Bob Corritore Blues News

March 31, 2009

• Big Pete Pearson New CD to be Released as Part of the VizzTone Label Group: This exciting news just in: Big Pete Pearson's new CD called Finger In Your Eye will be released as part of the VizzTone Label Group! On this new CD, Big Pete's spectacular vocals are showcased on 10 original songs with top notch accompaniment by The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, Brian Fahey), plus special guests Pinetop Perkins, Duke Robillard, Henry Gray, Billy Flynn, Eddie Taylor, Jr., Doug James, and more! This CD is produced by Bob Corritore, and engineered and mixed by Clarke Rigsby. You can look for this exciting new CD to be released this summer, with a CD release party a little ahead of that on May 29 and 30, 2009 at the Rhythm Room. The VizzTone Label Group is run by some exceptional people in the blues: Chip Eagle (Blues Revue Magazine, BluesWax), Richard Rosenblatt (a fine harp player and former chief of Tone-Cool Records), Bob Margolin (legendary guitarist from the Muddy Waters band), and Gerald Hurst. Also on the VizzTone Label Group are Pinetop Perkins, Big Bill Morganfield (new release coming soon!), Son Seals, Gaye Adegbalola, Gina Sicilia, David Gross, Boyes, Brill, and DelGrosso (Fiona Boyes, Mookie Brill, and Rich DelGrosso), Super Chikan, Monster Mike Welch, Bruce Katz, Terry Hanck, Bob Margolin, and others. Thank you, VizzTone, for inviting Big Pete Pearson to your wonderful roster.
• Rhythm Room All-Stars Appear Friday and Saturday at their Home Base: Come see The Rhythm Room All-Stars this weekend at the Rhythm Room! The Rhythm Room All-Stars' lineup consists of Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey. They appear this Friday and Saturday, April 3-4, 2009 at their home base of the Rhythm Room. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd. in Phoenix. Doors open at 8pm, cover charge is $7. These nights will be patio smoking only events; no indoor smoking will be permitted. Rack Shack Barbeque will be available at these events.
• Chris James & Patrick Rynn to Appear at Blues Music Awards! Partial list of BMA Performers Announced! This year, the Blues Music Awards takes place on May 7, 2009 at the Cook Convention Center, and the BMAs celebrate their 30th anniversary. We have just received word that Chris James and Patrick Rynn will be included in the awards lineup with a set scheduled for the lobby pre-party. Chris and Patrick's CD Stop And Think About It on the Earwig Music label is nominated for a BMA in the category of Best Debut Artist. The band lineup performing at the BMAs will include Chris James, guitar and vocals, Patrick Rynn on bass, David Maxwell on piano, Bob Corritore on harmonica, and Eddie Kobek on drums. Other acts appearing at this great event include Bettye LaVette, Taj Mahal, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Otis Taylor, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Lurrie Bell, Bob Stroger, Janiva Magness, The Mannish Boys, Gaye Adegbalola, Maria Muldaur, Kenny Neal, Rory Block, Albert Castiglia, and Eden Brent. additional performers will announced soon. The great B.B. King will be on hand to present the B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year award. The BMA celebration is simply the best blues party of the year. To read more about this event, click here. A tradition for the night after the BMAs is amazing Delta Groove All-Star Blues Revue. This year the event happens May 8, 2009 at the New Daisy Theatre. To read more about this year's Delta Groove Showcase and its spectacular lineup, click here. To see photos of last year's BMAs and the Delta Groove Showcase, click here.
• Bob Corritore Included in List of "Best Blues Harpists" on Blues Forum! The Blues Forum website has started a list and a poll of "Best Blues Harmonica Players". Among the harpists listed are Little Walter, Big Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Sonny Boy Williamson II, William Clarke, Kim Wilson, Carey Bell, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, Paul Butterfield, Sonny Terry, Jerry Portnoy, Papa Lightfoot, Howlin' Wolf, John Popper, Rick Estrin, Sugar Blue, Alan Wilson, Gary Primich, Lester Butler, Lee Oskar, James Harman, Mojo Buford, Annie Raines, Jason Ricci, Norton Buffalo, DeFord Bailey, Guy Forsyth, and others. Bob Corritore was honored to be listed among these harmonica greats! To see the list of over 40 blues harmonica players, click here. Thank you very much, Blues Forum, for this recognition!

• Charlie Musselwhite to Appear at the Glendale Jazz & Blues Festival on Sunday: Speaking of Charlie Musselwhite, he will headline Sunday's blues stage at the Glendale Jazz and Blues Festival. Charlie has that beautiful Southern seasoned approach to blues, and is known around the world as a harmonica master. This 2-day event happens Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona, and features a great lineup of jazz and blues performers. To read more about this event and the entire lineup, click here.
• Rave Review of Broadcasting The Blues CD on Docteur Blues Site: Special thanks to Jocelyn Richez for his recent rave review of Broadcasting The Blues, a CD that commemorates the 25th anniversary of Bob Corritore's radio show, Those Lowdown Blues on KJZZ. The disc contains live, on-air performances and moments with artists who have guested on Bob's show over its 25 years. Artists include Lowell Fulson (from 1984 performing a solo version of "Sinner's Prayer"), Billy Boy Arnold, Louisiana Red, Dave Riley, Otis Clay and Johnny Rawls (together singing a spiritual), Willie Dixon (giving a spoken plug for the show), Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, Lazy Lester, Tomcat Courtney, Jerry Lawson (of The Persuasions), CeDell Davis, Chris James (who beautifully backed many of these artists on guitar), Margo Reed, Johnny Dyer, Henry Gray, Billy Flynn (doing a great harmonica instrumental), and more. To read this review in French, click here; or for English translation, click here. To order this CD, click here.