Bob Corritore Blues News

March 18, 2011

• Dave Riley / Bob Corritore / Juke Joint Blues Band Live Recording session this weekend! Tonight is Dave Riley's birthday party! The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band (Dave, Bob, Dave "Yahni" Riley, Jr., and Brian Fahey bring their down home blues romp to the Rhythm Room tonight and Saturday night. Both nights will be recorded by the award winning Clarke Rigsby of Tempest Recordingand a track or two will be included in the forthcoming Rhythm Room 20 year anniversary CD. Also tonight,Dave Riley will celebrate his 62nd birthday! Note that Dave and Bob are busy in the studio these days working on their third CD! The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85014.
• Blues at the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival on May 28 and 29!. Last year the long standing Simi Valley Cajun Festival became the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival with separate stages for each music style. Each year the festival happens on the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.Delta Groove label chief Randy Chortkoff is also the festival blues coordinator. He has just announced the festival's blues lineup for this year's. On Saturday May 28th acts will include The 44’s, Los Fabulocosfeaturing Kid Ramos, Mikey Jr & Stone Cold Blues, Arthur Adams, Ana Popovic, John Nemeth, and theMannish Boys Revue with Tracy Nelson, Rusty Zinn, Lynwood Slim, The King Brothers, Bob Corritore,Peter Dammann and more. On Sunday May 29th, 2011 the lineup is Cadillac Zack with Special Guests, Mitch Kashmar Band, Kirk Fletcher Band, Big Pete tribute to Lester Butler with special guest Al Blake, Shawn Pittman, Elvin Bishop's Hell Raisin Review, and  Maria Muldaur! For more information about this festival check out the fest website by clicking here. 
• New William Clarke Photo Page! William Clarke was the epitome of the post George "Harmonica" SmithWest Coast harmonica style. His huge harmonica tone and unapologetic intensity made him stand out among his peers. He passed away at the young age of 45 on Nov 2, 1996. He is considered legendary for his amazing performances and great recordings. Special thanks to his widow, Jeanette Clarke-Lodivici for sharing many of the photos included on this page which also appear on the "William Clarke Remembered" Facebook fan page. To see our photo tribute to William, click here.
• New Tail Dragger web site! We just got word form Kevin Johnson of Delmark Records about Tail Dragger's new website, designed by his friend Peter Struijk. To see this great site devoted to one of the most hard hitting Chicago bluesmen around, you can go to www.taildraggerbluesband.com.
• Big Bill Broonzy book forthcoming! After devoting 10 years of his life to research, author Bob Riesmanwill finally see his long awaited book I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy published by the University of Chicago Press on May 1. Bob Riesman also announces that the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago will present a "Tribute to Big Bill Broonzy" concert and book signing on Friday, June 17 at 8 pm. The lineup includes Billy Boy Arnold with the Sanctified Grumblers, Mark Dvorak, Joe Filisko, the Pickin' Bubs, and more. Billy Boy Arnold will be playing selections from Billy Boy Sings Big Bill, his upcoming CD on Electro-Fi, so it will be a rare chance to hear Big Bill Broonzy songs performed by someone who knew the man himself. For information about this book, click here, and for information on the concert/book signing click here.
• J.C. Davis Chess single features Big Walter Horton! Scott Dirks recently brought to our attentention the instrumental "Feznecky" by tenor sax player J.C. Davis with some standout harmonica work by Big Walter Horton. This 1960s recording was released as a single on Chess Records. To hear this great song, click here.
• Additions and corrections. The link that we sent out for the 2011 Moulin Ospel Blues Festival poster was broken, so to see the poster you can click here. Concerning the John Lee Hooker YouTube clip, UK photographer Brian Smith adds "The fabulous Hooker clip is from s BBC show called Beat Room in 1964, the band being John Lee's Groundhogs, with Tony ("T.S") McPhee on guitar". Susan Nichols commented on the Big Jack Johnson obituary, mentioning that Arthur Williams was also a Jelly Roll King. Indeed he was, and he contributed great harmonica work to the 1966 album Frank Frost / My Back Scratcher onJewel. Susan also mentioned that Arthur who has been dealing with health issues of his own, is distraught over the news of Big Jack's passing.
• Big Jack Johnson funeral information. Here is information about Big Jack Johnson's funeral for those able to make it to Clarksdale. Visitation will be held from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m., Friday, March 18 at Delta Burial Funeral Home in Clarksdale. The home going service will be held Saturday, March 19 at 11 a.m. at the Pinnacle at Coahoma Community College. For more information click here.
• Mance Lipscomb on YouTube! Please enjoy this great clip on Mance Lipscomb, the Texas songster, in concert performing "Take Me Back" and "Goin' Down Slow". Note the rich guitar sound and the wonderful vocals. Lance was a champion of country blues. Click here to see.