Bob Corritore All-Star Blues Sessions Liner Notes
A look at the illustrious lineup whose music separately and collectively graces this CD confirms quickly that “All-Star Blues” is no exaggeration. Great artists associated with classic blues from Chicago, Louisiana, Mississippi and other landmarks on the blues map are joined by talents who have settled in the Phoenix, Arizona area where all this music was recorded. That point of origin is because the common denominator is the harmonica playing and organizing of Bob Corritore, a Scottsdale, Arizona resident who’s earned his own All-Star status as a player/manager and utility man: musician, producer, former record label owner, host of the weekly radio show “Those Lowdown Blues” on KJZZ since 1983, talent coordinator bringing a steady stream of top notch blues acts to The Rhythm Room since 1991 and all-around blues evangelist and Man Who Makes Things Happen. Phoenix didn’t know what it was in for when Corritore moved there from the Chicago area in 1981, but Arizona and the blues are better for it, and so are we with this compilation by blues masters living and dead, familiar and obscure.
Born in Chicago in 1956, Corritore heard Muddy Waters’ music at age 12 and was hooked on the blues for life. At 18 he started going to the city’s blues clubs and sitting in. Knowledge and experience were eagerly gleaned from the veteran mainstays of the scene who recognized his sincerity and enthusiasm and offered mentoring and harp tutoring. He formed Blues Over Blues Records, recording gritty harmonica albums by Little Willie Anderson and Big Leon Brooks which were later reissued by Earwig. In 1981 he moved to Phoenix and found his livelihood as a harp player. Soon afterward he lured bluesman Louisiana Red to the vicinity and recorded an album by Red which was issued on Earwig some fifteen years later. Drummer and vocalist Chico Chism is another local presence who moved to Arizona at Corritore’s behest. In between a blur of steady live work, Corritore has contributed to releases by Texas Red, Lucius and Lamar Parr and some anthologies, and become “the area’s leading bluesicologist”. With all his varied endeavors on behalf of the blues, he still views himself as a harp player first and foremost.
In Arizona, Corritore has taken many of the local and national artists with whom he has been associated into the studio, and ALL-STAR BLUES SESSIONS presents highlights from 1986-98. Distinction, diversity and empathetic settings characterize every track. No crossover here; we’re talking about The Real Thing, skillfully and lovingly recorded and compiled. Corritore shows that his playing is accomplished and flexible enough to sound at home with all the ensembles he has gathered together to record, so that both he and the featured artists are well showcased. Clearly not all of that brightness in the southwest is the desert sun; some of it is the blues torch burning where Bob Corritore has carried it from Chicago along with his harmonicas. There’s a lot more in the vaults from where this set emerged, so maybe the release of future compilations can become a highly anticipated annual event like other All-Star galas. Meanwhile, one gathering of this magnitude is more than worth the price of admission!
— Dick Shurman
1) Hip Shakin’ (3:45)
(J.B. Hutto / Sue-Kay / Bug Music / BMI)
Lil’ Ed Williams – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Paul Thomas – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded March 6, 1997 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
2) Out On The Road (3:47)
(J.R. Laney / Arc Music Corp. / BMI)
Jimmy Rogers – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Buddy Reed – Guitar
S.E. Willis – Piano
Paul Thomas – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded October 13, 1992 at Vintage Recorders, Phoenix, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
3) Naptown Blues (3:19)
(W. Montgomery / Taggie Music / BMI)
Robert Jr. Lockwood – Guitar
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Eddie Hollis – Organ
Elmer Scott – Drums
Recorded April 28, 1986 at El Dorado Studio, Tempe, AZ
Kerry Jackson, Tom Connell – Engineers
4) Everybody’s Fishin’ (2:48)
(M. McCoy / P.D.)
Henry Gray – Piano, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Bob Margolin – Guitar
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
John “Pops” McFarlane – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded January 18, 1996 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
5) Hear That Rumblin’ (2:23)
(J.L. Williamson / P.D.)
Clarence Edwards – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Buddy Reed – Guitar
Scott Meyer – Bass
Greg Zark – Drums
Recorded October 30, 1990 at Vintage Recorders, Phoenix, AZ
Paula Wolak, Engineer
6) Five Long Years (4:07)
(E. Boyd / Fredrick Music / BMI)
Chico Chism – Drums, Vocals
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Pinetop Perkins – Piano
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Paul Thomas – Bass
Recorded April 22, 1997 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
7) How Many More Years (3:01)
(C. Burnett / Arc Music / BMI)
Henry Gray – Piano, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Paul Thomas – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded October 18, 1997 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
8) Goin’ Down South (2:28)
(R.L. Burnside / Tradition Music Co. / BMI)
R.L. Burnside – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Bruce Lopez – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded November 12, 1992 at Vintage Recorders, Phoenix, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
9) Cool Calm Collected (2:52)
(B. Jolivette / Excellorec / BMI)
King Karl – Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Johnny Rapp – Lead Guitar
Rusty Zinn – Guitar
Paul Thomas – Bass
Richard Innes – Drums
Recorded January 1, 1998 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
10) Coal Black Mare (3:50)
(R. Crudup / P.D.)
Clarence Edwards – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Buddy Reed – Guitar
Scott Meyer – Bass
Greg Zark – Drums
Recorded October 30, 1990 at Vintage Recorders, Phoenix, AZ
Paula Wolak, Engineer
11) Little Girl (3:45)
(E. McDaniel / Arc Music / BMI)
Bo Diddley – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Tom Mahon – Piano
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Paul Thomas – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded October 26, 1997 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
12) Tired Of Being Alone (1:51)
(J. Dotson / Kid Man Music / BMI)
Jimmy Dotson – Guitar, Vocals
Johnny Rapp – Lead Guitar
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Buddy Reed – Scratchin’ Guitar
Scott Meyer – Bass
Greg Zark – Drums
Recorded October 30, 1990 at Vintage Recorders, Phoenix, AZ
Paula Wolak, Engineer
13) Showers Of Rain (3:27)
(H. Gray / Excellorec / BMI)
Henry Gray – Piano, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Bob Margolin – Guitar
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
John “Pops” McFarlane – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded January 18, 1996 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
14) I Had My Fun (3:17)
(J. Oden / Arc MusicCorp. / BMI)
Chico Chism – Drums, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Paul “Texas Red” Halperin – Guitar
Bruce Lopez – Bass
Recorded November 25, 1992 at Apache Tracks, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
15) Jennie Bea (3:36)
(D. Spells / Kid Man Music / BMI)
Dino Spells – Guitar, Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Paul Thomas – Bass
Brian Fahey – Drums
Recorded November 28, 1987 at Pantheon Studios, Scottsdale, AZ
Jimmy Haus, Engineer
16) Nappy’s Driftin’ Blues (8:09)
(Adapted from Charles Brown’s Driftin’ Blues by
Brown, Moore & Williams / Aladdin Music / BMI,
new lyrics by N. Brown / Kid Man Music / BMI)
Nappy Brown – Vocals
Bob Corritore – Harmonica
Kid Ramos – Guitar
Johnny Rapp – Guitar
Paul Thomas – Bass
Chico Chism – Drums
Recorded March 27, 1998 at Tempest Recorders, Tempe, AZ
Clarke Rigsby, Engineer
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