Imagine everybody in a blues bar laughing so hard they can hardly contain themselves. That’s the case with Bob Corritore and Dave Riley’s new CD, Hush Your Fuss.

Internationally acclaimed blues musicians Corritore and Riley held CD release parties forFuss, their third album, this past weekend at Monterey Court Studio Galleries in Tucson and the Rhythm Room in Phoenix.

Corritore hails from Chicago and Riley comes from Mississippi, but they both reside in Phoenix area now.

The new CD, Hush Your Fuss, is a laugh. Literally–the “Laughing Blues” close the album, a song where Riley’s shrieking laugh rocks in key with the music. The Corritore-Riley band performed the song at both release parties, and it had the expected response: People were laughing so hard they could barely contain themselves.

“It’s a contagious, manic laugh,” Corritore says. “It’s a party on a platter.”

The other two members of the band are Dave Riley Jr. on bass and Bryan Fahey on drums.

The quartet decided to kickoff the party in Tucson because that area doesn’t get to see their music live often. The CD release party at the Monterey was held outside despite the rainy, cold weather, but patio cover kept everyone dry.

“I love the Monterey because it has good food and that Old Tucson feel to it,” Corritore said. “People were dancing and glued to everything we did.” Of course, Corritore also likes the Rhythm Room, where the Phoenix party was held, not least because he owns it. The Rhythm Room is the oldest blues venue remaining open in the Phoenix area.

“The Rhythm Room is also a great social scene,” Corritore says. “Tucson is more of a listening, dancing crowd. Phoenix also listens to the music, but there’s also a lot of talking going on.”

Corritore cannot say enough about longtime musical buddy Riley. “Dave gives you his heart. He’s a natural jokester. He’s always excited about the music, but I’ve never seen him as excited as he is about this CD.”

Corritore is a city boy playing the Chicago blues. Riley is a country boy playing Mississippi blues. The Chicago blues is a bit more electric guitar; they don’t always agree on the music and that is when one will say to the other–well, hush your fuss.

A lot of the Mississippi blues made its way up to Chicago, so the two sounds aren’t much different, but Corritore has played with so many blues musicians from both areas and many places in between that there are many southern sounds in his blues that help him meld with Riley.

“We like to meet in the middle,” he says. “If you took one part away you wouldn’t have the whole. The first time we played together we knew it fit like a glove. We had synergy. When we play together we don’t have to think about it. It’s just natural.”

Corritore performs internationally, with five trips overseas during the past year, and hosts a blues radio show on KJZZ. Corritore and Riley are working on putting a national tour together to promote Hush Your Fuss.

Corritore and Riley’s next project will be an instrumental CD coming out next year with guitar greats Jimmy Vaughn and Junior Watson with Fred Kaplan on piano, Richard Ennis on drums, and Doug James on sax, along with several other cool musicians.

Corritore will be joining country musicians Ray Herndon and Britten Tillinghast and several former NFL players including Nick Lowry and Ray Perkins at St. Vincent DePaul from 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

Anyone can volunteer. Just show up and they’ll give you a task.

– Stan Bindell