December 26, 2016 – Must-See Blues Concert In Houston This Friday!
The last major blues event of 2016 happens this Friday, December 30th at 7pm in the Houston area at The Humble Civic Center.
December 22, 2016 – Happy Holidays From The Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter!
Happy Holidays from the Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter!
Much appreciation to everyone for a fantastic 2016 filled with great music. May you have wonderful holiday season and a blessed 2017. A heartfelt thank you for your cherished friendship and support.
This wonderful portrait by Vern Edwards!
Warmest regards,
Bob Corritore
December 12, 2016 – Blues Harmonica Showcase & Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band This Week At Rhythm Room
December 6, 2016 – Blues In Belize This Week!
This week John Primer and Bob Corritore head to the tropical paradise of Belize for five days of concerts and workshops!
November 23, 2016 – Harmonica Band Showcase Night This Friday at The Rhythm Room
October 31, 2016 – The Bobs Of The Blues In France This Week!
This week The Bobs Of The Blues (Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore plus the wonderful French drummer Simon Boyer) play the following shows in France:
11/03/16 to 11/04/16: Paris, France – Jazz Club at Le Meridien Hotel
11/05/16: Grande Synthe, France – Bay-Car Blues Festival
11/06/16: Yvelines, France – Blues Sur Seine Festival
Some straight ahead Chicago blues will be in store for each of these performances!
October 25, 2016 – Dave Riley & Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band This Friday At The Rhythm Room
October 21, 2016 – John Primer & Bob Corritore Performing At Blues ’N Belize In December
October 17, 2016 – Hubby Jenkins (Of The Carolina Chocolate Drops) Tonight At The Rhythm Room
October 15, 2016 – The Fremonts CD Release Party Tonight At The Rhythm Room
October 4, 2016 – Goin’ Down South! King Biscuit Blues Fest and Pinetop Homecoming!
Bob Corritore will perform this week at the amazing King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas, and Sunday at the Pinetop Perkins Foundation event in Clarksdale:
Wednesday, Oct 5 – King Biscuit Blues Fest Main Stage with the Andy T Band at the Michael Burks Memorial Jam which starts at 3pm
Thursday, Oct 6 – King Biscuit Blues Fest Main Stage with Heavy Suga & The Sweet Tones 2:35pm set
Saturday, Oct 8 – King Biscuit Blues Fest Main Stage with Andy T Band featuring Alabama Mike 5:30pm set
Sunday, Oct 9 – Hopson Plantation, Clarksdale, Mississippi, Pinetop Perkins Homecoming with the Bobs Of The Blues (Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore) 3pm
Gonna be a blues throw-down!
October 1, 2016 – Night Two Of The Rhythm Room 25th Anniversary Celebration Tonight Feat. Billy Boy Arnold, Henry Gray, Alabama Mike & More
Tonight! A night of pure top shelf blues! Note an early set by Ronnie Baker Brooks around 6:15pm! A rare reunion of Chicago blues originators Billy Boy Arnold and Henry Gray! A celebration of the Rhythm Room’s 25 year anniversary!
September 28, 2016 – Rhythm Room 25th Anniversary Celebration This Friday & Saturday
The Rhythm Room celebrates 25 years of bringing top-shelf blues, roots, and concerts to Phoenix with two glorious nights of blues showcases. A second milestone will also be celebrated on the Friday night, Bob Corritore’s 60th birthday party! Limited addition 25 year T-shirts will be available with the design below featuring the beloved late blues ambassador, Chico Chism! Note the early start times each night. See you this weekend at the party!
Click here to read the New Times wonderful reflective article about the Rhythm Room by Benjamin Leatherman!September 21, 2016 – Shows at Blues Blast Music Awards Friday and Rosa’s Lounge on Saturday!
September 14, 2016 – Big Jon & Bob Appear Friday In Tucson!
September 6, 2016 – Big Blues Bender This Week
September 1, 2016 – Blues Blast Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients Announced!
Blues Blast Magazine Lifetime Achievement Awards
Blues Blast Magazine is proud to have the honor of recognizing Henry Gray, Barrelhouse Chuck and Bruce Iglauer with our Lifetime Achievement Award.
Our Lifetime Achievement Awards recognize an individual’s lifetime of contribution to blues music.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of these outstanding individuals.
The awards show will feature performances by
Too Slim & The Taildraggers,
Peter Karp,
Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames,
Bob Margolin,
Shaun Murphy,
Fiona Boyes,
Jonn Del Toro Richardson,
Shoji Naito,
Big Harp George,
Markey Blue,
Dave Muskett Acoustic Blues Band,
Danielle Nicole,
Andy T-Nick Nixon Band,
Anthony Geraci &
Monster Mike Welch,
Andy Poxon &
Little Ronnie,
Henry Gray,
Bob Corritore,
Guy King,
Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges,
Jon Spear Band and
the Corey Dennison Band.
Details of the event and tickets to the Awards Ceremonies are available at
TheBBMAs.com. Highlights of these distinguished recipient’s accomplishments follows below.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient – Henry Gray
Henry Gray is one of the last standing artists that link the rural blues of the deep south with the electric blues of the Windy City of Chicago. The 91-year-old Gray was born in the small town of Kenner, Louisiana in 1925, but it was in the big city of Chicago that he would leave an indelible mark on the modern blues. He started playing the piano at the age of eight and was already under the spell of blues music at that point.
As a teen, Gray played in the Baton Rouge area with several different combos, sharpening his skills with bigger and better things on his mind. He got his first taste of the bright lights of Chicago on a brief trip up north in 1939, but a permanent move there would have to wait. In 1943, with World War II in full rage, he was drafted to the South Pacific and served in the tropics until he was discharged in 1946.
Soon Gray gravitated back to Chicago, a town he would call home for the next two-plus decades. Guitarists Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red were a couple of Gray’s initial contacts in Chicago and it wasn’t long before he struck up a friendship with another legendary piano player – Sunnyland Slim.
Sunnyland introduced Gray to one of the most renowned pianist in Chicago in the late 1940s – Big Maceo Merriweather. After meeting Merriweather, Gray’s style changed considerably and his left-hand technique improved immensely as he dove head-first into the hardcore blues. Merriweather and Gray become inseparable friends and after Big Maceo was sidelined with a stroke, rendering his left hand useless, Gray didn’t hesitate to help out on the bandstand. He simply played the left side of the piano, while Merriweather played the right.
In the early 1950s, Gray backed up Jimmy Rogers at Chess Records, cutting “Out On The Road Again” and ‘”The Last Time.” He befriended harmonica ace Little Walter Jacobs (who like Gray, was born in Louisiana), and soon they could be found playing the blues together all around Chicagoland. Chess Records was he preeminent blues label in Chicago – if not the world – in the mid-50s. Gray was right in the middle of this explosion. He became Leonard Chess’ go-to piano player for the label’s impressive roster of blues artists. The Red Devil Trio (Little Hudson Showers – guitar; James Bannister – drums; Gray – piano) was Gray’s steady performing outfit at the time, but he found the time to work with Jimmy Rogers, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam and Howlin’ Wolf, as well.
It was Gray’s association with Wolf that turned out to be the longest tenured, with the two playing together on and off from 1956 until 1968. Gray was a key part of what many consider to be the Wolf’s penultimate group, along with guitarist Hubert Sumlin and drummer SP Leary. While he was still in the Wolf’s employ, Gray also managed to often work with other artists around Chicago slide guitar king Elmore James. In the late 1960s, tired of life on the road with Howlin’ Wolf, Gray headed back down south to the familiar confines of Baton Rouge.
Back home, Gray hooked up with Slim Harpo and played with him until his death in early 1970. In 1977, Gray recorded his very first solo album, They Call Me Little Henry in Germany on the Blue Beat label. In the late 1980s, Gray’s career as a bluesman began to pick up a second head of steam, when he cut Lucky Man – his first solo album released in the United States on Blind Pig Records.
In the early ’90s, Gray met harmonica player, producer and club owner Bob Corritore. The pair struck up a fast friendship and beautiful working relationship that remains strong to this day.
Corritore and Gray’s latest release – Blues Won’t Let Me Take My Rest – is nominated in the Historical or Vintage Recording category in the 2016 Blues Blast Awards. (Both Henry and Bob are performing at the awards this year!)
So, just how revered is Henry Gray and his piano playing? Well, in 1998 Gray was invited to fly over to Paris and play at Rolling Stones’ singer Mick Jagger’s birthday party. Gray played piano, while Jagger strapped on a guitar and blew the harp on a few choice songs.
Unfortunately, a lot of Gray’s peers and fellow piano players from the golden age of the Chicago blues – cats like Otis Spann, Pinetop Perkins, Sunnyland Slim and Big Maceo – are no longer with us. Henry is as vital a part of the blues scene today as he was back in 1956.
In recognition of his individual style and vibrant career spanning eight decades, Blues Blast Magazine is proud to present it’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Henry Gray.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient – Barrelhouse Chuck
Harvey Charles Goering – better known in the blues world as Barrelhouse Chuck – is being honored for his lifetime service to all things blues related for the past five decades. There are others that currently play – and have played – Chicago piano blues, but few have lived it, breathed it, tasted it, experienced it and just flat-out loved it like Chuck has. He rubbed elbows with Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Lafayette Leake, Willie Dixon, Big Walter Horton and Jay McShann, to name just a few. He’s shared the stage with luminaries and Rock-N-Roll Hall of Famers like Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Billy Gibbons, to name just a few. He also calls James Cotton, Kim Wilson, Little Joe Berson, Billy Flynn and Erwin Helfer friends. He regularly finds his name on the roll call of nominees for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award at the annual Blues Music Awards.
Chuck learned his craft first-hand by spending countless nights hanging out in the smallest of clubs in Chicago to watch and learn from his heroes up close and personal. Many of his contemporaries may have remained locked up in their basements or bedrooms in an attempt to play the blues on the 88s, but Chuck’s integration came from watching the hands and the fingers of the masters – cats like Pinetop, Detroit Junior, Sunnyland Slim and Little Brother Montgomery – up on the bandstand, stealing every little lick that he possibly could.
But one of the things that set Chuck apart from many of his peers – his incredibly-active left hand aside – was the way that he treated and interacted with the legends that he learned from. Big Moose, Blind John Davis, Detroit Junior and Little Brother were more than just mentors to Chuck; they became his close friends. So in close, in fact, that they morphed into devoted members of Chuck’s extended family. Neither age nor race mattered to Chuck. These men were important to him and he demonstrated just how much they meant to him by sharing bottles, food, clothing and even shelter with many of them.
They talked, laughed, swapped stories and reminisced, sometimes all night long, purely because they enjoyed each other’s company so much. His abilities to tickle the ivories with the best of them is just one small part of the reason that Chuck has been a vital and integral part of the Chicago blues scene since the 1970s. Almost as important to him as playing the blues is making sure that the forefathers of the genre are never forgotten. He brings this up at every opportunity that he’s afforded and as he told Blues Blast back in 2014:
“I’ve been a musician for about 50 years and have been playing blues piano for 40 and right from the get-go I’ve been trying to carry on the rich legacy of all these wonderful guys that I was fortunate enough to play with and to know . Every night on the bandstand I do “Call my Job” and say this is a Detroit Junior song and I talk about Leroy Carr and Sunnyland Slim and about all these people that were huge icons in my life. And my mission in my life has been to play the music of the people that I used to play with. So a lot of the songs that I play now, I used to play with the guys that wrote the songs and recorded them back in the day.”
In addition to being something akin to a walking Encyclopedia Britannica, with an amazing recall of dates, people and events all floating around his brain in a very impressive fashion, Chuck also has quite a physical collection of the history of the blues – a veritable blues museum full of exquisite memorabilia. He’s got the electric Wurlitzer that Sunnyland Slim played on Maxwell Street; he’s got the microphone that Big Walter Horton blew through on Maxwell Street; he’s got Little Brother Montgomery’s PA, along with autographs, pictures, posters, articles of clothing, 78s, 45s … well, you get the picture.
For his tireless work at helping to promote the Chicago blues and his lifetime of performing music, Blues Blast Magazine is proud to present it’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Barrelhouse Chuck.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient – Bruce Iglauer
As the CEO of Alligator Records for 45 years, Bruce Iglauer has expanded the definition of blues.
First bitten by the blues bug in 1966 after seeing Mississippi Fred McDowell live, Iglauer agreed to guarantee the costs of concerts by Luther Allison and Howlin’ Wolf at Lawrence College in exchange for complete control of their publicity. Both shows sold out.
He co-founded Living Blues Magazine in 1970 at a time when the only English language blues magazines were Blues World and Blues Unlimited published in England.
While still a shipping clerk at Delmark Records in 1971, Iglauer turned $2500 of inheritance money into his first Alligator Records release, Hound Dog Taylor and The Houserockers and personally delivered copies to college DJs around the country planting the seed for good rockin’ boogie to became color blind among rock hounds who figured out that blues didn’t start – or end – with the Rolling Stones doing “Little Red Rooster.”
Bruce heard blues as art and later signed many other legendary artists like Johnny Winter, James Cotton, Luther Allison and Otis Rush to the Alligator label.
In 1975 he’d signed “The Queen of The Blues” Koko Taylor and released her I Got What It Takes album. The former Chess Records artist would go on to record a total of nine Alligator records, eight of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. By the time of her death in 2009, she had won 25 W. C. Handy Awards, more than any other artist.
Alligator took home its first Grammy in 1982 for Clifton Chenier’s I’m Here and cracked Billboard’s Top 200 two years later with Johnny Winter’s Guitar Slinger, a return-to-the-roots album that became the label’s 14th Grammy nomination. Iglauer teamed Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland for Showdown, the 1985 Grammy winner for Best Blues Recording.
Alligator went on to become the world’s largest independent contemporary blues label. It was the first blues label to transfer from vinyl to CDs and was among the first labels to market its catalog over the internet. Today, the Alligator catalog includes almost 300 albums, 125 produced or co-produced by Iglauer.
A half a century into this game, Iglauer continues his uncanny ability of presenting vital new artists like Toronzo Cannon, Selwin Birchwood and Moreland & Arbuckle.
In recognition of an amazing career that has helped to elevate blues to its true place as a proud example of American culture, Blues Blast Magazine is proud to present it’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Bruce Iglauer.
August 29, 2016 – Benefit For The Dave Riley Family Tonight At The Rhythm Room
August 20, 2016 – MIM Music Theater Show Tonight – Tickets Still Available
Tonight The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band bring their down home blues to a state of the art performance center! The MIM Music Theater in Phoenix is a great sounding, beautiful room and every seat is a great one.
August 18, 2016 – Shows This Week At The Rhythm Room & Mim Music Theater
Click the flyers below for info and tickets!
August 17, 2016 – Help Blues Legend Henry Gray
91 year old legendary blues pianist Henry Gray has lost his home and all his possessions in the flooding that has ravaged Louisiana. He is safe and in good health but stated yesterday “I have lost everything.” Henry is one of the last remaining links to the formation of the postwar Chicago Blues of the late 40s and early 50s. He participated in many of the defining recordings of this genre in sessions with Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers and many others. Henry still is a vibrant performer, rocking festival stages around the globe and earning numerous recent awards and nominations. But at his core Henry is simply a musician who earnestly loves to wholeheartedly share his craft with audiences large and small. How daunting it must be for a 91 year old to have to restart his humble life. We have set up a GoFundMe account to help Henry Gray in his time of need. Any donations large or small will make a difference. Also if you can repost this notice it would be greatly appreciated.
August 11, 2016 – Bob Margolin & Bob Corritore Play The Donnacona Blues Festival in Quebec, Canada This Weekend!
Click schedule image to enlarge.
August 5, 2016 – Big Blues Bender Next Month In Las Vegas
July 27, 2016 -Dave Riley & Bob Corritore Performances In Tucson, Phoenix & Coolidge This Weekend & Monday
Click the posters below for info and tickets!
July 14, 2016 – Upcoming Bob Corritore Performances
07/15/16 to 07/17/16: Hondarribia Spain, Hondarribia Blues Festival, Bob performs with Henry Gray, Junior Watson, Fred Kaplan!
07/29/16: Tucson, AZ – Monterey Court with The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band
07/30/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room with The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band
08/01/16: Coolidge, AZ – Momma Juggs Bar, Dave Riley/Bob Corritore Duo appearing 7-10pm
08/12/16 to 08/13/16: Quebec, Canada – Donnacona Blues Festival appearing with Bob Margolin
08/19/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room, appearing with Tail Dragger and Friends
08/20/16: Phoenix, AZ – MIM Music Theatre with the Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band
09/02/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room, Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band
09/08/16 to 09/11/16: Las Vegas, NV – Big Blues Bender – click here for tickets
09/16/16: Tucson, AZ – Boondocks – Big Jon Atkinson / Bob Corritore Tucson CD Release Party!
09/22/16: Champaign, IL – Blues Blast Music Awards appearing with Henry Gray and Bob Margolin
09/24/16: Chicago, IL – Rosa’s – appearing with Henry Gray (also in the band that night are Dave Specter, Kenny Smith, Harlan Tersen)
09/30/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room, Day one of the Rhythm Room 25 Year anniversary features an all-star cast of Phoenix talent with 6 great bands, one per hour. Soul Power, Sugar Thieves, Rocket 88s, Mike Eldred Trio, Bad News Blues, and at Midnight The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band. Bob will also celebrate his 60th birthday that night. 6pm doors 7pm showtime.
10/01/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room, Day 2 of The Rhythm Room 25 Year Anniversary will feature some of the greatest traditional blues around with sets by (in order of appearance) The Rhythm Room All-Stars, Dave Riley Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band, Henry Gray, Alabama Mike, and Billy Boy Arnold! 6pm doors and 7pm showtime.
10/06/16 to 10/8/16: Helena, AR – King Biscuit Blues Festival appearing with Heather Crosse and others
10/09/16: Clarksdale, MS – Hopson Plantation Pinetop Homecoming appearing with the Bobs Of The Blues (Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore)
10/15/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room – Appearing as a guest with the Fremonts for their CD Release Party!
11/03/16 to 11/04/16: Paris, France – Le Meridien with Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore
11/05/16: Grande Synthe, France – Bay-Car Blues Festival with Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Bob Corritore
11/06/16: Yvelines, France – Blues Sur Seine Festival with Bobs Of The Blues (Margolin, Stroger, Corritore)
12/07/16 to 12/12/16: Belize – St. George’s Caye Resort, Blues In Belize; 5 days and nights of duo concerts and workshops with John Primer and Bob Corritore. Click here for tickets and cabana rates.
July 13, 2016 – Living Blues Awards Voting Closes Soon; Blues Blast Music Awards Voting Is Now Open
Both artists share a nomination together in the category for Best Blues Album of 2015 for their collaborative release,
Vol. 1: Blues Won’t Let Me Take My Rest, as well as individual nominations each for Most Outstanding Musician, including Bob (for harmonica) and Henry (for keyboard). Voting is currently underway and ballots must be received by
July 16, 2016. Best of luck to all the nominees! Voting is open to the general public.
Cast your vote now!Henry and Bob are also among the nominees for the 2016 Blues Blast Music Awards. This time their album together is nominated under the category of Historical Release. Voting is now open to the general public and will run until
August 15, 2016.
Cast your Blues Blast vote now!Thanks everyone for this wonderful recognition!
July 12, 2016 – Henry Gray, Bob Corritore, Junior Watson, Fred Kaplan To Appear At Hondarribia Blues Fest In Spain This Week!
This week the amazing Hondarribia Blues Festival in Hondarribia, Spain happens! Appearing at this wonderful event will be the Henry Gray, Bob Corritore and Junior Watson & Fred Kaplan’s West Coast All-Stars with Kedar Roy and Ronnie Smith! Henry will be featured on 2 sets backed by this great band and additionally the band will have separate set featuring songs from Bob Corritore’s
Taboo record, and features of Junior Watson and Fred Kaplan. This is one Europe’s greatest festivals and it is an honor to be included. To read more about the Hondarribia Blues Festival,
click here.
July 10, 2016 – Jerome Teasley Memorial Tribute Tonight at The Rhythm Room
Tonight we honor the late Jerome Teasley at the Rhythm Room with and all-star cast of Phoenix players plus a reunion of alumni of Janiva Magness & the Mojomatics which Jerome was a part of. Janiva will fly in to be a part of this because it is that important to her. Jerome was beloved and was one of the best R&B drummers the world has ever known. He worked with Jr. Walker & The All-Stars, Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett.
Tonight Rhythm Room, doors at 6pm.Appearing : Janiva Magness & The Mojomatics Reunion (Janiva, Bob Corritore, Matt Roe, Johnny Rapp. Scott Meyers, and Brian Fahey in Jerome’s place), Andy Gonzales, Rick & Anita Benavidez, Stan Devereaux, Phil Hendricks, Perry Senn, Chris Gough, Donnie Dean, Steve Larson, Walt Richardson, Dave Riley, Hoodoo Casters, Gypsy/Wild at Harp, Chuck E. Baby, Nina Curri & Dan Rutland, Soul Shakers, JC & The Juke Rockers, Dr. Fish, Doug Shultze & Mike Sickle, James Robertson, Michael Reed and more!
June 29, 2016 – The Rhythm Room All-Stars This Saturday at The Rhythm Room
June 22, 2016 – Mississippi Blues Revue This Friday at The Rhythm Room
June 16, 2016 – Dave Riley & Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band This Saturday at The Rhythm Room
June 8, 2016 – Henry Gray & Bob Corritore Nominated For Living Blues Awards!
Both artists share a nomination together in the category for Best Blues Album of 2015 for their collaborative release, Vol. 1: Blues Won’t Let Me Take My Rest, as well as individual nominations each for Most Outstanding Musician, including Bob (for harmonica) and Henry (for keyboard).
We’d also like to offer a special congrats to Bob Corritore’s close associates:
John Primer for his nomination for Male Blues Artist of the Year,
Diunna Greenleaf for both Female Blues Artist Of The Year and Most Outstanding Blues Singer, and to
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials for Best Live Performer.
Voting is currently underway and ballots must be received by July 16, 2016.
Best of luck to all the nominees!
June 7, 2016 – Bob Corritore Chicago Performances This Week
06/09/16: Chicago, IL – Buddy Guy’s Legends – doing a guest set with Eddie Taylor, Jr. at Noon to 2pm
06/10/16: Chicago, IL – Smoke Daddy – guest set with the amazing Billy Flynn
06/11/16: Chicago, IL – Chicago Blues Festival – 1 hour set at 1pm at Windy City Stage with Tail Dragger, Rockin’ Johnny, Illinois Slim, Bob Stroger, Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
06/12/16: Chicago, IL – Buddy Guy’s Legends – Bob will make a guest appearance for part of John Primer’s show
Photo by Nanny Kajuiter
May 20, 2016 – Big Jon & Bob’s CD Released Today On Delta Groove!
Today marks the international release of
Big Jon Atkinson &
Bob Corritore /
House Party At Big Jon’s on the
Delta Groove label! This album is a joyous celebration of the blues tradition by a multi generational musical cast. Recorded on all vintage equipment at Jon’s Bigtone Studio, these recordings capture the essence of those great old records that we all love.
Read more here. To see the numerous rave reviews received so far,
click here. To see the complete album art design by Tony Amato,
click here. Album cover photos by Marjani Viola Hawkins /
MVH Photo.
“This peach of an album has not left the player since arrival. A truly stunning masterpiece and a real throwback to the old school roots of yester-year blues.” –
Shaun Luke / World Of Harmonica“This CD receives my highest recommendation and is an early contender for BLUES JUNCTION Productions’ Album of the Year” –
David Mac / Blues Junction“Funky, gritty and raucous, this duo tears it up with all the rough edges in tact and the soul dripping off the sides like grease.” –
Midwest Record
Left to right: Brian Fahey, Danny Michel, Big Jon Atkinson, Bob Corritore, Troy Sandow (photo
Marilyn Stringer)
May 18, 2016 – Eddy Clearwater & Chico Chism Memorial Birthday Celebration This Weekend at The Rhythm Room
May 17, 2016 – John Primer & Bob Corritore performing at Blues ’N Belize in December
May 10, 2016 – Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore CD Release Party This Friday at The Rhythm Room
May 4, 2016 – 37th Blues Music Awards This Weekend in Memphis
These are two albums that Bob Corritore plays on that are up for 2016 Blues Music Awards:
April 25, 2016 – Buddy Reed Homecoming & Adrianna Marie And Her Groovecutters Shows This Weekend at The Rhythm Room
April 13, 2016 – Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Shows This Week! Candye Kane Benefit On Saturday Afternoon!
Click each flyer below for information!
April 4, 2016 – North Mountain Brewing Blues Brews & Arts Festival Sunday, April 10th
March 31, 2016 – Harp With Heart Night This Saturday at The Rhythm Room
March 30, 2016 – 4th Annual Pinetop Boogie And Crawfish Boil On May 7th
March 21, 2016 – Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore Forthcoming Collaboration CD on Delta Groove Announced!
Delta Groove Music has announced a May 20th release date for Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore / House Party at Big Jon’s.
2015 was a great year of collaboration for youthful blues master Big Jon Atkinson and seasoned harmonica ace Bob Corritore. In that year many powerful sessions took place at Big Jon’s home based Big Tone Studios, which is from where this bountiful collection was culled. Recorded with some of the world’s greatest traditionalists on all vintage equipment and with plenty of attitude, these sides explore the nuanced beauty of the vibrant, ongoing tradition of blues. You may be surprised to realize the generational span of the players – from late teens (Malachi Johnson) to mid eighties (Tomcat Courtney) and with every generation between represented! Big Jon, just 26 at the time of these sessions, plays guitar and sings with the authority of someone three times his age. Bob’s passionate harmonica is Jon’s perfect foil, adding power, subtlety, counterpoint and musical chemistry to the proceedings. In addition to Jon’s powerful vocals on 8 of the 16 songs, guest appearances by Willie Buck, Alabama Mike, Dave Riley, and Tomcat Courtney round out the playlist. Also making valuable contributions to the sessions are Danny Michel, Troy Sandow, Brian Fahey, Malachi Johnson and Marty Dodson.. Please enjoy this joyous celebration of timeless blues played masterfully with urgency and conviction. House party at Big Jon’s!
Here is a look at the cover with photos by Marjani Viola Hawkins /
MVHPhoto.com and graphic design by Tony Amato!
March 16, 2016 – Dave Riley’s Birthday Bash This Saturday at The Rhythm Room
March 3, 2016 – Southwest Tour With Bob Margolin
Bob Margolin & Bob Corritore Southwest tour begins this weekend! The dynamic blues combustion of Bob Margolin & Bob Corritore will be hitting the road for a Southwest tour. Both firmly rooted in a foundation of Chicago blues, Margolin and Corritore take that language and have their own unique conversation. Bob Margolin will be playing selections from his highly praised new CD My Road. Look for some wonderful performances by these two!
03/05/16: Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room backed by Rocket 88s, Blues Blast Festival Afterparty with many special guests including Dave RIley!
03/06/16: Tucson Arizona – Boondocks,
6pm show with Brian Fahey on drums!
03/09/16: San Francisco, CA – Biscuits & Blues with D’Mar on drums and guest appearance by Bob’s sister Sherry Margolin on piano!
03/11/16: Arcadia, CA – Arcadia Blues Club with Marty Dotson on drums! Bobby Bluehouse will also perform that night–
click here for tickets
03/12/16: Santa Barbara, CA – Appearing for a Santa Barbara Blues Society event! Marty Dodson on drums!! Alastair Greene will do an opening set. – Recreation Center, 100 E. Carillo St.
March 2, 2016 – Blues Blast 16 This Weekend!
BLUES BLAST 2016 IS UPON US!
Click any flyer below to get more information and tickets!
February 9, 2016 – Amazing Valentine’s Day Blues Celebration This Saturday At The Rhythm Room
February 4, 2016 – Walter Horton Tribute Album Out In March
February 2, 2016 – Henry Gray & Bob Corritore CD Is #8 On Living Blues “Top 50 Albums of 2015” List!
Henry Gray & Bob Corritore / Blues Won’t Let Me Take My Rest is #8 on Living Blues “Top 50 Albums of 2015” list! After a great run of magazine feature articles, prominent reviews (
click here for a list of prominent international reviews of the album), radio and podcast airplay, a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Historical Album, and successful festival and concert dates, the Henry Gray / Bob Corritore collaboration is still in the news! We are so proud that
Blues Won’t Let Me Take My Rest appears #8 in Living Blues Top 50 Albums Of 2015! Congratulations to all the important releases on this powerful list of albums. Thank you
Delta Groove Music,
BratGirlmedia,
Tempest Recording, and for all our wonderful fans who believe in the power of this sacred blues tradition. Thanks also to Blues Magazine out the UK for featuring this album among their Best Of 2015 listing! (
Click here to see)
Living Blues Radio Chart Top 50 Albums of 2015
1. Buddy Guy, Born To Play Guitar, RCA/Silvertone
2. Shemekia Copeland, Outskirts Of Love, Alligator
3. James Harman, Bonetime, Electro-Fi
4. Cash Box Kings, Holding Court, Blind Pig
5. Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, Fat Man’s Shine Parlor, Blind Pig
6. Igor Prado & The Delta Groove All Stars, Way Down South, Delta Groove
7. Muddy Waters 100, Muddy Waters 100, Raisin’ Music
8. Henry Gray & Bob Corritore, Sessions Vol.1: Blues Won’t Let Me Take My Rest, Delta Groove
9. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, Father’s Day, Stony Plain
10. Tinsley Ellis, Tough Love, Heartfixer Music
11. Slam Allen, Feel These Blues, American Showplace
12. Kentucky Headhunters w/Johnnny Johnson, Meet Me In Bluesland, Alligator
13. Bey Paule Band, Not Goin’ Away, Blue Dot
14. Doug MacLeod, Exactly Like This, Reference
15. Omar Coleman, Born & Raised, Delmark
16. Harrison Kennedy, This Is From Here, Electro-Fi
17. Brandon Santini, Live & Extended, Vizztone
18. Jackie Payne, I Saw The Blues, Blue Dot
19. Debbie Davies, Love Spin, Vizztone
20. Victor Wainwright & The Wildroots, Boom Town, Blind Pig
21. Charlie Musselwhite, I Ain’t Lyin’, Henrietta
22. Junior Wells, Southside Blues Jam, Delmark
23. Tommy Castro & The Pain Killers, Method To My Madness, Alligator
24. Sonny Landreth, Bound By The Blues, Provogue
25. Tad Robinson, Day Into Night, Severn
26. Sugaray Rayford, Southside, NimoySue
27. Mike Henderson, If You Think It’s Hot Here…, EllerSoul
28. Andy T. & Nick Nixon, Numbers Man, Blind Pig
29. Texas Horns, Blues Gotta Holda Me, Vizztone
30. Toots Lorraine, Make It Easy, Greaseland
31. Mr. Sipp, Mississippi Blues Child, Malaco
32. Billy Price & Otis Clay, This Time For Real, Bonedog/Vizztone
33. Albert Cummings, Someone Like You, Blind Pig
34. Steve Earle & The Dukes, Terraplane, New West
35. John Mayall, Find A Way To Care, Forty Below
36. Fiona Boyes, Box & Dice, Reference Recordings
37. Jimmy Burns, It Ain’t Right, Delmark
38. Joe Bonamassa, Muddy Wolf At Red Rocks, J&R Adventures
39. Robben Ford, Into The Sun, Provogue
40. Tas Cru, You Keep The Money, Crustee Tees
41. J.J. Grey & Mofro, Ol’ Glory, Provogue
42. Chris James & Patrick Rynn, Trouble Don’t Last, Vizztone
43. D.A. Foster, The Real Thing, Shaboo/Vizztone
44. J.B. Hutto & His Hawks, Hawk Squat, Delmark
45. Duke Robillard, The Acoustic Blues & Roots Of Duke Robilard, Stony Plain
46. Zora Young & Little Mike & The Tornadoes, Friday Night, Elrob
47. Anthony Geraci & The Boston Blues All-Stars, Fifty Shades Of Blue, Delta Groove
48. Greg Nagy, Stranded, Big O
49. Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges, Hold On A Little Bit Longer, Armadillo
50. Robert Cray, 4 Nights Of 40 Years Live, Provogue
January 28, 2016 – Dave Riley & Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band This Saturday at The Rhythm Room
January 21, 2016 – Las Vegas Big Blues Bender This September
January 19, 2016 – Henry Gray Celebrates 91st Birthday!
HAPPY 91ST BIRTHDAY HENRY GRAY!!!
Blues piano legend Henry Gray was born in Kenner, Louisiana on January 19th, 1925. Today he celebrates his 91st birthday! Henry’s legendary work began in Chicago during the 1950s where he made spectacular recordings both as a leader and as a backing artist with Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Billy Boy Arnold, Jimmy Reed, G.L. Crockett, Morris Pejoe and many others! He has remained active and at 91 he still is putting on amazing concerts and festival appearances! Last year he was the highlight of the Monsteras Blues Festival in Sweden and the Edmonton Blues Festival in Canada! His latest release
Blues Won’t let Me Take My Rest is a collaboration with Bob Corritore featuring material that the two have recorded together over a 19 year span. This album is nominated for a Blues Music award in the Historical Album category! To see the great worldwide reviews for this CD,
click here. He is also featured on the current cover of ABS Magazine! Henry says he is having a great day and sends his regards to everyone! Happy birthday Henry Gray!
January 13, 2016 – Taboo Album Reunion Show This Friday At The Rhythm Room
This Friday the amazing players of Bob Corritore’s
Taboo album will reunite for one night only, this
Friday, January 15 at the Rhythm Room. The personnel will be guitar virtuoso
Junior Watson, piano master
Fred Kaplan, bassist supreme
Kedar Roy, the fantastic drumming of
Rena Beavers, and harmonica ace
Bob Corritore! Doors open at
8pm, with a
9pm show. Advance tickets available by
clicking here. To read the many rave reviews of the
Taboo album,
click here. A night not to be missed!
Bob Corritore - Official Website 