Bob Corritore
Bob Corritore | |
---|---|
Born | Chicago, Illinois, United States | September 27, 1956
Genres | Electric blues[1] |
Occupation(s) | Harmonicist, songwriter and record producer |
Instrument | Harmonica |
Years active | Late 1970s–present |
Labels | HighTone, Delta Groove, various |
Website | Official website |
Bob Corritore (born September 27, 1956) is an American electric blues harmonicist, songwriter, and record producer.[1][2] He received a Blues Music Award in 2011 for his collaborative album, Harmonica Blues, and has been involved in a number of recordings in the last three decades, both as a solo performer and with other musicians.
Biography
Corritore was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States.[1] At the age of 12, he was first inspired after hearing the radio playing a Muddy Waters track.[2] Self-taught on the harmonica, Corritore collected blues albums and later attended performances in blues clubs. He garnered playing tips and support from a number of those he saw perform, including Louis Myers, Little Mack Simmons, Carey Bell, Big Walter Horton, Big John Wrencher and Junior Wells.[2] Gaining experience in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Corritore worked in local clubs alongside Willie Buck, Dave Myers, Tail Dragger Jones, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, and Eddie Taylor. This led to Corritore doing record production work for Big Leon Brooks and Little Willie Anderson.[2]
In 1981, Corritore relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where he teamed up with Louisiana Red for twelve months before the latter moved on to Germany to live and work.[2] Years later they worked together again when Corritore produced Louisiana Red's Sittin' Here Wonderin' (1995) (Earwig Music).[1] Throughout the 1980s, Corritore continued to work in and around Phoenix and played in one of Janiva Magness' early backing bands. Since 1984 he has worked at KJZZ (FM), hosting the ongoing Sunday evening five hour program called "Those Lowdown Blues".[2][3] In the early 1990s, Corritore expanded his musical outlook by opening his own concert club in Phoenix, named the Rhythm Room. With his own house band, the Rhythm Room All-Stars, he backed a number of high-profile blues musicians, both in the club and at recording sessions. The long list of those he played alongside at that time included Bo Diddley, Pinetop Perkins, Ike Turner, Nappy Brown and Eddy Clearwater.[1][2] In 1997, Corritore was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame.[4]
Corritore's first recorded work was released in 1999 on the HighTone label. All-Star Blues Sessions featured an array of well known and more obscure blues musicians, with Corritore supplying his harmonica work on all sixteen tracks.[5] Kim Wilson's Smokin' Joint (2001) was co-produced by Corritore,[6] and European tours and festival appearances followed.[2] The Mayor of Phoenix proclaimed September 29, 2007 as “Bob Corritore Day”, and Corritore received the 'Keeping The Blues Alive Award' from the Blues Foundation, whilst in the same year his joint album with Dave Riley, entitled Travelin' The Dirt Road, was nominated for a Blues Music Award.[2]
Corritore's next release in 2010, Harmonica Blues, was a compilation album, made from 15 tracks he had recorded with a variety of blues musicians between 1989 and 2009.[7] In 2011, it was granted a Blues Music Award in the Historical Album of the Year category.[8] In 2012, Corritore was awarded a Living Blues award for Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica).[9] In 2013, Corritore issued two collaborative albums with John Primer and Dave Riley respectively.[10][11] Corritore's Taboo : Blues Harmonica Instrumentals was released in 2014 by Delta Groove. An all instrumental affair, it was a rare solo album for Corritore, although it featured guest artists such as Jimmie Vaughan and Junior Watson.[2][12] Charlie Musselwhite commented that "Not many people can do an all instrumental harp CD and keep it interesting all the way through. You’ve got a dandy CD here. A real treat."[10] In 2014, Corritore was also awarded a Blues411 Jimi Award for Best Harpist.[13] In 2015, Delta Groove released Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest Vol 1, a collection of songs recorded over the last 19 years with Corritore and frequent collaborator Henry Gray. This CD earned a BMA nomination in the Historical Album category.[14] In 2016, Corritore collaborated with the young Big Jon Atkinson for the CD House Party At Big Jon's on Delta Groove which gained attention for both performance and for recording on all vintage equipment.
He is the editor and main writer of the Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter, and an official endorser of Hohner harmonicas.[2]
Discography
Albums
Album title | Record label | Accreditation | Year of release |
---|---|---|---|
All-Star Blues Sessions | HMG/HighTone Records | Bob Corritore | 1999 |
Travelin' the Dirt Road | Blue Witch Records | Dave Riley and Bob Corritore | 2007 |
Lucky to Be Living | Blue Witch Records | Dave Riley and Bob Corritore | 2009 |
Harmonica Blues | Delta Groove | Bob Corritore and Friends | 2010 |
Phoenix Blues Sessions | SWMAF Records | Kid Ramos and Bob Corritore | 2012 |
Longtime Friends in the Blues | Delta Groove | Tail Dragger and Bob Corritore | 2012 |
Knockin' Around These Blues | Delta Groove | John Primer and Bob Corritore | 2013 |
Hush Your Fuss! | SWMAF Records | Dave Riley and Bob Corritore | 2013 |
Taboo: Blues Harmonica Instrumentals | Delta Groove | Bob Corritore | 2014 |
Vol. 1: Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest | Delta Groove | Henry Gray and Bob Corritore | 2015 |
House Party At Big Jon's | Delta Groove | Big Jon Atkinson and Bob Corritore | 2016 |
Ain't Nothing You Can Do! | Delta Groove | John Primer and Bob Corritore | 2017 |
Don't Let The Devil Ride! | SWMAF Records | Bob Corritore & Friends | 2018 |
Do The Hip-Shake Baby! | SWMAF Records | Bob Corritore & Friends | 2019 |
Guest
Album title | Record label | Accreditation | Year of release |
---|---|---|---|
For Our Children | Radioactive | Various Artists | 1978 |
Ominous Clouds | Last Flash | Various Artists | 1982 |
Blue Saguaro | Fervor | Various Artists | 1993 |
Raw As Hell | Cher-Kee | Chico Chism | 1995 |
Yoakum Texas Blues | PAU | Lucius Parr | 1996 |
Desert Blues Volume 1’ | CDGB | Various Artists | 1996 |
Vietnam Blues | Tempest | Sarge Lintecum | 1997 |
What Kind of Woman Is That! | Blue Loon | Texas Red | 1997 |
Gimme Some a Yo' Sugar! | Owl's Nest | Lisa Otey | 1999 |
We Got a Problem | PAU | Lucius Parr | 1999 |
Plays Chicago Blues | HighTone | Henry Gray | 2001 |
One More Drink | Blue Witch | Big Pete Pearson | 2001 |
Rhythm Room Blues | HighTone | Various Artists | 2001 |
Blues Vredenburg Utrect Estafette | Sampson | Various Artists | 2001 |
Blues Greats | The Blues Foundation | Various Artists | 2002 |
American Blues | Putumayo | Various Artists | 2003 |
No Monkeys on This Train | HighTone | R. L. Burnside | 2003 |
Snakes Crawls at Night | Random Chance | Chief Schabuttie Gilliame | 2004 |
No Turn on Red | HighTone | Louisiana Red | 2005 |
Born in the Honey: The Pinetop Perkins Story | Sagebrush Productions | Various Artists | 2006 |
Way Back | HighTone | Willie "Big Eyes" Smith | 2006 |
The HighTone Records Story | HighTone | Various Artists | 2006 |
On the 88s: Live in Chicago | Kingston | Pinetop Perkins | 2007 |
I'm Here Baby | Blue Witch | Big Pete Pearson with The Rhythm Room All Stars | 2007 |
House Rockin' and Blues Shoutin'! Celebrating 15 Years of The Rhythm Room | Blue Witch | Various Artists | 2007 |
Lucerne Blues Festival 2007 | LBF | Various Artists | 2007 |
Long Time Coming | Blind Pig | Nappy Brown | 2007 |
Stop and Think About It | Earwig Music | Chris James and Patrick Rynn | 2008 |
Downsville Blues | Blue Witch | Tomcat Courtney | 2008 |
Back to the Black Bayou | Bluestone | Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint | 2008 |
2008 Blues Music Awards | Blues Music Awards | Various Artists | 2009 |
Live in Lahnstein 2008 | Collectors Only | Big Pete Pearson and The Rhythm Room All Stars | 2009 |
Feelin' Good | Blind Pig | Jimmy Rogers | 2009 |
Finger in Your Eye | VizzTone | Big Pete Pearson | 2009 |
Best of 'The Legendary' Sam Lay | SL Records | Sam Lay | 2010 |
30th Blues Music Awards | Blues Music Awards | Various Artists | 2010 |
Gonna Boogie Anyway | Earwig Music | Chris James and Patrick Rynn | 2010 |
Blues for the Gulf.org | VizzTone | Various Artists | 2010 |
2010 Blues Music Awards | Blues Music Awards | Various Artists | 2011 |
Boogie All Night | El Torro | Little Victor | 2011 |
Memphis Mojo | Ruf | Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint | 2011 |
Trying to Hold On | Blue Mercy | Diunna Greenleaf | 2011 |
Lucerne Blues Festival 2011 | Lucerne Blues Festiva | Various Artists | 2011 |
Gotta Go | PAU | Lucius Parr | 2012 |
Montauk Rocks | Oscail Films | Various Artists | 2012 |
Son of the Seventh Son | Severn | Mud Morganfield | 2012 |
Blues for Children 2012 | Hondarribia Blues Society | Various Artists | 2012 |
Close to the Bone | Delta Groove | Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King | 2012 |
Double Dynamite | Delta Groove | The Mannish Boys | 2012 |
The Walter Davis Project | Electro-Fi | Various Artists | 2013 |
With Friends Vol. 1 | Bluebeat Music | Trickbag | 2013 |
Rooster | Indys Records | Clay Swafford | 2013 |
Sittin' Right Down and Moan | Harsh Records | Harsh Guitar Mark | 2013 |
34th Blues Music Awards | Blues Music Awards | Various Artists | 2014 |
Future's Past | Something-Music | Dave Mason | 2014 |
Message in Blue | Delmark | Dave Specter | 2014 |
Wrapped Up and Ready | Delta Groove | The Mannish Boys | 2014 |
Soul Bag - La Sélection Blues & Soul | Soul Bag Magazine | Various Artists | 2014 |
Lucerne Blues Festival 2014 | Lucerne Blues Festival | Various Artists | 2014 |
Blues Magazine - The Best of 2014 | The Blues Magazine | Various Artists | 2014 |
Southside | Nimoy Sue Records | Sugaray Rayford | 2015 |
Back Down South | Bluebeat Music | Big Jon Atkinson | 2015 |
The Power of My Shoes | Eureka Live | Kathy Boye | 2015 |
Blues For Big Walter | Eller Soul Records | Various Artists | 2016 |
Hondarribia Blues Festival 2016 | Hondarribia Blues Society | Various Artists | 2016 |
Alligator | Truax Records | The Fremonts | 2016 |
36th Blues Music Awards | The Blues Foundation | Various Artists | 2016 |
Grit Grease & Tears | Bejeb Music | Deb Ryder | 2016 |
Soul Bag - La Sélection Blues & Soul | Soul Bag Magazine | Various Artists | 2016 |
Kingdom Of Swing | VizzTone | Adrianna Marie | 2017 |
The Tolono Tapes | Run It Back | Kilborn Alley Blues Band | 2017 |
37th Blues Music Awards | The Blues Foundation | Various Artists | 2017 |
Producer
Album title | Record label | Accreditation | Year of release |
---|---|---|---|
Swinging The Blues | Earwig Music | Little Willie Anderson | 1979 |
Let's Go To Town | Earwig Music | Big Leon Brooks | 1982 |
Low Blows - The Anthology of Chicago Harmonica Blues | Rooster Blues | Various Artists | 1994 |
Earwig Music Company 16th Anniversary Sampler | Earwig Music | Various Artists | 1995 |
Sittin Here Wonderin' | Earwig Music | Louisiana Red | 1995 |
Essential Harmonica Blues | River North Records | Various Artists | 1997 |
Not The Same Old Blues Crap | Fat Possum | Various Artists | 1997 |
Come On In | Fat Possum | R.L. Burnside | 1998 |
Earwig Music Company 20th Anniversary Collection | Earwig Music | Various Artists | 1999 |
Champagne & Reefer | HighNote Records | Mojo Buford | 1999 |
Smokin' Joint | M.C. Records | Kim Wilson | 2001 |
Not The Same Old Blues Crap Vol II | Fat Possum | Various Artists | 2001 |
Blues On My Radio | Southwest Musical Arts Foundation | Various Artists | 2004 |
The Legend Live | M.C. Records | Robert Lockwood Jr. | 2004 |
Blood Harmony: A Cappella | Southwest Musical Arts Foundation | The Reed Family Album | 2005 |
Chico Chism's West Side Chicago Blues Party | Southwest Musical Arts Foundation | Chico Chism | 2006 |
Time Brings About A Change... A Floyd Dixon Celebration | High John Records | Various Artists | 2006 |
Broadcasting The Blues | Southwest Musical Arts Foundation | Various Artists | 2009 |
Flyin' High - A Collection of Phoenix Blues, Rhythm, and Spirit from the 1950s and 60s | Southwest Musical Arts Foundation | Various Artists | 2010 |
Bet On The Blues | Blues Fidelity | Paul Oscher | 2010 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Heather Phares. "Bob Corritore - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Biography". Bobcorritore.com. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Spotlight on Bob Corritore". Jazz.kjzz.org. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Bob Corritore". Azblueshof.com. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ Hal Horowitz. "All-Star Blues Sessions - Bob Corritore - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Smokin' Joint - Kim Wilson - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ Michael G. Nastos. "Harmonica Blues - Bob Corritore - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Blues Music Awards 2011 - A Delta Bohemian Perspective". Delta Bohemian. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "2012 Newsletter Archive". Bobcorritore.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Bob Corritore - Taboo". Delta Groove Store. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Dave Riley and Bob Corritore". Vizztone label group. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ a b Heather Phares. "Bob Corritore - Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "2014 Blues411 'Jimi' Awards". Blues411.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-29. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
- ^ "The Henry Gray / Bob Corritore Sessions". Bobcorritore.com. 1925-01-19. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
- ^ "Recordings As A Performer". Bobcorritore.com. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ^ "Recordings". Bobcorritore.com. Bobcorritore.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.