#604 : Bob Corritore & Friends - Women in Blues Showcase (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Vizztone

By Phillip Smith; April 6, 2023

Release Date : March. 31, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I’m always looking forward to the next Bob Corritore & Friends album.  His reach is quite long when it comes to his blues connections.  Featuring a dozen recordings with Bob playing harmonica with artists Francine Reed, Carol Fran, Shy Perry, Diunna Greanleaf, Aliya Primer, Barbara Lynn, Koko Taylor, and Valerie June, this Women in Blues Showcase is a huge delight. 

One of my favorite artists today is Valerie June, and I am filled with joy to hear a collaboration with her on the timeless classic “Crawdad Hole”.  Valerie’s angelic vocals paired with Corritore’s perfectly paired harmonica accompaniment is country-blues at its best.  With Bob Margolin on guitar, the growling vocals of the late great Koko Taylor ring loud and fearless on “What Kind of Man is This”.  It’s served on an unescapable groove.  Shy Perry and her father Bill “Howlin’ Madd” Perry pitch a juke-joint “Wang Dang Doodle” that lasts all night long.  I absolutely love this one. Another daughter-father duo Aliya Primer and John Primer busts out some funky blues with “Te Ni Nee Ni Nu”.  John doles out a smokin’ guitar performance and it sounds great.  I really enjoy listening to Diunna Greenleaf, and her horn-infused take on the Willie Dixon-penned “Don’t Mess with the Messer” is a fantastic production with Fred Kaplin on piano, and Jimi “Primetime” Smith on guitar.  The album closes out with Francine Reed soulfully singing the Staples’ hit “Why Am I Treated So Bad”.  Corritore adds a smokey aura to the song on harp while Kid Ramos and Johnny Main add more fuel to the fire on guitar.   

Bob Corritore & Friends Women in Blues Showcase is yet another highly-recommended album from the desk of Phillycheeze.  It hits all the necessary marks.                     

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TRACKLIST

 

1		“You're Gonna Be Sorry” feat. Barbara Lynn	2:46
2		“I Just Need A Friend” feat. Carol Fran	2:34
3		“Crawdad Hole” feat. Valerie June	2:45
4		“What Kind Of Man Is This” feat. Koko Taylor	4:15
5		“Wang Dang Doodle” feat. Shy Perry	3:14
6		“Be For Me” feat. Diunna Greenleaf	4:04
7		“Te Ni Nee Ni Nu” feat. Aliya Primer	3:58
8		“I Needs To Be Be'd With” feat. Carol Fran	3:13
9		“Don't Mess With The Messer” feat. Diunna Greenleaf	2:51
10		“You Don't Have To Go” feat. Barbara Lynn	3:00
11		“Walkin' Slippin' And Slidin'” feat. Carol Fran	3:09
12		“Why Am I Treated So Bad” feat. Francine Reed	5:20

 

 

For more information about Bob Corritore, visit his website at : https://bobcorritore.com

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Bob Corritore at : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=bob+corritore

 

 

 

#577 > John Primer - Hard Times (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2022 – Blues House Productions

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 24, 2022

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Hard Times, the very latest release from Chicago Blues great John Primer captures my ‘real-deal’ blues-loving heart with thirteen new originals.  With Steve Bell on harmonica, Lenny Media on drums, and David Forte on bass, this recording also features special guests Rick Kreher on 2^nd guitar, Johnny Iguana on piano and organ, and John’s seventeen-year-old daughter Aliya Primer on vocals.  Primer states: “The name of my new CD reflects the world we’re living in today.  I recorded this CD to help us get through these really hard times.”.

I’m drawn right in to Primer’s churning delta-blues riffs on title-track “Hard Times”.  The slide guitar is absolutely wonderful as it sits in front of the spectacular piano and harp accompaniment.  Immediately following is the intoxicating and soul-warming homage to the genre “Blues-Blues-Blues”.  It’s one of my favorites.  With daughter Aliya on lead vocals for her debut recording session, “Tough Times” is an endearing track about sticking together.  The chemistry John and Aliya share brings to mind the Mississippi Delta Blues father/daughter duo Bill ‘Howl-N-Madd’ Perry and Shy Perry.  Filled with attention-grabbing guitar runs, waves of organ sounds, and doses of searing harp, “Trying To Make You Mine” is a hands-down fabulous track which I immensely enjoy.  With his great talent of painting pictures with words, Primer piles healthy scoops of certifiable blues on “Hot Meal”.  It doesn’t get much better than this.

As usual, John Primer and his Real Deal Blues Band perform the blues as it should be heard.  Hard Times is as authentic as it gets.

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For more information about John Primer, visit this website : https://johnprimerblues.com

 

 

#442 : John Primer & Bob Corritore - The Gypsy Woman Told Me

2020 - Vizztone
By Phillip Smith; April 25, 2020

John Primer and Bob Corritore have teamed up once again to record yet another fabulously legitimate record of blues.  Primer instantly connects with his vocals, and enthralls me with his guitar phrasing.   He sounds so damn good as Corritore absolutely rips it up on harmonica.  Produced by Corritore, Clarke Rigsby and Kid Andersen, The Gypsy Woman Told Me also features Jimi “Primetime” Smith (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Bob Welsh (piano), Kid Andersen (organ), Ben Levin (piano), Kedar Roy (bass), Mike Hightower (bass), Troy Sandow (bass), June Core (drums), and Brian Fahley (drums).  This twelve-track album contains ten deep covers and a pair of splendid Primer originals. 

Muddy Water’s “The Gypsy Woman Told Me” makes for a captivating listen as the title track.  With Welsh on piano, Roy on bass, and Core on drums, this one is slowly steeped in old-fashioned Chicago blues.  Corritore wonderfully takes on the legendary Helena, Arkansas harp player Sonny Boy Williamson II with “My Imagination”.  Primer’s guitar sizzles and Welsh holds nothing back on the ivories.  Dripping with emotion, their cover of Jimmy Rogers’ “Left Me with a Broken Heart” is exquisite.  With the driving rhythm of a rolling freight train, “Little Bitty Woman”, is a smashing song.  This Primer original features spirited vocals, tremendous harp topped with Welsh’s attention-grabbing barrelhouse piano.  Flynn, Hightower, and Fahey provide the backing for the guys as they close with “Ain’t Gonna Be No Cuttin’ Loose”, a James Cotton song from 1984.  Primer plays this with precision against Corritore’s textured and nuanced performance.

The musical chemistry between Primer and Corritore is incomparable as they continue to produce some of the best blues being produced these days.  An absolute must for the blues fan, The Gypsy Woman Told Me is a sheer delight.     

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For more information about the artists, visit their websites : www.johnprimerblues.com ,  bobcorritore.com

#399 : Tony Holiday - Porch Sessions

2019 – Vizztone

By Phillip Smith; July 4, 2019

It’s the Fourth of July, and today I’ll be spinning Porch Sessions from Memphis blues-man Tony Holiday.  I love the concept for this record.  In the spirit of classic blues field recordings, Holiday visited and jammed with a ton of big names in the business, right on their front porch.  With Holiday on harmonica, he is joined by guitarist Landon Stone, and bassist Kid Anderson on all tracks.  Guests include Charlie Musselwhite, James Harman, John Nemeth, John Primer, Bob Corritore, Aki Kumar, Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, Kid Ramos, Mitch Kashmar, Jake Friel, Ronnie Shellist, and more.

The raw stand-out blues guitar of two-time Grammy nominated John Primer joined with both Holiday and Bob Corritore on harp, makes for an amazing listen on “They Call Me John Primer”.   It’s always a treat to hear Musselwhite.  He lets loose on “That’s Alright” as Kumar takes on the vocals to this six-and-a-half-minute blues jam.  And for an extra blast of cool, Burgin appears on guitar.  I dig the cover of Little Sonny’s “Woman Named Trouble” with Nemeth on harp and vocals, Matthew Wilson on guitar and Danny Banks on drums.  It has such a funky groove.  Harman and Ramos sound so great together as they break out a briefcase full of blues on “Goin’ to Court”.  “Hip To It” is a delightful harp blues instrumental.  It’s a rare treat to hear three harp players at once as Holiday, Shellist, and Kashmar interestingly play off each other’s performance.  

Hearing the musical collaborations recorded on this album, is like staring blues right in the eye.  With the Porch Sessions, Holiday reiterates exactly what the Blues is all about. 

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For more information about the artist, visit this website.. https://tonyholidaymusic.com/  

Shawn Holt and the Teardrops - Daddy Told Me

2003 - Blind Pig Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 26, 2013

Shawn Holt, son of Morris ‘Magic Slim’ Holt, who passed away earlier this year, is now taking over the reins as front man for the Teardrops.  His debut release, Daddy Told Me,  a mix of originals and covers and is an extraordinary tribute to his father.  This album is pure blues and in my opinion should be a contender for a coveted Handy Award.  The Teardrops (guitarist Levi William, bassist Chris Biedron, and drummer Brian ‘B.J.’ Jones), deliver the goods, which I like to think of in this case, as a briefcase full of blues. 

It was a pleasant surprise to find that Holt enlisted legendary bluesman John Primer (who played with his father for thirteen years) to handle lead vocals and guitar on a fantastic cover of Bo Diddley’s “Before You Accuse Me”.  Primer also sticks around to play guitar on the funky “Buddy Buddy Friend”, an original from Shawn about so-called friends who hang around when times are good and you’re sharing the wealth, but disappear once the bankroll dries up. I think we can all relate to that. 

The title track, “Daddy Told Me” is gritty and chalk-full of attitude.  I love the rapport between Holt and William, both on guitar, as it is a huge part of what makes this song sound so cool.  I really enjoyed the guitar on “Please Don’t Dog Me” also, as it accentuates the slow blues beat laying behind it.     

It was very surprising to me at how little time it took for this album to enthrall me. Every song is a winner, and the album itself, I highly recommend.  Magic Slim would have been very proud.

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