Bob Corritore Blues News

UPDATE

September 30th, 2010

• Lineup Correction for Amanda's Roller Coaster - Please forgive us for accidentally omitting harmonica ace RJ Mischo,  from the Friday lineup of Amanda's Roller Coaster at the Rhythm Room. RJ is just back from his extensive tour of Europe and is excited about participating in this harmonica event. To see the Amanda's Roller Coaster website with complete information on this event, click here.
• Thanks Bisbee Blues Festival and Jonathan Holden! I have to take a moment to express the joy of performing at last week's Bisbee Blues Festival. Special thanks to Paul Orlando and everyone involved in this wonderful Arizona festival and especially the warm, blues loving attendees that made this such a special event. It was great to bring the Rhythm Room All-Stars back for our third year in a row and to introduce Dave Riley to this year's lineup. Dave won many new fans with his great and personal performance as did Chris James for his spectacular part of the show. I also saw great showings by Tab Benoit, Shemekia Copeland, and Bisbee's home-grown blues aces, Train Wreck. Thanks to the Bad News Blues for a great after-party jam. I must also mention how great it was to play in Tucson the night before as part of Jonathan Holden's Rhythm & Roots series.

-Bob Corritore

• Louis Myers on YouTube! Though a rough recording please enjoy this rowdy guitar instrumental filmed in 1989 in a small club from guitar champion Louis Myers. I believe the band includes Little Mack Simmons, Dave Myers, and Big Moose Walker. Click here to see.

---

September 28th, 2010

• Amanda's Roller Coaster - The greatest harmonica event ever! After months of planning, Amanda's Roller Coaster is finally here. Amanda Taylor (the wife of Kim Wilson) has masterminded this amazing blues harmonica happening that features many of the top traditional blues harmonica players around. In addition to the featured players many of the great harp-men that are not on the bill we be in attendance at the event. It is a gathering of like-minded people who love, celebrate, and uphold the value of those cherished blues harmonica sounds. Even the title, named after Little Walter's brilliant instrumental "Roller Coaster", is the kind of thing that those not in the know would not get. In addition to being a great showcase for harmonica performances it will be an amazing opportunity for all of these great players to have a family reunion of sorts. Where can you see three of Muddy Waters' ex-harmonica players hanging out together (James Cotton, Paul Oscher, and Jerry Portnoy). Where else can you see Bharath Rajakumar (the young Canadian Little Walter stylist) playing harmonica behind Johnny Dyer's vocals? Where can you see harmonica master Kim Wilson in many varieties of musical settings? How often does the great Dave Waldman from Chicago do a high profile out of town gig so that the world can see his understated grace on harmonica? Where else can you see Lazy Lester performing "Sugar Coated Love" with the Fabulous Thunderbirds backing him? Where can you see James Cotton playing with Kim Wilson singing? All of this and much more is in store this week at Amanda's Roller Coaster, which will pre-party on Thursday, September 30, and the formal event happening Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 1, 2, and 3 at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona.

Here is the nightly lineup:Thursday, September 30th - Pre-party with a set by the Nighthawks followed by a harp jam/showcase with Bill Tarsha, Martin Lange, Ronnie Shellist, Randy Chortkoff, Thomas Fiacco, Little Barry G, Dennis Gruenling, Jerry Swartz, Mark Heffington, Ed Marnien, Mr. & Mrs. Alaimo, Ken Johnson, Greg Johnson, Harmonica Mike, Kim Field, Ray DeSylvester, and many others. Doors open at 7pm with an 8pm showtime.

Friday, October 1st: The first "official" day of the event with Kim Wilson, Billy Boy Arnold, Paul Oscher, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, Lynwood Slim,and Vincent Bury. Doors open at 6pm with a 7pm show.

Saturday, October 2nd - The Fabulous Thunderbirds with James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin, James Harman, Johnny Dyer, Bharath Rajakumar & Junior Watson, Chef Denis Depoitre,  Dave Riley & Bob Corritore. Doors open at 5pm with Dave and Bob starting the show at 6pm.

Sunday, October 3rd - The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Lazy Lester, Jerry Portnoy, Steve Marriner, Dave Waldman with Johnny Dyer, Al Blake, Joe Filisko, Scott Dirks, and Troy Gonyea.

This event will be recorded by Clarke Rigsby of Tempest Recording for a future CD on MC Records, and will be filmed for a DVD documentary of the event. We do need to mention that the spectacular "house" band for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday consists of Billy Flynn, Larry Taylor, Barrelhouse Chuck, and Richard Innes. Charlie Lange of Bluebeat Music will have a CD stand and will be selling some classic harmonica recordings. Special thanks to Amanda for putting together a once in a lifetime show celebrating the glory of the blues harmonica tradition. To see the Amanda's Roller Coaster website with complete information on this event, click here.

• Bob Corritore / Harmonica Blues #5 on Living Blues Radio Charts! The August Living Blues Radio Charts finds Bob Corritore / Harmonica Blues on the Delta Groove label in the #5 position. Label mates Elvin Bishop and Mitch Kashmar & The Pontiax / 100 Miles To Go share the spotlight with Elvin at #1 and Mitch at #6. Fellow Rhythm Room All-Stars band members Chris James & Patrick Rynn / Gonna Boogie Anyway occupy the #4 slot (Bob plays on 2 tracks of this CD!). Two harmonica releases occupy #2 and #3 with Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith / Joined At The Hip, followed by Charlie Musselwhite / The Well. Much appreciation to Jim McGrath, who is the person behind collecting and processing the information needed to make these charts. A very special thanks to all the DJs who are playing these records, and supporting the blues! Click here to see the full August Chart.
• Vintage Barbara Lynn on YouTube! Please enjoy this charming classic 1960s clip of Barbara Lynn singing her big hit "You'll Lose A Good Thing" from an episode of The Beat TV show. Click here to see.