Bob Corritorie Blues News

From Bob Corritore

Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter - Off to Memphis for the IBCs, Sonny Boy and Lockwood 40s film, Diunna Greenleaf, Lazy Lester, Chicago Blues Festival, RIP Don Cornelius, and more.

• Off to Memphis for the IBCs! The International Blues Challenge (AKA IBCs) is a time when the blues community comes together to greet the up-and-coming artists that will be part of the future of this music. During the IBCs, many bands from all over the world will compete for a chance at great recognition in the blues community. In addition to this event, there are many side attractions such as the Keeping The Blues Alive awards presentations, various showcases, a now famous jam after hours at the Rum Boogie hosted by Bob Margolin, and much networking. Blues societies, booking agents, labels, festivals, publications, photographers, and every possible blues industry type is in attendance, as well a multitude of fans who come to take part in this blues spectacle! For more information on this event click here. To see the flier for Bob Margolin's after hours jam, please click here.
• Those Lowdown Blues on KJZZ turns 28 this Sunday! Bob Corritore's radio show, Those Lowdown Blues celebrates 28 years on Sunday! Bob has earned a strong radio listenership with the show's timeless historic presentation of the genre and with Bob's extensive personal library of blues music. The show has been celebrated locally with numerous New Times "Best Of Phoenix" awards and other press and recognition, received the Blues Foundation's "Keeping The Blues Alive Award" in 2007, and won an "Honorary Membership" from Collectif Des Radios Blues presented to Bob in France at the 2008 Cognac Blues Festival! You can tune into Those Lowdown Blues each Sunday from 6pm to 11pm Arizona time, or hear it online at www.kjzz.org. Thanks to KJZZ for their commitment to blues music!
• John Primer to headline Chciago Blues weekend at the the Rhythm Room! On February 10 and 11 the Rhythm Room will present two nights of glorious Chicago blues with John Primer backed by the Rhythm Room All-Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey) plus very special guest Barrelhouse Chuck on piano. John has an exceptional resume: He worked in the house band at Theresa's Lounge along side of Sammy Lawnhorn, where he regularly backed Junior Wells and James Cotton. He was in the last lineup of the Muddy Waters Blues Band, he worked with Magic Slim & The Teardrops for years. He played on the Grammy winning CD, Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith / Joined At The Hip. He is currently a featured artist in the highly aclaimed Chicago Blues: A Living History package. We look forward to a weekend of pure Chicago Blues. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014. To see the flyer for this event click here.
• Diunna Greenleaf continues to garner critical acclaim! Congratulations to Houston based blues queen Diunna Greenleaf as her new album, Trying To Hold On, continues to be met with critical acclaim. The most recent Blues Revue Magazine with Robert Cray on the cover features a rave review of the record by Kay Cordtz. And in that same issue, her CD was in the Bravo listing of most listened to CDs in the Blues Revue offices! Blues Revue is also preparing a future Diunna Greenleaf feature article written by Tim Parsons. She was recently featured in Deitra Farr's Artist To Artist column in Living Blues Magazine. She is the feature of Honey Sepeda's blog Honey Bee's Blues. Diunna is up for a Blues Music Award in the "Koko Taylor Traditional Female Blues Artist" category and Trying To Hold On is up for "Traditional Blues CD"! 
•  Amazing 1940's Footage of Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Jr. Lockwood! Please enjoy these silent movies of Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Jr. Lockwood performing in promotion of King Biscuit Flour. It is as if you have been transported in a time machine! We became aware of this footage from Facebook's Real Blues Forum. The YouTube copy states the following; "Max Moore, owner of Interstate Grocery in Helena, Arkansas, was the sponsor for radio station KFFA's "King Biscuit Time" program. We believe he shot this home movie circa 1942. In it, renowned blues musicians Robert 'Junior' Lockwood and Sonny Boy Williamson perform on the front porch of a small-town Arkansas grocery store. This is likely the earliest footage of these musicians performing together. The second portion of the clip is a 1952 tour featuring Williamson and his band. This film was preserved with a grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation. Max Moore Home Movie Collection". To see, click here!
• Chicago Sun-Times previews upcoming Chicago Blues Festival! The Chicago Blues Festival happens this year on June 8, 9 and 10 in beautiful Grant Park. Though the full music schedule does not yet appear on the fest website (http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/special_events/mose/chicago_blues_festival.html), The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper has the inside track and speaks of many of the acts performing. To read the article click here.
• Lazy Lester /  You Better Listen Liner Notes. In 2011 Lazy Lester released You Better Listen on the Bluestown label out of Norway. This CD is nominated for a Blues Music Award in the category of "Traditional Blues Album." Lazy Lester is also up for BMAs in "Instrumentalist-Harmonica" and "Traditional Blues Male Artist". Co-producer Jostein Forsburg asked Bob Corritore to write the liner notes for this release, which are posted on the label website. You can see them by clicking here.
• Magic Slim and Grana Louise to star in a movie! Though still in the fundraising stage, here is a teaser revealing the basic idea of a forthcoming movie called We Be Kings that will star Magic Slim and Grana Louise as main characters. In this movie two down and out teen rockers save an elderly bluesman's life and are guided by the ghost of his wife to achieve the fame he never had. To see the clip and find out more about the movie, click here.
• 1968 B.B. King on YouTube! Here is a clip of a youthful B.B. King from 1968 singing "I've Got A Mind To Give Up Living." Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC8NACR28J4&feature=related.