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What's New!

December 31, 2009

December 15, 2009

  • Rhythm Room All-Stars appear Friday and Saturday at the Rhythm Room! The Rhythm Room All-Stars feature Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey. This weekend they appear at their namesake home base. Note that Dave Riley will do a guest set both nights and that Big Pete will only appear on the Friday night of this weekend. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85014.

  • Honeyboy Edwards to appear on NBC Today Show, and to receive Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award! The 94 year old delta bluesman, Honeyboy Edwards, will appear on national television with an appearance on the Today Show Sunday, December 20th. This was arranged through the efforts of Lynn Orman of Orman Music and Media Group. News has also come down the pike that Honeyboy Edwards is to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Grammy's, in a special private ceremony that will honor musicians and achievers from all aspects of the music industry. Honeyboy is also prominently featured in the documentary film Six Generations Of The Blues, a film by Executive Producer Michael Frank and Co-Producers Lynn Orman & Scott Shuman, which looks at the 30 year history of Chicago's Earwig Music, and it's founder Michael Frank. If in Chicago this Wednesday night, you can see a screening of this film at SPACE in Evanston.

  • Henry Gray Up For Offbeat Music Award! Andy Cornett reports that Henry Gray has been nominated for the prestigious Louisiana based Offbeat Magazine's "Best Of Beat' Awards in two categories; "Best Male Blues Performer" and "Best Blues CD". These nominations coincide with Henry's recent Blues Music Award nomination for best blues instrumentalist in the piano category. To read more about the Offbeat awards and to vote, click here, and read more about the BMAs click here. Henry Gray, now 84 years old, is still is vibrant and growing piano force on the blues scene. He brings with him all his great Chicago Blues history as a participant in some of the greatest classic recordings by Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Reed, Billy Boy Arnold, and others. Henry represents the blues well. To see a photo page honoring Henry Gray click here.

  • Bob presents his annual Blues Christmas radio show this Sunday on KJZZ! Each year on the Sunday before Christmas, Bob presents a 5 hour blues Christmas special on his weekly radio show "Those Lowdown Blues" on KJZZ. In addition to Christmas blues classics by Charles Brown, Lowell Fulson, Mabel Scott, and Freddie King, will be Big Maybelle singing "Silent Night", Chief Schabuttie Gilliame's "The Week Before Christmas", Rufus Thomas' "I'll Be Your Santa", and Jessie Mae Hemphill's "Merry Christmas Pretty Baby", just to name a few. Bob's blues Christmas Special can be heard this Sunday, December 20th, from 6 -11pm (Mountain Time) at 91.5 FM in Phoenix. and anywhere in the world at www.kjzz.org.

  • Classic Muddy Waters on YouTube! Please enjoy this film clip of Muddy Waters performing "You Cant Lose What You Never Had" with his classic 1960s band including James Cotton, Otis Spann, Pee Wee Madison, and SP Leary. Click here to see.

December 8, 2009

December 4, 2009

  • Blues Events This Weekend at the Rhythm Room. The Rhythm Room features a great blues lineup this weekend. On Friday Dec 4th Phoenix R&B legend George Bowman celebrates his birthday. On Saturday Dec 5th there are two great shows; first an early show called Women Of Boogie Woogie Piano Blowout with Lisa Otey, Wendy DeWitt, Dona Oxford, and Sue Palmer (4pm doors 5pm to 7pm show), then it's the amazing Kim Wilson with an all-star Blues Band that includes Billy Flynn, Barrelhouse Chuck, Larry Taylor, and Richard Innes. For more information about the Rhythm Room and these events click here.

  • Dave Riley & Bob Corritore and Chris James & Patrick Rynn nominated for Independent Music Award. This great news just came in; Dave Riley & Bob Corritore are nominated for Best Blues Song for "Lucky To Be Living", the title track of their new CD on the Blue Witch label. Also in the same category are Chris James & Patrick Rynn for "Mr. Coffee", a song which also features Bob Corritore on harmonica. To see the website and to vote please click here.  This is a wonderful honor!

  • Blues Grammy Nominations Announced! The National Academy Of Recording Arts & Sciences recently announced nominations for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. Here are the blues nominees:
    Best Traditional Blues Album (Vocal or Instrumental.) - Category 66:
    A Stranger Here - Ramblin' Jack Elliott (Anti)
    Blue Again - The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Featuring Rick Vito (429 Records)
    Rough & Tough - John Hammond (Chesky Records)
    Stomp! The Blues Tonight - Duke Robillard (Stony Plain Records)
    Chicago Blues: A Living History - Various Artists including Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, Carlos Johnson, Matthew Skoller, Billy Flynn, and Felton Crews (Raisin' Music)

    Best Contemporary Blues Album (Vocal or Instrumental.) - Category 67:
    This Time - The Robert Cray Band (Nozzle Records/Vanguard)
    The Truth According To Ruthie Foster - Ruthie Foster (Blue Corn Music)
    Live: Hope At The Hideout - Mavis Staples (Anti)
    Back To The River     - Susan Tedeschi (Verve Forecast)
    Already Free - The Derek Trucks Band (Victor Records)

    Outside of the blues categories we see that Buckwheat Zydeco earned a nomination for Lay Your Burden Down (Alligator) under the category of Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album. The Soundtrack for Cadillac Records earned a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Television, Visual Arts, or Motion Picture. This soundtrack features Beyoncé (performing Etta James Songs), Kim Wilson, Billy Flynn (two of Billy's projects got Grammy nods!), Barrelhouse Chuck, Eddie Taylor Jr., Larry Taylor and others. Beyoncé also earns a nomination in the category of Best Traditional R&B Performance for her take on Etta James' "At Last." The lendendary organist Booker T. Jones (of Booker T & the MGs fame) earns two nods for his album Potato Hole this year, one in the Best Pop Instrumental Album and one of the composition "Warped Sister" in Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

    A really exciting Grammy nod is that of Little Walter Jacobs /The Chess Masters (1950-1967) under the category of Best Historical Album. This 5 CD set was produced by Andy McKaie, compiled by Scott Dirks and Andy, and features an extensive look at one of the blues most important figures. Little Walter is, of course, the blues harmonica player who's genius created a groundbreaking approach to amplified harmonica, that all blues harmonica players after him owe a debt to. Happy to see that these amazing Little Walter recordings are still making history 5 decades later.

    Congratulations to all the nominees. The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and televised on CBS. Please note the blues awards are announced in the afternoon ceremony which is not televised, though they will briefly flash all afternoon winners throughout the televised broadcast. Thanks to Ben "The Harpman" Cox of Juke Joint Soul for some of this information.

  • Previously Unknown Big Walter Acetate discovered! This exciting information from Jim Themelis about an accetate recording of Big Walter Horton from Memphis / early 50's that has appeared on an Ebay auction. Here is what the auction listing says:
    "Up for auction is a 10 inch acetate with custom labels on both sides that say "Memphis Recording and Sound Service". Typed in at the bottom of the label on one side it says "Tell Me Mary Lou" Mumbles Horton (dub). On the other side it says: "What's Wrong with You" Mumbles Horton (dub). I purchased it at a Goodwill Store in Eugene, Oregon in September, 2004. It was in an album of 78's that included several Modern Records 78 singles. I've tried to research this record and was able to find out that Sam Phillips recorded Big Walter Horton a number of times in the early '50's. For some reason he recorded him under the name "Mumbles" Horton and sent the acetates to Modern Records which released some, but not all of them. So far, I've been unable to find out anything about "Tell Me Mary Lou" (maybe it wasn't released). A song called "Baby, What's Wrong with You?" is available on an Ace Records (U.K.) CD which has a number of Big Walter Horton songs on it that were recorded at the Memphis Recording Service. I would grade the "Baby, What's Wrong with You?" side a VG-; it has several light scuffs and very light scratches on it. It plays without any loud pops, repetitive clicks or skips and has a little light surface sound. The "Tell Me, Mary Lou" side grades a G+ with a few more light scuffs and very light scratches on it. It also plays without any loud pops, repetitive clicks or skips and also plays with a little surface sound (a little louder than the other side). There are no numbers or letters on either side in the trail-off. The red and white labels both have dark brown stains on them, but all of the typed in words are easily legible. To me, this record is significant because Big Walter Horton was one of the greatest blues harmonica players of all time and this record reveals him in his prime."

  • XM Radio features Dave Riley & Bob Corritore as B.B. King's Picks to Click! Thank you to Bill Wax, blues programmer of Bluesville on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio channel 74 for programming Dave Riley & Bob Corritore/Lucky To Be Living as #9 on B.B. King's Picks to Click for the Week of November 16th. Thanks Bill for all the support.

  • Dave Riley and Bob Corritore featured on Aspen Public Radio! Thanks to blues DJ Cheryll "Bluebird" Koehne of KBCO 97.3FM out of Boulder Colorado for featuring Dave Riley & Bob Corritore / Lucky To Be Living on her program "Blue Horizon". To hear this program as a podcast, click here.

  • Recession Forces Blues Downsizing in the US Midwest region. The hard hit US economy is taking it's toll on the presentation of the blues, as is highlighted by recent announcements from Illinois and Iowa. The trend became apparent with the announcement earlier this year that the 2009 Chicago Blues Fest would be reduced from 4 days to 3 days and would discontinue 2 of the smaller stages. Then Bill's Blues in Evanston was forced to shut it's doors in October. We recently got word that Blue Chicago will close the smaller of it's two location. And recently Matt Eimer sent out an email blast that his cherished Simply The Blues Festival in Fort Smith, Iowa would be discontinued due to rising expenses. Though the blues is alive and well as a music form, the presentation of blues, which requires a business justification, is having a rough year. We hope that the economy will soon recover, and with it, the blues consumption needed to support venues, festivals, artists, and labels. To read Time Out Chicago's article on these recent occurances click here.

  • Bear Family to release complete Christine Kittrell recordings! Once again Germany's Bear Family Label has compiled an amazing look at the complete recorded works of a great blues artist. Christine Kittrell/ Call Her Name; The Complete Recordings 1951 - 1965 (BCD 16942) will be released February 2nd, 2010 as a single disc digipack with a 40 page booklet. Christine Kittrell  had a strong, smooth voice, and recorded consistently fantastic sides for labels such as Tennessee, Champion, King/Federal, and Vee-Jay. To learn more about Christine and to hear her wonderful music, check out her myspace page by clicking here.

  • Jimmie Lee Robinson on You Tube! Please enjoy this 1965 performance of Jimmie Lee Robinson at his spellbinding best. This film was made as part of the American Folk Blues Festival and features Jimmie Lee playing guitar and singing with Fred Below accompanying him on the drums. Click here to see.

November 17, 2009

The 2010 KBA awards will be presented Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Double Tree Hotel in Memphis TN as part of the 2010 International Blues Challenge.

  • Henry Townsend on YouTube! Please enjoy this mesmerizing clip of St. Louis Bluesman Henry Townsend from 1976 playing some hypnotic piano and singing his always poignant lyrics. Click here to see.

November 2, 2009

October 27, 2009

 

October 21, 2009

  • RIP Dennis Brooks 3/28/50 - 10/20/09 Dennis Brooks is best known as the founder and former president of Memphis' Beale Street Blues Society. He passed away on Tuesday, October 20th of a sudden heart attack. He was 59. Dennis was known by all as a tireless friend and supporter of the blues. He saw that blues artists would always have an airport pickup or a place to stay. Born and raised in Memphis, Dennis embraced his hometown music. He helped along and booked many artists including Blind Mississippi Morris, Richard Johnston, Super Chikan, Slick Ballinger and Jessie Mae Hemphill. He did extensive volunteer work for the Blues Foundation, Memphis in May and Blues Ball, produced the first Jug Band festival in Memphis, and he was a contributor to this newsletter. Dennis was also very involved in Memphis' Jewish community.  Just minutes before his heart attack he was enjoying a deep discussion on the blues with his friend Heidi Knochenhauer. Rest in peace Dennis, you served the blues well.  Thanks to Charley Burch, Bruce Iglauer and Joe Whitmer for providing this information.

  • Rhythm Room All-Stars Appear Friday and Saturday at their Home Base: Come see The Rhythm Room All-Stars this weekend at the Rhythm Room! The Rhythm Room All-Stars lineup consists of Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey. They appear this Friday and Saturday, October 23rd and 24th, 2009 at their home base of the Rhythm Room. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd. in Phoenix. Doors open at 8pm, cover charge is $7. These nights will be patio smoking only events; no indoor smoking will be permitted. Rack Shack Barbeque will be available at these events.

  • Rootstime interview with Bob Corritore online! Bob Corritore was interviewed by Rootstime in May at the Spring Blues Festival in Belgium. To see this interview including photos click here then go to interviews. Thanks to Freddy Celis and everyone at Rootstime for this honor!

  • Dave Riley & Bob Corritore #1 on Collectif Des Radios Blues! Thanks to all the blues radio hosts in Europe and Canada who helped to make Dave Riley & Bob Corritore #1 on the CRB charts! Click here and scroll down the page to see the the Blues Radio Airplay section. Note also that Dave & Bob's CD Lucky To Be Living on the Blue Witch Record label is #2 on the Power Blues charts (also listed on same page).

  • 2009 inductions into the Arizona Blues Hall Of Fame! Congratulations to Long John Hunter, Tom Walbank, Scotty Spenner, and Big Nick & The Gila Monsters for their recent induction into the Arizona Blues Hall Of Fame. To see the ABHOF Website and the full list of ABHOF inductees click here .

  • Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival Recap coming soon! A complete recap of the amazing Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, and Pinetop's Homecoming at Hopson's Plantation will be included in next week's newsletter.

  • Bukka White on You Tube! Since Bukka White was recently honored with 2 new Mississippi Blues Trail Markers, it seems appropriate to share some nice film clips of this true blues master. Bukka's trail markers were unveiled on October 14th in Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi. Please enjoy Bukka performing "Mama Dont Allow" (click here), and "Poor Boy A long Away From Home" (click here ).

October 19, 2009

  • RIP Johnny Jones 8/17/36-10/16/09 Nashville blues and soul singer/guitarist Johnny Jones passed away on Friday Oct 16th. He was 73. Born in Edes, Tennessee and raised in a gospel oriented family, Jones became influenced by the blues of Memphis and Chicago and picked up guitar along the way. He moved to Chicago in the 1950s and worked gigs with Junior Wells and Freddie King. He moved to Nashville in the 60s and worked as a session guitarist and cut a few singles under his own name. He appeared on the Beat TV show as a second guitarist in Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's Band. In later years Jones owned and operated a Soul Food restaurant but was rediscoved through the efforts of Fred James and European festival bookers. This led to festival appearances, a new European interest in this seasoned veteran, and some CDs. A wonderful guitarist with a warm and passionate voice, Johnny Jones will be remembered as a great blues artist to those lucky enough to have known him. Please note that this artist should not be confused with the blues artist of same name, who was famous for his piano work with Elmore James. For the complete story click here

October 13, 2009

  • RIP Freddie Robinson 2/24/39 - 10/8/09 Guitarist/vocalist Freddie Robinson, who would later become known as Abu Talib, passed away at a hospital in Lancaster, California on Thursday, Oct 8th at age 70 after a battle with cancer. A spectacular guitarist with leanings in both blues and jazz, he was highly respected among his peers. Born in Memphis on February 24th, 1939, and raised in various towns in Arkansas, Robinson would move to Chicago in 1956. His first recorded work was later that year backing Birmingham Jr. (AKA Birmingham Jones) on the Ebony single "Birmingham 's Late Hours" b/w "Your Too Bad". He then did some great session work for the Chess label, backing Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, and Howlin' Wolf on a number of classic sides. He first recorded as a leader during the 1960s for the Queen, Raries, Limelight and One-derful record labels. During the late 1960's he settled in California where he joined Ray Charles band for a period before re-emerging as a band leader. He went on to cut many spectacular albums, most notably At The Drive-In with the song "Bluesology" which is a spoken story with musical examples of the memorable times at Theresa's basement blues bar in Chicago's south side. Robinson’s discography includes records with Harold Burrage, Bobby Bland, Louis Myers, Big Leon Brooks, Lee Shot Williams, Stanley Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, Jimmy McCracklin, Monk Higgins, John Mayall, Shakey Jake, Gary Sloan, and Mitch Kashmar. In 1975 he embraced the Islam religion and a few years later changed his name to Abu Talib, though he sometimes used his established moniker when recording. Freddie Robinson was simply a cool guy; always perfectly dressed in the most soulful of clothes, always articulate in his speech, and always brilliant in his playing. To see a detailed Freddie Robinson discography (with some omissions) click here. Thanks for all the great music Freddie. We will remember you always.

October 6, 2009

         

September 24, 2009

B.B. King's Bluesville , Sirius/XM Satellite Radio (Bill Wax)

Blues And Folk, Hamburger Lokalradio, Hamburg, Germany (Ursula Goretzky)

Rock 'n Blues Today, Radio RCC, Umbertide, Italy (Simone Bargelli)

Virus de Blues, MDM Radio 101.1FM, L'Isle d'Abeau, France (Jean-Pierre Savouyaud)

Closing Time, Radio Primitive, Reims, France (Gérald Aubepart)

CR Blues, Radio Canut 102.2FM, Lyon, France (Michel Filiod)

Rollin' With The Blues, KMXT 101.1FM, Kodiak, AK (Fred Hawley)

Let The Good Times Roll, CIUT-FM 89.5, Toronto, Canada (John Valenteyn)

Le Blues Vous va si Bien, Radio Trouble Fete 95.4, Limoges, France (Serge Levet)

Smokestack Lightnin', Various Stations across the USA, (Paul Newnum)

Smokin' Bluz, WRFX 99.7FM, Charlotte, NC (Rick Bellew)

Highway 61, Radio Voce Spazio, Allesandria, Italy (Massimo Ferro)

Crossroads, Radio Grille Ouverte, Ales, France (Bobby Hiebler)

Take Names Later Blues, KUNR 88.7FM, Reno, NV (Roger Slugg)

The Fish Fry, KCUR 89.3FM, Kansas City, MO (Charles Haddix)

Triple R Blues Radio, Live360.com, Pannigen, The Netherlands (Ton Wanten)

Blues At Sunrise, KRVX 91.7FM, Austin, TX (DJ Smokehouse Brown)

Marty Kool's Blues Review, KXCI 91.3FM, Tucson, AZ (Marty Kool)

Back Alley Blues Show, KSPQ 94FM, Springfield, MO (Robert Lynn)

Hot Time, Couleurs FM 97.1FM, L'Isle d'Abeau. France (Francis Rateau)

Good Morning Blues, WRFG 89.3FM, Atlanta, GA (Bill & Pat Hudson)

Juz Bluz, 3WAY-FM 103.7, Warrnambool, Australia (Martin "Lester" Dunstan)

The Blues Highway, KLBC 1610AM, Long Beach, CA (Pat Graham)

Sidestream, Station 4 Red 99.7FM, Brisbane, Australia (Arthur Elliott)

Headless Chickens, 3WAY-FM, Warrnambool, Australia (Garry Dalton)

89.1 Jazz, WEMU 89.1FM, Ypsilanti, MI (Linda Yohn)

Nothing But The Blues, Podcast, Loughborough, England (Cliff Libsyn)

WYCE 88.1FM, Grand Rapids, MI (general station programming)

Blues Time, South Australian Roots and Blues, Podcast, Tea Tree Gully, Australia (David Stroeket)

Blues Highway, KLBC 1610AM Long Beach, CA (Pat Graham)

  • Photographer Ray Flerlage's Blues Photos Appear in New Folk Music Book! Robert Riesman reports the following: "I'm writing because the publisher ECW has released Chicago Folk, the new book of Ray Flerlage's photos of the Chicago folk scene of the 1960's. I've co-edited the book, along with folk music historian Ron Cohen, and the performers include blues artists such as Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Big Joe Williams, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Johnny Shines, Washboard Sam, and Luther Allison. You might also be interested in knowing that ECW is also simultaneously reissuing Chicago Blues, the previously-released book of Ray's exceptional blues photos". Thanks, Robert, for this good news!
  • Thank you, Phoenix New Times! A big thanks to the Phoenix New Times for highlighting Bob Corritore in the just out annual "Best Of Phoenix" issue. Bob was dubbed "Best Blues Man" by this issue for his contributions to the Phoenix music scene. To see this article, click here. The New Times also gave the Readers’ Choice Award to the Rhythm Room as best "Blues or Jazz Club".
  • Sam Carr Funeral Information: Funeral services for legendary blues drummer Sam Carr will be held this Saturday, September 26, 2009, 11am at the Century Funeral Home, 506 Ashton Ave., Clarksdale, MS 38614-5638, (662)627-4182. Sam passed away on September 21, 2009 at age 83. Sam was a pivotal figure in the southern blues scene, and will be greatly missed by all blues fans.
  • Arizona Blues Showdown: The Phoenix Blues Society hosts the annual Arizona Blues Showdown preliminary rounds at the Rhythm Room this Sunday, September 27, 2009. The competitors will vie for slots at the final rounds the following week, and the winners enjoy the privilege of competing at The Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge in February 2010 in Memphis. Best of luck to all the competitors, and what a great night of blues for all the fans! Doors open at 6:30pm, cover charge is $6. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
  • Henry Gray Grammy® Nomination Information: Henry Gray, Louisiana's oldest active legendary traditional blues pianist and vocalist, whose career spans over seven decades, has the honor of having his new CD Times Are Gettin' Hard listed as an entry for consideration for a Grammy® nomination. Henry worked with many of the greatest traditional blues legends - Howlin' Wolf (1956-1968), Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Rogers, Big Maceo Merriweather, Dusty Brown, and Robert Lockwood, Jr. to name a few. So, if you are a voting member of NARAS, Henry would appreciate your consideration of his project, Henry Gray & The Cats/Times Are Gettin’ Hard - as a choice for a nomination. If you are not a voting member, please pass this on to others who may be voting members.
  • 1976 BBC Blues Filming on YouTube! This set of videos come with a story, as I had the coincidental privilege of being at their filming. I believe that these were done in 1976, but I cannot recall the exact date. The filming took place at Eddie's Place, also known as The 1815 Club, located at 1815 West Roosevelt on the West Side of Chicago. I was no stranger to this club, as I had gone to see Howlin' Wolf there many times, as well as other bands such as Mighty Joe Young, Otis Rush, Johnny Littlejohn, and Eddie Shaw and the Wolf Gang (Howlin' Wolf's band who went on after Wolf died). I once saw Freddie King hanging out there with his old friend Eddie Shaw. I called the 1815 Club one night during the week to see who would be playing over the weekend. The woman who answered the phone asked if I was coming down tonight, since they were having a BBC blues filming. So off I went to see what was up, not even knowing what artists would be playing. Since this filming was early in the week on a Tuesday or Wednesday (if I recall correctly), there were very few people at the club. Mainly the artists performing, the bar staff, the film crew, a few band friends and club patrons were there. This show was not advertised anywhere, and seemed to be on the QT. When I walked in, The Aces were playing, and later in the set, various artists would join them one at a time: Billy Boy Arnold, Good Rockin' Charles, and Joe Carter. Note that The Aces (best known as Little Walter's band in the early stages of his solo career for Chess) were one of the most respected blues groups in Chicago, and were often featured as a prime backing band for numerous sessions and musical occasions. The Aces featured Louis Myers on guitar (sometimes harmonica) and vocals, Louis's brother Dave Myers on the bass, and Fred Below on the drums. After The Aces performed an easy rockin' version of the Robert Lockwood, Jr. classic "Take A Little Walk With Me", each of the guest artists called up would do just a song or two with The Aces as their backing band. At that time, film was very expensive, so there were no retakes and very little time between songs. After The Aces and guests completed their part of the program, Fenton Robinson and his band took the stage and did a few numbers. The night seemed to be over after around an hour of filming. I seem to recall that Andrew "Big Voice" Odom was there, but did not perform. I understand that these films were later edited and aired on Alexis Korner's BBC television special called The Devil's Music, shown only in the UK. Years later the audio from this night came out on a Red Lightning LP called by the same name as the TV show. That album lists a late January filming date, which I think might not be exactly correct. Anyway, I hope this little background story will add to your enjoyment of these wonderful clips. -Bob Corritore

The Aces/”Take A Little Walk With Me”, click here

Good Rockin' Charles/”Don't Start Me To Talkin'”, click here

Fenton Robinson/”Somebody Loan Me A Dime”, click here

Fenton Robinson/”Don't Know What Love Is”, click here

Billy Boy Arnold/”She Fooled Me”, click here

September 21, 2009

  • RIP Sam Carr 4/17/1926-9/21/2009: This terrible news just in from Dave Riley: beloved Mississippi blues drummer and band leader Sam Carr has passed away. He was 83. Sam was born into legend as the son of guitarist/vocalist Robert Nighthawk. Sam is best known for his longtime association with Frank Frost & The Jelly Roll Kings. He was considered one of the greatest blues drummers of all time, and was annually nominated for a Blues Music Award (AKA Handy Award) in the drummer category. He had been struggling with health issues over the last few years, and recently lost his longtime wife Doris, which forced him to live in a nursing facility. For a complete Sam Carr bio by Scott Barretta, click here.

September 11, 2009

September 3, 2009

Nothing But The Blues, KUNV 91.5FM, Las Vegas, NV (Brian "The Blues Doctor" Spencer)

The Wind Of The Blues, Sur Radio Quartz 105FM, Mons, Belgium (Urbain Tanguy)

Blues With A Feeling, KZSU 90.1FM, Stanford CA (Byrd Hale)

Dan's Blues Room, WRBC 91.5FM Lewiston, ME (Dan LaCasse)

Bluespower, Radio Wesser TV, 90.7FM or 96.95 on cable, Bremerhaven, Germany (Erhard Albrecht)

Cross'blues, Radio Alpine Meilleure 93.7FM Grenoble, France (Michel Faton)

KK's Blues Radio, 2SER 107.3FM Sydney, Australia (Colin Briscoe)

Blues And Beyond, WMRW 95.1FM Warren, VT (Ben Sanders)

Blues On The Move, KPFT 90.1FM Houston, TX (Mr. and Mrs. V.)

Top Blues, Blues Internet Radio Live365.com (Terry O')

Star Blues, Star Radio 107FM, Cambridge/Ely, UK (Gary Blue)

Blue Mondays, KRTS 93.5FM Marfa, TX (Mark Pollock)

Blues At Sunrise, KVRX 91.7FM Austin, TX (DJ Smokehouse Brown)

The Big Blue Kitchen, WVKR 91.3FM Poughkeepsie, NY (Nick Delay)

Bad Dog Blues, WITR 89.7FM Rochester, NY (Gary Reinhard)

Nothing But The Blues, KUNV 91.5FM, Las Vegas, NV (Brian "The Blues Doctor" Spencer)

Roadhouse Twang, KWMR, Point Reyes Station, CA (Kay Clements)

Blues In The Dark, CRFO 102.7FM, Vancouver, Canada (Ron Simmonds)

The Voice Of The Blues (Glosem Bluesa), Radio Sefra 102.2FM, Torun, Poland (Przemek Draheim)

Por los Senderos del Blues, Horizonte 107.9FM, Mexico City, Mexico (Raúl de la Rosa)

Blues Train, Dublin City Radio 103.2FM Dublin, Ireland (Charlie Hussey)

Restless Mornings, KGNU 88.5FM Boulder, CO (Roger Wise)

AJ's Kitchen/Good Morning Blues, WRFG 89.3FM Atlanta, GA (AJ)

Mojo Blues, O2 Radio 91.3FM, Cenon, France (Joëlle Maraton)

Friends Of The Blues Radio Show, WKCC 91.1FM, Kankakee, IL (Shuffle Shoes, The Blues Guru & Dr. Skyy Dobro)

Bluestimen, Radio Ung 106.9FM, Kristiansand, Norway (Bjørn Wiksaas)

Tecka's Tracks, HOTFM 106.7FM, Victoria, Australia (Terry Iredale)

Jazz & Blue Tour, Alphen Stad FM 105.4FM, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands (Joost van Steen)

The Juke Joint, WCMU, Pleasant, MI (Robert Barclay)

Boom Boom, Equinox Radio/Frequency Plus, Beez, Belgium (Olivier Anciaux)

Green Revival & Medicine Show, KGLP 91.7FM, Gallup, NM (Tom Funk)

Pulsion 70, Radio Aria, France (Michel Ruer)

Route 66, Colmar, Radio Libre 103.5FM France (David Baerst)

Case Of The Monday Blues, WMHB 89.7FM, Waterville, ME (Jeff)

Saturday Night Blues Party, KRWP 107.7FM, Stockton, MO (Brian Sullivan)

If you add the above to the stations we listed over the last 2 weeks' newsletters, you have quite a great radio response. Thanks to everyone who has played this record and apologies to anyone who we did not yet mention.

August 31, 2009

  • RIP Gospel Legend Marie Knight 6/1/1925-8/30/2009: This sad news just in from M.C. Records; this is their announcement verbatim:

With heavy hearts, M.C. Records announces the death of gospel legend Marie Knight. She died in New York City on August 30, 2009 due to complications from pneumonia. Marie first came to prominence in 1946 when she met and started working with Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Together they would be one of the most popular gospel artists of the 1940's, and make music history through a string of gospel hits including "Didn't It Rain", "Up Above My Head", and the gorgeous "Beams of Heaven". Marie Knight and Sister Rosetta Tharpe would tour frequently together through the 1950's. In the 1960's, Marie had several R&B hits, but in 1970's Marie rededicated herself to gospel music and became a minister at the Gates of Prayer Church in New York City.

Marie Knight's recent comeback began in 2002 when producer and M.C. Records owner Mark Carpentieri invited Marie to record on Shout, Sister, Shout!: A Tribute To Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Mark recalls the phone call. "Gayle Wald, who was writing the liner notes for the project, asked me if I had contacted Marie Knight about participating in the project. I didn't know she was still alive! I called Marie, and she sounded so vibrant that I arranged studio time, and we’ve been working together ever since."

After the release of Shout, Sister, Shout!: A Tribute To Sister Rosetta Tharpe (MC-0050), tour work came in regularly for Marie Knight. In 2007, Mark Carpentieri put together Marie Knight's first full-length album in over 25 years, Let Us Get Together. The project was a tribute to Rev. Gary Davis, and was co-produced with Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Ollabelle, Levon Helm). The record was a critical success, with great reviews from The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and many more.

You can listen to a live recorded concert featuring Marie via The Woodsongs Radio Hour recorded in February 2008, and click on show number 470.

Here are some YouTube links to check out: video 1, video 2, and video 3.

August 31, 2009

  • RIP Jesse Fortune 2/28/1930-8/31/2009: Word just in from Susan Koester that blues vocalist Jesse Fortune passed away early this morning after collapsing onstage during his performance at the Playmate Lounge. He was 79. Jesse Fortune was a blues singer of the highest order. He was born in Macon, Mississippi in 1930, and grew up around Hattiesburg. He was greatly influenced by the vocals of B.B. King. In 1952, he relocated to Chicago, and became a highly respected singer on the windy city blues circuit. His first recording session was arranged and produced by Willie Dixon for the USA record label in 1963. The session featured Buddy Guy and Big Walter Horton as sidemen, and yielded 4 brilliant songs, including the Dixon-penned "Too Many Cooks”, for which Fortune is best known. “Too Many Cooks” would later be recorded by Robert Cray, and it has become a highly-covered number among blues bands. After a period of musical inactivity during the 70s and 80s where Jesse supported himself as a barber, his musical career was reactivated with a spectacular 1993 release, Fortune Tellin' Man, on the Delmark record label, featuring great backing from Dave Specter and his band. Jesse's recent appearances around Chicago showcased an artist of great ability. He left us doing what he loved, and we will always love him for the great blues he brought us. To read the Chicago Tribune obituary, click here.

August 28, 2009

  • Dave Riley & Bob Corritore First Reviews, Media Reaction, & More Airplay: Dave Riley & Bob Corritore's new album, Lucky To Be Living will be released on September 8, 2009 on the Blue Witch Record Label. We are very excited about the exceptional reaction that this CD is receiving by the media. Check out the first 4 reviews of this CD, which we have posted online (click here to read). Lucky To Be Living has debuted at #20 on the Real Blues Magazine top 100 chart! Radio stations continue to add us to their playlist. In addition to the ones we posted in last week's newsletter, these blues shows from near and far have let us know that we are in rotation:

Highway Blues, KZUM 89.3FM, Lincoln, NE (Al Lundy)

Soul Stew, WEVL 89.9FM, Memphis, TN (Brett Fleming)

Blues Power, WOAB 104.9FM, Dothan, AL (Gil Anthony)

Sweet Home Chicago, Radio 66 99.1FM, Bonnemaison, France (Marc Loison)

Blues Summit, WMWV 93.5FM, Conway, NH (Roy Prescott)

Antique Blues, WPKN 88.7FM, Bridgeport, CT (Bill Nolan)

Blues, WBFO 88.7FM, Buffalo, NY (Jim Santella, Anita West, and Debbie Sims)

Blues Review, KXCI 91.3FM. Tucson, AZ (Marty Kool)

Chicken Shack Alley, KDHX 88.1FM, St. Louis, MO (Rich Barta)

Radio Blues Intense, 104.4 FM/98.2FM Avergne-Limousin, France (Luc Brunot)

Juke Joint Blues & Soul, Radio France Bleu Drome Ardeche, 87.9FM, Valence, France (Jean-Luc Vabres)

Radio Baker Street, Radio Menergy, Albi, France (Xavier Boulanger)

Jazz & Blues Tour Radio, ICT Network, Zuid-Holland, NL (Joost Van Steen)

Saturday Night Blues Party, WFPK 91.9FM, Louisville, KY (Kevin Yazell)

Canal Blues, Radio Canal Bleu, Objat, France (Serge Warin)

Edged In Blue, KKFI 90.1FM, Kansas City, MO (Wendy Neutzler)

Town and Country Radio, 783 KHzAM, Wellington, New Zealand (Eddie O'Strange)

Thursday's R&B Revue, WMUA 91.1FM, Amherst, MA (Katie Wright and David Hart)

The South Side, KHUM 104.3 and 104.7FM, Humboldt County, CA (Chas Lewis)

The Roadhouse Podcast (Roadhouse Tony)

Bluespower, Radio Wesser TV, 90.7FM or 96.95 on cable, Bremerhaven, Germany (Erhard Albrecht)

La Hora Del Blues, Radio Pica, 96.6FM, Barcelona Spain (Vicente "Harmonica" Zumel)

Du Blues Sinon Rien, Radio Béton, Tours, France  (Jean-Louis Poirier)

Red Hot And Cool, BayFM 99.9, Byron Bay, Australia (Anthony Moulay)

Maxwell Street Internet Radio, Echillais, France (Alain Enjalbert)

D’Auteuil, CKRL 89.1FM Quebec City, Canada (Michel Dubois)

Blue Soul, Radio Holstebro 97.4FM and 89.0 Cable, Holstebro, Denmark (Kjell Andreassen)

Doc's Juke Joint, WGMC 90.1FM, Rochester, NY (Greg "Doc" Lefebre)

Hammered By The Blues, KOWZ 1170AM, Owatonna, MN (John "Blueshammer" Hammer)

Mystery Train, PNR 96.4FM, Novi Ligure, Italy (Roberto Rossi)

At the Crossroads, a syndicated show with various stations throughout Canada (Brant Zwicker)

Bluesgroove Shuffle internet radio plus BBB FM 89.1, Tanunda, South Australia (Tess Coleman)

Eight To The Bar With Tarr, KMFB 92.7 96.7FM Mendocino, CA (Les Tarr)

Dave's Blues Mix, Star FM Radio, Tasmania, Australia (Dave Barker)

House Of Blues Radio Hour, a syndicated program aired on many stations (Elwood Blues AKA Dan Akroyd)

Jim's Juke Joint & Soul Kitchen, WXLV 90.3FM, Schnecksville, PA (Jim Hynes)

A heartfelt thank you for the support of this record! Thanks also to Betsie Brown of Blind Raccoon for a great start to this record's promotion!

Sunday, September 6, 2009 - The Down Home Blues Festival at the Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ. This year's festival features Elmore James, Jr. (the son of Elmore James), Henry Gray (one of the greatest blues piano players alive), The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey) and the down-home duet of Dave Riley and Bob Corritore. The show takes place on Sunday, September 6, 2009, with a 7pm doors open and 8pm showtime. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd. in Phoenix.

Saturday, September 12, 2009 - The Dave Riley/Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band host a CD release party for Lucky To Be Living at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. Doors open at 8pm.

Friday, September 18, 2009 - The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey) will appear at at Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court, Tucson, AZ 85701 in downtown Tucson. This will be a CD release party for Big Pete Pearson's CD Finger In Your Eye on the VizzTone Label Group. This is part of Jonathan Holden's famed Rhythm And Roots Concert Series.

Saturday, September 19, 2009 - The Rhythm Room All-Stars featuring Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey appear at the 5th Annual Bisbee Blues Festival in Bisbee, Arizona. The All-Stars will also have the honor of backing the amazing Pinetop Perkins at this event!

Friday, September 25, 2009 - Bob Corritore & Friends will appear at the Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281. Bob's friends appearing at this event are Tomcat Courtney, Dave Riley, Big Pete Pearson, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey. Doors open at 8pm, advance ticket price is $30; to order tickets, call the box office at (480)350-2TCA (2822) or click here.

Saturday, September 26, 2009 - Bob Corritore will celebrate his birthday with a blues party at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix , AZ. Appearing that night will be The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey), plus Dave Riley and a number of surprise guests!

Saturday, October 10, 2009 - Dave Riley & Bob Corritore will have a CD Release Party at the Delta Cultural Center Annex (a few doors down Cherry Street from the DCC) in conjunction with the Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival. Showtime is at 3pm.

Sunday, October 11, 2009 - Dave Riley & Bob Corritore will appear at the Pinetop Perkins Homecoming at Hopson's Commissary in Clarksdale, MS. They will open the show at 2pm with a 20 minute duet set. This annual event is the unofficial "day after" party of the Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, and many artists will perform throughout the day. Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Bob Margolin will headline the house band.

Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2009 - The Rhythm Room All-Stars featuring Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey will appear at the Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ.

Thursday, October 29, 2009 - Chris James and Patrick Rynn, with Bob Corritore appear at the Blues Blast Music Awards (Chris and Patrick were nominated for an 2 award categories) at Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago IL 60605.

Friday, November 6, Wednesday, November 11, and Thursday, November 12, 2009- Dave Riley & Bob Corritore will appear at the Lucerne Blues Festival, Lucerne, Switzerland

Saturday, November 14, 2009 - Tomcat Courtney & The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey), appear at the Lucerne Blues Festival, Lucerne, Switzerland.

Wednesday, November 18, Thursday November 19th and Friday November 20th, 2009 - Dave Riley, Bob Corritore, and special guest Tomcat Courtney appear at the Blues Sur Seine Festival in Mantes-la-Jolie, France.

Saturday, November 21, 2009 - Dave Riley, Bob Corritore, and special guest Tomcat Courtney appear at the Nuit du Blues Festival in Montfort-sur-Meu, France.

Saturday, November 28, 2009 - Dave Riley, Bob Corritore, and special guest Tomcat Courtney appear at the Beautiful Swamp Festival in Calais, France.

Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19, 2009 - The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey) plus Dave Riley will appear at the Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ.

  • Corrections: Last week's newsletter has two corrupted links. To see the poster for the Rhythm Room's Down Home Blues Festival, click here. To see the catalog page for Bear Family's exciting Freddie King box, click here.
  • Mance Lipscomb On YouTube! Please enjoy this engaging film clip of Texas blues songster Mance Lipscomb performing "Jack Of Diamonds". Note the open tuning of his guitar and how Mance plays slide with a pocket knife. To see this warm and engaging performance, click here.

August 18, 2009

Blues Deluxe, (internet station), Arlington TX (Dave Johnson)

Rue D’Auteuil, CKRL 89.1FM, Quebec City (Michel Dubois)

Friends Of The Blues Radio Show, WKCC 91.1FM, Kankakee, IL (Shuffle Shoes, The Blues Guru & Dr. Skyy Dobro)

Sunday Morning Blues Podcast WRTB-FM Rockford, IL (Rich Gordon)

Crossroads, WVBR 93.5FM, Ithaca, NY (Miss Em)

Johnny Mack's Friday Night Blues Attack, WDVX Knoxville, TN (John McCormack)

Two for the Blues, WORT 89.9FM, Madison, WI (Art Schuna)

Green Revival & Medicine Show, KGLP 91.7FM, Gallup, NM (Tom Funk)

Blues Cafe, WWSP 89.9FM, Stevens Point WI (Papa Joe AKA David Carrigan)

The Roadhouse Podcast, Iowa City, IA (Tony Steidler-Dennison)

Mystic Mile, KZUM 89.3FM, Lincoln, NE (Mike Flowers)

Mario's Blues Thang, KDVS 90.3FM, Roseville, CA (Mario Robles)

Breakfast With The Blues, KRVM 91.9FM Eugene, OR (Boogie King Steve)

Every Shade Of Blue, KSDS 88.3FM, San Diego, CA (Lady Dottie & Bill Magee)

Teri Duncanson

9468 Jack Rabbit Drive #105

Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

To see a photo of Betty, click here. Sorry to say goodbye to this wonderful person.

July 22, 2009

  • Canada Recap: Last weekend The Rhythm Room All-Stars traveled up north to perform at The Cisco Ottawa Blues Festival and being in such close proximity, Kim and I went a few days early to visit Montreal and spend time with some dear friends. The trip began on Tuesday with a pickup at the airport from Bharath Rajakumar, and his lovely wife, Sonia Lareau. Those unfamiliar with Bharath should know that he is a brilliant harmonica player who really knows how to capture the spirit of the 1950s Chicago blues. He specializes in Little Walter instrumentals, and has made some very convincing CDs covering some chestnuts and throwing in a few originals based in the vintage style. Junior Watson, who first made me aware of Bharath, refers to him as "the closest to the Little Walter sound". Check out Bharath's MySpace with song samples by clicking here. Bharath and I met through MySpace a few years ago, and became fast friends with our common interest in Little Walter, but this was my first time meeting him in person. Bharath, Sonia, Kim, and I enjoyed a nice meal together that night. The next day Bharath had a day planned of playing and recording at his living room studio with a fine band including Bharath (mainly playing guitar and singing), Ben Caissie on drums, Louis Janelle on guitar, Costa Zafiropoulos on stand-up bass and myself on harmonica. We had a blast playing and it so nice to meet these like-minded musicians who are totally steeped to the old school Chicago blues. We recorded quite a few songs until the early evening when Bharath went to the airport to pick up Junior Watson who was flying into town to recording with Bharath the next day. Bharath and Junior would also perform together at various festivals through the weekend. Kim and I would spend time with Junior the next morning in the lobby of the Marriott, where we were both staying.

The plan for Thursday was to meet up with long time friend Bill Barclay and drive to Ottawa. Bill is a co-editor of Canada's Real Blues Magazine, and he is also working on a highly-anticipated documentary on Helena, Arkansas. Before leaving Montreal, Bill took us to visit documentary co-producer Peter Starr. The rest of The Rhythm Room All-Stars (Big Pete Pearson, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey) were flying in to Ottawa that night. Friday was our first performance at The Cisco Ottawa Blues Festival, and I have to say the festival really had it together. They had a transportation department working non-stop to get everyone where they needed to be. The food tent had hearty, healthy meals, which is a real treat while on the road. The merch people gave each artist's CDs special attention (especially during the scheduled autograph signings). The stage managers and crews were all incredible, and the audiences were very blues-knowledgeable and friendly. What was also a treat is that the fest hires some musicians for a residence during the festival to supplement the sound of bands that chose to use them. This year these musicians included piano great David Maxwell and the wonderful Kaz Kazanoff and The Texas Horns. Each of our sets included great guest appearances by these resident players. It was luxurious to be able to add extra layers to our material with such seasoned players. The Rhythm Room All-Stars did a set each day (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), and on Saturday, we also served as the backing band for Louisiana Red. Red and David Maxwell also played a duet set on Sunday as a celebration of their new duet CD called You Got To Move, soon to be out on the VizzTone Label Group (street date is September 1, 2009). Red called Chris James and I up for the last few songs of this show. A total of five performances over the course of three days!

A few fond memories from the fest include: 1) Reminiscing about Big Walter Horton with Kaz Kazanoff in the green room which led to us to breaking out our instruments to play an impromptu version of the Horton instrumental "Relaxin'" (Kaz recorded that song with Horton on the Blind Pig album Fine Cuts). 2) Hearing Bharath and Junior Watson's fine set on Saturday: simply a great chemistry between those two. 3) Seeing my close friend Louisiana Red and his lovely wife Dora, and discussing with Red the age-old question of various attributes of slide types (steel vs. brass vs. glass. etc.). 4) Seeing our dear friend Liz Sykes, the president of the Ottawa Blues Society, who brought the band gifts of little tins of maple syrup so that we could each bring a little taste of Canada home with us. 5) A hysterical discussion with Reverend Billy C. Wirtz at the food tent, in which he somehow was able to draw a comparison between cool shoes and beautiful women (or as he puts it "Chicks" and "Kicks"). 6) Hearing Freddie Roulette's amazing lap steel guitar set while we were at the autograph signing booth meeting some enthusiastic festival-goers. 7) Running into both Louisiana Red and Freddie Roulette at the airport on Monday, and the inevitable Earl Hooker discussion that followed. I was very impressed at how clearly Freddie recalled his Chicago blues days.

Thanks to festival chief Mark Monahan and everyone at The Cisco Ottawa Blues Festival for a spectacular music event and for the honor of being included as a small part of it. To see some recently posted photos of The Rhythm Room All-Stars appearing at the fest, click here.

-Bob Corritore

July 13, 2009

Friday: Barney Danson Theatre, 9pm Rhythm Room All-Stars set

Saturday: Subway Stage, 2:30pm Rhythm Room All-Stars set, then 4:30pm Louisiana Red set

Sunday: Blacksheep Stage, 6:30pm Rhythm Room All-Stars Set

Other blues and roots acts who are part of the festival include Hubert Sumlin, Buckwheat Zydeco, Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women, Eden Brent, Larry McCray, Daddy Mack Blues Band, Roomful of Blues, Reverend Billy C. Wirtz, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm, Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy, Saffire - The Uppity Blueswomen, Henry Butler, Moreland & Arbuckle, Otis Taylor, Cassie Taylor, T.J. Wheeler, Doyle Bramhall, Papa Mali, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, That One Guy, The Soul Of John Black, Zac Harmon, Shemekia Copeland, Sugar Blue, JW Jones Band with Little Charlie Baty, Homemade Jamz, Sista Monica, Larry Garner, Mick Taylor, Freddie Roulette, Paul Reddick, and many others. Note that the festival began on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, and many great acts have already performed. Many types of music other than blues are represented at The Cisco Ottawa Blues Festival, and acts as diverse as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Styx, KISS, Van der Graaf Generator, The Yardbirds, Alan Parsons Live Project, Ornette Coleman, Ani DiFranco, Toots and the Maytals, King Khan & BBQ Show, Drive-By Truckers, CAKE, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Ice Cube, Steve Poltz, Jeff Beck, Ben Harper, Joe Cocker, Los Lonely Boys, Handsome Furs, DeVotchKa, Our Lady Peace, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the church, Stone Temple Pilots, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Our Lady Peace, The Black Keys, Loreena McKennitt, Jackson Browne, Dave Mason, Israel & New Breed, David Lindley, and many others also appear on the festival roster. The Rhythm Room All-Stars are very proud to be a part of The Cisco Ottawa Blues Festival. For the complete lineup, and more information on this amazing event, click here.

  • Big Pete Pearson/Finger In Your Eye #1 on CRB Radio Charts! This just in! Big Pete Pearson's latest CD Finger In Your Eye (VizzTone Label Group) was number one on the Collectif des Radios Blues charts in the month of June. The CRB charts are compiled from the playlists of numerous French, Belgian, and Canadian blues radio shows. To see these charts, click here and here. Thanks to all the CRB DJs who made this possible!
  • Dave Riley/Bob Corritore MySpace Revamped + Song Samples from Forthcoming CD Included: The Dave Riley/Bob Corritore MySpace site has just been revamped in preparation for their highly anticipated new CD Lucky To Be Living, which will be released September 8, 2009 on Blue Witch Records. Song samples from the new release have just been uploaded on the site, along with songs from their first CD, Travelin' The Dirt Road, also on Blue Witch. Tour dates and CD release party information have also been added, as well as a number of new photos. To see the revamped MySpace and hear selections from the new CD, click here.
  • Chicago Blues Guide's Tribute To Koko Taylor: Special thanks to Linda Cain and the Chicago Blues Guide for lovingly compiling remembrances and photos of Koko Taylor in a recently published piece. Click here to see the article. The Queen of the Blues is gone, but will never be forgotten.
  • A Morbid Occurrence Affecting The Blues: This sad news from Chicago: A grave-robbing scheme was discovered at the historic Burr Oak Cemetery where Willie Dixon, Dinah Washington, and Otis Spann were laid to rest, as well as Emmett Till. Apparently, graveyard employees were digging up hundreds of graves and reselling the plots, while discarding the remains. No word yet on whether historic blues artists graves were disturbed. To read more about this sad story, click here.
  • Henry Gray New Release: Henry Gray is among the highest stature of blues piano players. Henry was born in Kenner, Louisiana on January 19, 1925. Henry moved to Chicago in 1946 and studied under pianist Big Maceo, who remains his greatest stylistic influence. He is best known for his work in the 1950s and 1960s in Chicago as a key member of Howlin' Wolf's band. He also recorded classic sides with Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Reed, Billy Boy Arnold, Little Walter, and Morris Pejoe, as well as brilliant sides under his name. Returning to his home state of Louisiana in 1968, Henry upholds the blues piano tradition locally, and at numerous festival dates around the world. In 2006, Henry Gray was awarded a Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, an undeniable acknowledgement of his great talent. Lucky Cat Records has just released a new Henry Gray CD that shows Henry in fine form, backed by his dedicated road band "The Cats". The CD is called Times Are Getting Hard (reworking a song originally released on Henry's Plays Chicago Blues CD), and Henry includes a number of new original songs, including the riveting "Barack Obama Boogie". Thanks to bassist/manager Andy Cornett for releasing this fine CD, and for years of looking out for Henry. To find out more about this release, click here. To see a photo page devoted to the great Henry Gray, click here.
  • Dinah Washington on YouTube! Please enjoy these wonderful, vintage clips of the amazing Dinah Washington. She possessed one of the greatest singing voices ever. To see her singing "Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair", click here; and to see her singing "I Don't Hurt", click here.

July 6, 2009

  • Correction To Phillip Guilbeau Obituary: Thanks to Eric LeBlanc who let us know that Phillip Guilbeau actually passed away in 2005. Our source for the obit information, Joel Dufour, had read a recently published remembrance by Guilbeau's daughter, which lead him to the earnest assumption of Guilbeau's passing being recent.

July 5, 2009