wes Starr’s sticks providing the beat on one fewer), before we go on to list the rest of the guest lineup. A lineup that, more than ever, reads like a veritable directory of the contemporary North American blues scene. Judge for yourselves: alongside Sugaray Rayford, Tia Carroll, Johnny Rawls, Oscar Wilson, Tony Coleman, Charles Wilson, Willie Buck, Carla Denise, Bob Margolin, Teeny Tucker, Kid Ramos, Johnny Main, Billy Flynn, Anthony Geraci, Nick Moss, Johnny Rapp, Ben Levin, and Doug James, the roster also features one of the final performances by the Clarksdale bluesman Pat Thomas (who passed away last February). The cocktail Corritore has concocted for us this time consists of 60% sharp-edged Chicago Blues (shuffles like “How’d Ya Learn To Shake It Like That”; Jimmy Reed’s “Going Fishing” and “Down in Mississippi,” performed by Primetime Smith and Oscar Wilson; “Sorry I Had To Leave You Behind” by Charles Wilson—featuring the incendiary six-string work of Kid Ramos—as well as “Standing On The Bank” and Muddy Waters’ “Trouble No More,” performed by Willie Buck), and 35% vintage Southern Rhythm & Blues (“Tell Me Darling” by Betty Everett and “Wild As You Can Be” by Carla Denise—not forgetting the title track by Tia Carroll—all three benefiting from the driving sax work of Doug James and the piano stylings of Geraci; plus the sincere and touching “I Love The South” by Johnny Rawls; the playful twist number “Pretty Girls Everywhere” by veteran Stroger; the lively “Shoes,” written and performed by Teeny Tucker; the poignant “She Might Need Me” by Joe Tex, performed by Oscar Wilson—frontman of the Cash Box Kings; and the heartbreaking “Blind Man Cry” by Sugaray Rayford). The whole blend is enhanced by a welcome dash of low-down Mississippi Delta blues (“Big Fat Mama,” featuring Pat Thomas) and barrelhouse piano (“Troubles On Your Mind” by Henry Glover, performed by Carla Denise, with Ben Levin in commanding form channeling the song’s original composer). In short, the only names virtually missing from the roll call now are Lurrie Bell, Luther Tucker, Henry Gray, Louisiana Red, Barbara Lynn, Alabama Mike, Big Jon Atkinson, Diunna Greenleaf, Francine Reed, and John Primer—at which point we would finally have a definitive “Best Of” from this extensive series (originally subtitled “From The Vaults”). Across 55 minutes and sixteen tightly packed tracks, Bob Corritore—whose incandescent harmonica illuminates every single one—once again confirms his calling as a torchbearer for authentic, unadulterated, old-school blues and rhythm & blues. And, by extension, as a timeless benefactor to humanity: top-notch and generous!
– Patrick DALLONGEVILLE
Chicago Blues Guide (April 9, 2026)
As harp master and blues ambassador Bob Corritore approaches his milestone 70th birthday, he continues to go full steam ahead with his mission to bring memorable recordings to the masses. With a multitude of blues friends from every corner of the country coming to his Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Corritore can capitalize on these appearances and coordinate incredible recording sessions.
His latest endeavor, Ernestine Blues features a stellar cast of today’s finest musicians including Mississippi natives Johnny Rawls and the late Pat Thomas, Chicago blues stalwarts Oscar Wilson, Bob Stroger, Charles Wilson, Jimi “Primetime” Smith, Willie Buck and Billy Flynn as well as female vocalist favorites like Teeny Tucker, Tia Carroll and Carla Denise. These amazing artists were all recorded between 2023 and 2025.
With such a wide-ranging roster, it’s not surprising to find Corritore going beyond his traditional Chicago blues comfort zone and exploring the roots and extensions of the music he has devoted his life to. This thirteenth release under the moniker, “Bob Corritore and Friends,” Ernestine Blues delves into southern soul, R & B, down-home Delta blues and other genres. The result is sixteen masterful tracks that beg to be played on repeat.
During a recent phone interview, Corritore said “I feel like this is a very engaging album with each of these songs telling their own story, and each chapter in Ernestine Blues taking you to a completely different place.” Corritore also had high praise for all the talented musicians he worked with on Ernestine Blues and added, “I’m always attracted to great vocalists that can really deliver a song and make you feel it.”
The impassioned performances featured on Ernestine Blues run the gamut. There’s a sassy Teeny Tucker strutting her stuff on “Shoes” and B.B. King’s former drummer Tony Coleman laying down the groove with an upbeat “How’d You Learn to Shake it Like That,” on the album’s opening track. Then you’ve got Johnny Rawls serving the sweet tea about his love of easy-going Delta living on the self-penned “I Love the South” while Sugar Ray Rayford takes a heavy-hearted turn on “Blind Man Cry.” Corritore said that “Blind Man Cry” flowed in a very “happenstance” way with Rayford seizing on an arrangement that Jimi “Primetime” Smith came up with “and we just constructed it on the spot.” He added that, “Sugar Ray dug deep into his soul with a song that’s a metaphor for so many things in life.”
While the Texas-born Rayford called upon his gospel roots on “Blind Man Cry,” Corritore also saw to it that several Chicago-based artists received their due. Oscar Wilson of the Cash Box Kings showcases his range with a soulful and beautiful rendition of Joe Tex’s “She Might Need Me,” and then settles back into an unhurried Jimmy Reed vibe on “Down in Mississippi.”
Corritore’s former employer and longtime running partner, the 88-year-old Willie Buck is showcased doing Muddy Waters’ “Trouble No More,” where he is joined by Waters’ former bandmate, Bob Margolin on guitar. Corritore lauded Buck for his purity in preserving the real deal Chicago blues sound. Not to be outdone, 95-year-old Bob Stroger takes his turn with the show stopping “Pretty Girls Everywhere” which he “nailed” in one take.
Ernestine Blues also serves as an introduction of sorts for Carla Denise. After moving to Phoenix from Chicago, she contacted Corritore, and they immediately began collaborating. The former Mississippi Heat frontwoman’s vocal range is featured on three tracks including the toe-tapping “Wild as You Can Be” and her standout performance on “Troubles on Your Mind.”
Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Tia Carroll’s wonderful reimagining of the title track, written by the great Sam Cooke and first released in 1963 as a B-side to Patience Valentine’s “Unlucky Girl.” Corritore had the gut feeling that “this song is so fun and melodic, it was begging for a remake.” His instincts proved to be correct with gospel singers, Eboni McDonald, Diamond Porter and Yolanda Tharrington adding just the right dash of old-school vocal sass to “Ernestine Blues.” Corritore also singled out Doug James’s vintage sax magic and Anthony Geraci’s sweet piano work for adding some extra snap to this track.
With five decades of producing quality blues recordings under his belt, Corritore remains the ultimate team player who is well-aware of the collaborative nature of producing these albums. After giving props to longtime co-producer, Clarke Rigsby as well as his “right-hand man” Jimi “Primetime” Smith, Corritore gave a special shout-out to the legions of talented musicians (all included in the liner notes) who made Ernestine Blues possible.
As Corritore approaches 70, his harmonica work and production savvy on Ernestine Blues shows that he is at the top of his game. He said his formula is simple; remain true to the melody, serve the song and let his harp complement and adapt to each artists’ unique style. It’s this unselfish mentality that enables Corritore to hit a home run with every one of his much-anticipated record releases.
As one who is driven to preserve blues history and special “moments in time,” Corritore’s lineup of blues recordings, play a key role in keeping the music front-and-center for generations to come. And Ernestine Blues is yet another “keeper” from Bob Corritore’s long string of incredible collaborations.
– Robin Zimmerman
Keys And Chords (Belgium) (April 10, 2026)
Acclaimed harmonica master Bob Corritore returns with Ernestine Blues, a powerful new release featuring an all-star lineup of today’s leading blues artists, including Pat Thomas, Sugaray Rayford, Bob Stroger, Tia Carroll, Johnny Rawls, Oscar Wilson, Tony Coleman, Willie Buck, Bob Margolin, Teeny Tucker, Kid Ramos, Billy Flynn, Anthony Geraci, Ben Levin, and many more.
Marking a compelling new chapter in Corritore’s celebrated blues journey, Ernestine Blues is a showcase of extraordinary collaborations that highlight both the depth of the genre and the artistry of its finest contemporary voices. Anchored by Corritore’s signature harmonica work, the album pairs storytelling songs with exceptional vocal performances and world-class musicianship, creating a rich and dynamic listening experience.
Renowned for his ability to inspire and elevate his collaborators, Corritore draws out fresh, deeply expressive performances from each guest artist—often revealing previously unheard dimensions of their musical voices. The result is a collection that feels both timeless and immediate, rooted in tradition while alive with creative energy.
Spanning the spectrum of blues, Ernestine Blues moves seamlessly from Corritore’s foundation in classic Chicago blues to explorations of early R&B, Mississippi country blues, and soul-infused sounds. Each track captures the distinct character and authenticity of its style, offering listeners a guided journey through the genre’s enduring legacy and evolving spirit.
Bob Corritore - Official Website 