Bob Corritore Blues News

Thursday June 2, 2011

• Louisiana Red This Weekend at The Rhythm Room! The legendary Louisiana Red will have a rare US appearance this weekend, performing in Phoenix at the Rhythm Room on Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4, 2011. Red, now 79 years old, has been making blues records since the early 1950s, and he brings with him the experience of learning to play at the feet of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, and many others. Red can call upon all of these classic styles and more, while simultaneously keeping his blues a highly personal and uniquely signature statement. Red's blues is among the strongest and deepest being played in today's blues world, and he is considered to be one of the greatest living slide guitarists, with over 50 albums to his credit, Louisiana Red has been living in Germany since 1983 and most of his shows are in Europe, so a US appearance is always a cause for celebration. Red performs this weekend with The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey), Louisiana Red  and Bob have been the closest of friends for over 30 years, and so this will be a reunion of sorts. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014. Doors open at 8pm, cover charge is $12. To see photo pages devoted to Louisiana Red, click here and here. We would also like to mention that Louisiana Red will be a special guest on Bob Corritore's radio show on Sunday, June 5th. Bob's show, Those Lowdown Blues, is broadcast each Sunday from 6pm to 11pm (MST) and can be heard in Phoenix at KJZZ 91.5FM and online at www.kjzz.org. Red will provide stories and live performances for those radio listeners able to tune in.
• New Diunna Greenleaf CD coming soon! Diunna Greenleaf is well known in blues circles for her powerful emotion driven vocals and her electrifying stage show. She will soon release Trying to Hold On, on her own Blue Mercy label. This CD features guest appearances by Bob Margolin, Anson Funderburgh, Smokin' Joe Kubek, Billy Branch, Bob Corritore, Rich DelGrosso, Mookie Brill, Chris James and Patrick Rynn, and of course her great band Blue Mercy. To see a sneak peak of the cover click here. We look forward to this highly anticipated release which Diunna assures us will be out shortly.
• Delta Groove to release album by youthful Dutch harmonica player Big Pete! Not to be confused with veteran blues shouter Big Pete Pearson, this Big Pete stands 6' 2", has reddish-blond hair and rosy cheeks and is in his early 30s (Big Pete's last name is actually Van der Pluijm). His dynamic performances last weeked at the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival showed the harmonica influences of William Clarke, Al Blake, and Lester Butler, and a sweet, full-toned natural voice. Delta Groove chief Randy Chortkoff reports: "I'm now in the middle of this massive Big Pete recording. We have a huge list of special guests on it. Jimi Bott and Willie J. Campbell, Alex Schultz, Kirk Fletcher, Kid Ramos, Shawn Pittman, Kim Wilson, Johnny Dyer, Rob Rio, Al Blake, Paul Oscher, Rusty Zinn, Mojo Mark, etc., etc... I must be totally CRAZY. An album on Big Pete who nobody knows and is from another country!  But Pete is sOOOOOO good and I can't help myself!" We look forward to the resulting album.  
• Correction and insights about the Robert Nighthawk Maxwell Street video! Last week's newsletter featured a great clip of Robert Nighthawk performing on Maxwell Street with a down-home band that included John Lee Granderson on second guitar and a drummer that was credited by some  sources as Robert Whitehead. After stating this in the newsletter, we received a correction from Charlie Musselwhite, who was living in Chicago during that time. Charlie states: "That's not Robert Whitehead on drums. His name was Jimmy. Not sure of the rest of his name but his whole name might've been Jimmy Lee or Jimmy Lee Collins. The last time I saw Nighthawk, he had Jimmy with him and it was after a gig in Chicago and they were leaving right then to drive to Florida and Robert asked me to go play with them. That's the only video I know of John Lee Granderson. We did a lot of gigs together. This video is from the Maxwell St. Market area - the corner of 14th and Newberry to be exact. Of course, that corner no longer exists. Man! Those were the days!!!" This prompted a phone call to Dick Shurman who verified that the name of the drummer is Jimmy Collins per the notes on a P-Vine CD issue of ths material. Thanks to Charlie and Dick for this insight. To see this video, click here
• Louisina Red 1983 Performance on You Tube! Here is a classic performance by Louisiana Red performing the "Future Blues" in Europe with an all-star band that includes Jimmy Rogers, Carey Bell, Lovie Lee, Queen Sylvia Embry and Charles Otis. This concert was part of the American Folk Blues Festival '83. Click here to see.