|
This new CD produced in part by Rhythm Room proprietor Bob
Corritore is packed with outstanding live blues, featuring a long list
of performers compiled from 10 years of recorded performances at the
Rhythm Room in Phoenix, AZ.
These tracks have to be
some of the best material one could have picked. The Fabulous
Thunderbirds are heard three times, from performances in 2001 and 2002.
The fantastic ’02 recordings “Goin’ Away Baby”, and “Horsin’ Around”
consisted of a cut band with guitar, bass, drums and the howl of Kim
Wilson’s harp. The original T Birds are all together on “Rich Woman”.
The quiet and sullen ballad “Long John Hunter’s Country Blues” takes it
a little deeper as does Paul Oscher’s resonant chromatic harp and guitar
on the instrumental “That’s It”.
A somber moment lies
here with Floyd Dixon’s “Please Don’t Go”. Not that the song was sad,
mind you. He lets it all hang out here, but this is one of the last
recordings he made. His last CD was produced by Bob at the Rhythm Room
in June of 2006. He passed away shortly after.
Big Pete Pearson lends
his talents as a leader in the rough and raucous blues with “That’s All
Right”. The Rhythm Room All-Stars with Bob on harp cover the music for
Pete. Henry Gray appears twice on “Henry’s Houserocker” with Kid Ramos,
and alongside the raspy vocals of Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, and the
dynamic harp of Johnny Dyer on the laid back blues of “Monkey Meat”. The
cool slide guitar of Sonny Rhodes comes to life on “My Bleeding Heart”,
with a melancholy lyric yet revealing an upward tempo.
The jazzy, experienced
guitar work of Robert Lockwood, Jr.’s “C.C. Rider” remains one of the
all time pieces I will remember him for, and now there is another
recording to add to it all. Finis Tasby and the Mannish Boys “Lonesome
Bedroom” and Louisiana Red’s “Time Will Tell” are both deep rooted in
the blues, and a great rendition of “Two Drinks of Wine” by Billy Boy
Arnold closes out the CD. The music and performances on this CD are
incredible. It’s good to know the old time blues can still be found out
there, floating from town to town. I’m just glad they stopped by
Phoenix.
-Dirk Wissbaum
|
Blues Festival
E-Guide (August 24, 2007) |
HOUSE
ROCKIN' AND BLUES SHOUTIN'! Celebrates 15 years of Phoenix, AZ's Roots
and Blues Concert Club, The Rhythm Room. The 14 tracks, recorded live,
features The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Robert Lockwood Jr., Floyd Dixon,
The Mannish Boys (featuring Finis Tasby), Louisiana Red, Henry Gray,
Billy Boy Arnold, Paul Oscher, Johnny Dyer, Kid Ramos, Sonny Rhodes, Big
Pete Pearson and The Rhythm Room All Stars, Bob Corritore, Chief
Schabuttie Gilliame, and Long John Hunter represents highlights of
performances at the club recorded between 1997 and 2006. Produced by
harmonica player/club owner Bob Corritore, HOUSE ROCKIN' AND BLUES
SHOUTIN'! Takes you through a varied program of the many artists and
shades of blues that can be heard nightly at The Rhythm Room. These
sides capture the great blues artists interacting with great blues
audiences and the magical moments that resulted.
|
MusicForAmerica.org
(August 20, 2007) |
If you want to blues live
and in your face, then House Rockin' And Blues Shoutin'! (Blue Witch) is
what you're looking for. This 14-track CD celebrates 15 years of music and
good times at The Rhythm Room, a club in Phoenix, Arizona owned by Bob
Corritore that has become THE hot spot in the Southwest for anything and
everything that has to do with the blues.
The artists on the
album represent the many who have played there over the years, and in
these recordings, the crowds are very enthusiastic. All of the
performances here, including those by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Floyd
Dixon, Long John Hunter, Louisiana Red, Billy Boy Arnold, Big Pete
Pearson and Sonny Rhodes are exclusive to this CD, and when you hear Big
Pete Pearson singing about his woman loving someone else, you hope that
he'll have some of the best pity sex around. As for the recordings,
sound quality is excellent, nothing of bootleg quality, and you'll truly
feel as if you are eight feet in front of the stage, with beer in hand
and hopefully a lover of interest close by, or alone and bummed out of
your mind hoping the next thing that walks by is a scorcher. It's blues
at its best, performed live and in front of a crowd, raw and buttons
loose.
House Rockin' And Blues
Shoutin'! will be released on September 11th, and will be available
through Blue Witch Records.
- By Da Bookman
|
InABlueMood.Blogspot.com
(August 24, 2007) |
Congrats to 15 years
of The Rhythm Room: Phoenix’s Rhythm Room has developed a
reputation as a blues room, in part due to the efforts of Bob Corritore.
Blue Witch Records has issued a lively celebration of its 15 years,
House Rockin’ and Blues Shoutin’!, with 14 strong live performances for
the Rhythm Room’s stage. This is scheduled to be released in September,
2007. Its a nice range of performances that give an indication of the
breadth and eclecticism of real deal blues that play there, including
performances by the Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Manish Boys, Long John
Hunter, Floyd Dixon, Big Pete Pearson, Henry Gray, Sonny Rhodes, Paul
Oscher, Chief Shabuttie Gilliame with Johnny Dyer and Henry Gray, Robert
Lockwood, Jr., Louisiana Red, and Billy Boy Arnold. There are a number
of highlights here, and no poor tracks. The three Thunderbirds tracks
are each with different personnel supporting Kim Wilson, including Troy
Gonyea’s guitar backing him on Jimmy Rogers’ “Goin’ Away Baby”, and the
Little Walter-styled harp romp, “Horsin’ Around”, while Kid Ramos, Kirk
Fletcher and horns provide support for the New Orleans groove of “Rich
Woman”. Finis Tasby’s gravelly vocals graces The Manish Boys’ fine
“Lonesome Bedroom”, while Long John Hunter is heard solo on “Long John’s
Country Blues”. Piano blues fans will enjoy Floyd Dixon’s jumping
“Please Don’t Go”, while Henry Gray’s “Henry’s Houserocker” is a solid
shuffle with Kid Ramos’ guitar helping propel the boogie-woogie feature.
Sonny Rhodes, playing lap steel guitar, interprets one of the
lesser-known Elmore James numbers, “My Bleeding Heart”, while Paul
Oscher is marvelous on guitar, harp and vocals on “That’s It”. The
delightful performances come to a close with Billy Boy Arnold’s take on
an old Sonny Boy Williamson recording (which actually dates back to
pianist Charlie Spand), which is retitled and credited to Arnold, “Two
Drinks of Wine”. It is the same song Junior Wells did as “Early in the
Morning”. One can’t think of a better salute to this blues room than the
compilation of fine recordings here, and Blue Witch is to be thanked for
this collection. May the Rhythm Room celebrate another 15 years.
-By Ron
Weinstock
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (September 12, 2007) |
|
The 12-bar
blues best in a bar:
The best
blues is usually live blues, performed for an audience, where a musical
feedback loop of fans who appreciate the music and musicians who
appreciate the fans combine to produce great music for those of us who
weren't there.
One of the
best I've heard for a while is a CD of performances from 1997 to 2006 at
the Rhythm Room, a blues club in Phoenix, Ariz.
It's "House
Rockin' and Blues Shoutin'" (Blue Witch Records).
First, the
list of performers draws from a wide variety of blues styles, from
Robert Lockwood Jr. to the Fabulous Thunderbirds (not so great a
distance in blues miles, actually).
And by the
way, remind me someday to talk about Robert Lockwood, Jr. and Robert Jr.
Lockwood, as he was once known. I overheard someone at a concert
recently disparaging a performer who used the Robert Lockwood, Jr.
moniker.
But, as
often is the case, BlueNotes digresses. Back to the CD at hand.
Performers
like Louisiana Red, Floyd Dixon, Finis Tasby, Long John Hunter, Henry
Gray and many more make this a group of sparkling tracks. It had to be
easy to find 14 great tracks over ten years. On the other hand, if this
represents the quality of shows at the Rhythm Room, it sounds like my
blue heaven. And remember, the Arizona dry heat isn't really all that
hot.
Just for
example: "Lonesome Bedroom" by Finis Tasby and the Mannish Boys (love
that Muddy Waters reference) is crackling Chicago blues, "Long John's
Country Blues" by Long John Hunter is masterful dead-on down-home
acoustic work, Floyd Dixon's "Please Don't Go" is tasty horn-fueled jump
blues and elder-statesman piano-pounder Henry Gray and kid bluesman Kid
Ramos romp deliciously through "Henry's Houserocker." And check out
Chief Schabuttie Gilliame on "Monkey Meat" ("..don't let no woman put
sugar in your tea...") and then Lockwood's long, long instrumental intro
to the classic "C.C. Rider" -- not hard to understand why he was the
guitar wizard that he was.
There's not
a false note on this CD, and there's more fun than people should be
allowed to have when they have to pay for it.
-By Jim White
Phoenix New Times (September 20, 2007) |
|
Who'd've thunk it? Along with windy Chicago and verdant
Mississippi, Arizona is, in fact, a fertile environment for the blues.
The proof's in these two discs, with the commonality between them being
Bob Corritore, boss harmonica player and owner of Phoenix's Rhythm Room.
On Travelin' the Dirt Road, he co-leads a session with guitarist/singer
Dave Riley; on House Rockin' & Blues Shoutin,' a collection of 1997-2005
live performances from the Rhythm Room, he serves as producer. Dirt Road
captures the transitional period of Southern blues as it developed into
the electrified urban styles that impacted the genre as a whole and
eventually became a cornerstone of rock 'n' roll. Riley's down-home
lyrics and raspy, genial delivery represent the rural aspect of the
blues — on some songs, he sounds as if he could be performing on a back
porch (with bits of urban bravado slipping in). Corritore's amplified,
always-midnight harmonica echoes electric Chicago masters Little Walter
and Walter Horton, and has such a scorching, searing quality it could be
used to cauterize wounds. The production is bare-bones; you could almost
feel the spaces between the sounds. If you yearn for rootsy, no-frills
blues (with electricity), go no further: This is a winner.
House Rockin' spans not only years, but approaches to the blues
(leaning toward the modern, however). The spare, rural-based styles are
represented by stark solo performances from Long John Hunter and Robert
Lockwood Jr., while the contemporary bright lights/big city swagger
comes courtesy of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and the Mannish Boys
(featuring vocal ace Finis Tasby). For undulating boogie-woogie, there's
Henry Gray with dandy jazz-tinged guitar from Kid Ramos, and for
stately, emotive ache, Big Pete Pearson and Billy Boy Arnold. Dive in.
-By
Mark Keresman
Baltimore Blues Society's Bluesrag
(September 2007) |
|
Unfortunately, The
Rhythm Room offers little in the relief from the nuclear Arizona sun.
That’s because the performances inside the Phoenix club often blister
with the same intense heat as the desert swelter outside of the
air-conditioned blues oasis. From the harp-blazing Fabulous Thunderbirds
to a white-hot merger of Finis Tasby with the Mannish Boys, this
compilation celebrates the Room’s ongoing 15-year legacy of being a
nightly source of House Rockin’ And Blues Shoutin’!. And since
the blues are a dish best served live, prepare for a 14-course feast of
string benders, piano pounders, harmonicats, and big, bad singers. They
cover the map and provide a swatch of who’s been on the road over the
past six years (aside from 1997’s growl-and-glide treatment of “My
Bleeding Heart” by the lap-steeling Sonny Rhodes). The Chicago winds
blow in Howlin’ Wolf’s piano kingpin Henry Gray, the harp-squeaking
Billy Boy Arnold, and a solo Robert Jr. Lockwood. West Coaster Floyd
Dixon jumps and swings all over the sax-blasted “Please Don’t Go” to
offset Texas axeman Long John Hunter, who ruminates all alone and all
electrified. And the hometown’s resident heroes demonstrate how the
human voice is every bit a blues instrument. With The Rhythm Room
All-Stars in tow, shouter Big Pete Pearson breaks on through “That’s All
Right” with a holler that’s as deep as wide, while Chief Schabuttie
Gilliame instead dips way down into the gutbucket in order to rasp out
“Monkey Meat” through a throat full of razors. Kid Ramos, Louisiana Red,
and Paul Oscher resoundingly complete the marquee.
-By
Dennis Rozanski
Magic City Blues News (October 2007) |
|
Well Blues is this and
Blues is that, but one thing most of all, playing and listening to the
Blues should be fun and fun is what you get on this compilation CD,
celebrating the best of The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, AZ. No player of the
Blues, even if steeped in pain, started playing music to increase their
pain (except maybe in their fingers). They played because it was fun and
lots of folks wanted to hear it. The good times ooze out of this
recording just like your little bad self was there while it was
happening. Capturing the good times during a nine year span, The
Fabulous Thunderbirds, Floyd Dixon, Big Pete Pearson, Sonny Rhodes,
Robert Lockwood Jr., Paul Oscher, Louisiana Red, Henry Gray & Kid Ramos,
Mannish Boys w/ Finis Tasby, Long John Hunter, Billy Boy Arnold and
Chief Schabuttie Gilliame w/ Johnny Dyer all make up this live album
that showcases great Blues artists in an atmosphere of true appreciation
and jubilation. The 14 track album consists of highlight performances
recorded at the club between 1997 and 2006. The album was produced by
the harmonica player / club owner, Bob Corritore. So the next time you
feel a party coming on, check this CD out and get YOUR house rockin’!
-By
Carolyn Pocus
Maine Blues Society Newsletter (Sep/Oct 2007) |
|
Phoenix-based Blue Witch Records has just released two new discs, the
first a wonderful collection of live performances at the famed Rhythm
Room in Phoenix. Club owner Bob Corritore, a producer, harmonica master
and radio show host has assembled a selection of great live songs from
artists like The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Finis
Tasby, Henry Gray, Floyd Dixon and many other stars.
-By
Phil Whipple
Living Blues (Issue #192, Vol. 38 #5) |
|
This CD
draws from fourteen performances over a six-year period at the Phoenix
nightclub the Rhythm Room, which has been host to many great blues and
roots performers over the last several years. House Rockin’ And Blues
Shoutin’ captures some of the best moments of the recent past.
The
Fabulous Thunderbirds, with Kim Wilson fronting the band, make three
appearances on this release, kicking it off with Goin’ Away Baby
and then returning later with Rich Woman and Horsin’ Around.
The
listener encounters some pretty abrupt transitions here, such as the
jump from the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ high-energy opener to Finis Tasby,
and then to Long John Hunter’s Country Blues and Floyd Dixon’s
swinging rendition of Please Don’t Go. But it is just that
eclectic nature that makes this an engaging recording.
Henry
Gray and Kid Ramos drop by to add some serious barrelhouse rocking to
Henry’s Houserocker. Also notable is a rare stateside appearance by
Louisiana Red in 2005 doing Time Will Tell.
Further
contributions by Paul Oscher, Sonny Rhodes, Robert Lockwood, and Billy
Boy Arnold are offered up here, further demonstrating the importance of
the Rhythm Room in keeping live blues going out West. With solid
production quality, House Rockin’ And Blues Shoutin’ does justice
to the performances captured here.
-By
Dave Ruthenberg
The Scene (September 2007) |
|
To
celebrate the 15 anniversary of the Rhythm Room, club owner and CD
co-producer Bob Corritore presents highlights of performances recorded
at the club between1997 and 2006. Songs chosen from a ten-year period of
concerts ought to guarantee a certain level of ability and presentation
on the get-go and it's great to report that this album always rises up
to it, sometimes well above it. Further, the selections are a good mix
of styles across the spectrum of the genre. The disc opens with the
Fabulous Thunderbirds doing a Muddy Waters style, up tempo arrangement
of Jimmy Rogers' seminal classic, "Goin' Away Baby." Kim Wilson's
infectious harmonica drives the song; he does boss vocals as well. The
unusual rhythm and fine horn arrangement of the T-Bird's cover of Canned
Heat's "Rich Woman" is an R&B classic and a swing dancer's dream. Kim
Wilson puts on a jump-blues harmonica clinic on his original, "Horsin"
Around." Long John Hunter's original, "Long John's Country Blues"
features his grand guitar riffs and top-notch vocals. This fine song
typifies the slow, traditional style of early blues recordings. Big Pete
Pearson's lays down a great dose of slow urban blues on his cover of
Jimmy Roger's "That's All Right." Club owner/producer Bob Corritore
moves the song along with some dandy harmonica. Among Chicago's blues
piano elite during the '50s, Henry Gray teams with super guitarist Kid
Ramos on the blowout original instrumental, "Henry's Houserocker." Sonny
Rhodes' slow blues gut ripper, "My Bleeding Heart," features his
outstanding slide on the lap steel guitar. Blues legend Robert Lockwood,
Jr. plays tasty guitar and sings oh-so-sweet on his rich, mellow version
of the timeless American folk blues song, "C. C. Rider." On the slow
acoustic blues tune, "Time Will Tell," award winning traditional blues
artist Louisiana Red is at his best as a sterling guitarist and
vocalist. This disc is a gratifying release, a fine addition to the
collection of any blues lover and a great introduction to the blues for
first time listeners. Highest recommendation
-By Jim
Shortt
Supporting The
Blues on MySpace.com (August 29, 2007) |
|
Blue
Witch Records' House Rockin' and Blues Shoutin'! celebrates the
15th Anniversary of Phoenix's legendary The Rhythm Room and its rich
musical legacy. First opened in 1991, the club has offered stellar
performances of tried and true greats like Floyd Dixon, Robert Lockwood
Jr., Louisiana Red, Sonny Rhodes, Henry Gray, Billy Boy Arnold and Paul
Oscher, as well as being the home of the legendary Big Pete Pearson,
Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, The Rhythm Room All-Stars, and club owner,
producer, and blues harmonica great Bob Corritore. The Rhythm Room also
gives voice to equally great contemporary blues artists like The Mannish
Boys featuring Finis Tasby, Johnny Dyer, Kid Ramos, The Fabulous
Thunderbirds and Long John Hunter, just to name a few.
Over
the course of this great disc, you'll be treated to incendiary
performances from an array of blues greats recorded between 1997 and
2006. It's always a joy to hear the likes of Floyd Dixon, who lights up
the real gone R&B belter "Please Don't Go", a masterful "Two Drinks of
Wine" from harp wizard Billy Boy Arnold, superb lap steel guitar from
Sonny Rhodes on a scorching cover of Elmore James' "My Bleeding Heart",
along with three superb cuts from the Fabulous Thunderbirds, who
contribute the mighty "Horsin' Around", along with the South Louisiana
R&B workout "Rich Girl", and a stomping cover of Jimmy Rogers' classic
"Going Away Baby".
Other
highlights here include the Chicago Blues shuffle, "Henry's Houserocker",
from veteran pianist Henry Gray, along with a fine solo "Long John's
Country Blues" from Texas legend Long John Hunter that is one of the
biggest suprises on this fabulous collection. Veteran Muddy Waters band
harpman Paul Oscher contributes a mesmerizing "That's It", displaying
his fine guitar and harp, while The Mannish Boys featuring Finnis Tasby
deliver the incredible "Lonesome Bedroom".
Co-produced by Corritore and Clarke Rigsby and featuring excellent
sound, House Rockin' and Blues Shoutin'! is a scorching
collection that makes for a fine overview of the U.S. Blues scene of the
past 15 years.
–By Rob
Lehrian
Jazz & Blues Report
(October 2007) |
|
It stands to reason that the better music venues around would be
run by musicians and from the vibes given off by this collection,
harmonica player Bob Corritore runs one of the Southwest’s best blues
rooms. House Rockin’ and Blues Shoutin’! features in-person performance
from Phoenix’s Rhythm Room. The acts include the late Robert Lockwood
Jr., Floyd Dixon, Billy Boy Arnold. Louisiana Red, the Fabulous
Thunderbirds and Long John Hunter. The moods range from laid-back solo
sets to bust out band romps and the crowd responses suggest that this is
a joint a blues fan should not pass by when in Phoenix. Standout work
includes that from Mannish Boys lead singer Finis Tasby and the
Southwest’s best-kept secret, vocal powerhouse Big Pete Pearson. Further
info can be found at
www.bluewitchrecords.com.
-By Duane Verh
Juke Joint Blues & Soul
(France) (August 2007) |
|
le
label de
Bob Corritore nous gâte avec 2
compacts qui méritent toute notre attention. Attendue depuis longtemps,
la session avec
Dave Riley voit enfin le jour et
sera disponible des ce mois de Septembre , dans la même fournée est
disponible un CD qui rassemble des enregistrements effectués dans le
club
The Rhythm Room qui appartient à
l'ami Bob avec comme toujours, un casting époustouflant. De la belle
musique comme on aime qui nous fera sagement patienter la venue de Bob
et celle de
Big Pete Pearson à l'occasion du
Blues
Festival de Lucerne en Novembre
prochain.
-By Jean Luc Vabres
|
Smoky
Mountain Blues News (October 26, 2007)
|
|
House Rockin’ & Blues Shoutin’ – Celebrating 15 years at The
Rhythm Room on Blue Witch Records is killer! There are 14 of the
strongest cuts available on here with some blues luminaries that are
hard to match. Go to
www.bluewitchrecords.com to check
it out. I don’t know where to start so I’ll just jump in with the
opening cut. “Goin’ Away Baby” by the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Kim Wilson
and the boys just tear it up. A 5:00 blues trip from the Thunderbirds.
Next is “Lonesome Bedroom” by the Mannish Boys with Finis Tasby. Blazing
guitar, hot rhythms, vocals from the “old school”. Just great. Cut #3 is
Long John Hunter doing “Long John’s Country Blues”. This one may be my
favorite. Country blues, electric style, live with crowd noise, the real
thing. Just wonderful. Long John will drag the blood right out of ya’.
Oh yea. Next is Floyd Dixon doing “Please Don’t Go”. Floyd on piano and
vocals, Kid Ramos on guitar, and a backup horn section. Oh yea, Larry
Taylor on bass. The real stuff here. So fine. Next is Big Pete Pearson &
The Rhythm Room All-Stars doing “That’s All Right”. Real blues vocals,
fine harmonica, a slow blues groover. Whew. Henry Gray & Kid Ramos do
“Henry’s Houserocker” next. Boogie woogie piano at its best with Ramos
on guitar, Steve Cushing on drums. A real toe tapper. Where’s Otis
Spann? He’d love this one...me too. Next, we have another Fabulous
Thunderbirds piece called “Rich Woman”. Kim Wilson on vocals, a huge
band piece with three horns, piano, drums, bass, Ramos and Kirk Fletcher
on guitar. What about that slinky horn section? Yea, I thought so. Sonny
Rhodes is next with “My Bleeding Heart”. Sonny Rhodes is a lap steel
player. Man is he ever! This is a slow blues and it does what a slow
blues should do. Pulls you in to the center and before you know it
you’re in the band too. Thanks guys. Paul Oscher, harp and guitar Icon
plays “That’s It.” Not too many guys on planet earth can do them both at
the same time this good. You will be amazed! Chief Schabuttie Gilliame
with Johnny Dyer and Henry Gray spend over six minutes playing “Monkey
Meat”. Killer blues song here with Dyer on harp, Henry on Piano and the
Chief on vocals. Don’t let no woman put no sugar in your tea. Track #11
is the venerable, greatly missed, and wonderful human being Robert
Lockwood Jr. doing “C.C. Rider” on his acoustic guitar. You can listen
to him and know he learned a few things from Robert Johnson. I can just
see the audience in the palm of his hand on this cut. Way, way, good for
the Soul. Next is the Fabulous Thunderbirds with “Horsin’ Around”. Kim
Wilson does his harp thing and is just mopping up the floor after
slaying the people with his licks and chops. Really something. Louisiana
Red next does “Time Will Tell”. I really like Louisiana Red and wish he
would stop by my house and play a few hours. He just seems to be one of
those special guys. Here he does a fine slow blues piece that causes
your heart to beat slower. I like the speed of this song. Or maybe I
should say, the lack of speed. He has all day to do this one, and it’s
worth it. Time will tell, I’ll make it there some day. My kind of blues
here. Now the last cut is Billy Boy Arnold playing “Two Drinks of Wine”.
Billy Boy does vocals and plays harp here with an old favorite. Come see
me late in the evening, after the sun has gone down. You know I’m just a
stranger, I just got in your town. Now pay attention here. This is a
most wonderful CD. As good a compilation as I have ever heard. Go out
and get this one. Put it on the player and just lay back. It will work
over any blues occasion, and the later the day, the better it sounds. I
told you so, and I won’t lie.
-One love, Blue Barry
|
Dr. Blues
CD Reviews (November 26, 2007)
|
|
Phoenix, AZ
has a home for the blues and the Rhythm Room is it. Over the past 15
years, every great player to cross the Southwest has made it to this
stage. Powered by the insatiable blues energy of Bob Corritore, the Fab
T’s, Long John Hunter, Sonny Rhodes, Paul Oscher, Robert Lockwood Jr.,
Louisiana Red, and Billy Boy Arnold have torn it up and ripped it down,
bringing down home to downtown. Backed by an active blues community,
these shows demonstrate what can happen when cohesive and like minded
people work together. From the sheer historical aspects, almost every
shade of blues vibrates with azurous intensity from electric Chicago and
West Coast swing to Texas boogie and Memphis grind. There’s something
cerulean, indigo and aquamarine for everyone. The hottest cuts from the
desert include Floyd Dixon’s swinging “Please Don’t Go” and some of
Henry Gray’s cooking boogie piano and the axe of Kid Ramos in “Henry’s
Houserocker”. Kim Wilson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds destroy a whole
stable of Hohner’s best in “Horsin’ Around” and Billy Boy Arnold ends it
with “Two Drinks of Wine”. This is some tasty stuff««««
-By Mark Gretzer
|
Blues
Source (November 2007)
|
|
Featuring 14 tracks cut
live at the venerable Phoenix blues institution, the Rhythm Room,
between 1997 and 2006 this disc is a cornucopia of delights for blues
fans. While The Fabulous Thunderbirds step into the spotlight on three
of the fourteen tracks this release is not limited to their rocking
style of the blues and features nods to enough different blues styles to
have something for almost any blues fan. The Mannish Boys give a lesson
in hard slashing guitar oriented blues on “Lonesome Bedroom” while Long
John Hunter digs deep into classic delta blues with “Long John’s Country
Blues”. Elsewhere, as on Floyd Dixon’s “Please Don’t Go” and on Henry
Gray’s “Henry’s Houserocker”, listeners are treated to greasy horns and
rollicking piano. Those looking for the sweet, yet stinging, sound of
the steel guitar will find comfort in Sonny Rhodes’ “My Bleeding Heart”
while those with blues tastes that stop off at Chicago’s south side
blues bars will find a fellow traveler in Louisiana Red as he works his
way through “Time Will Tell”. As befitting club owner Corritore’s jones
for the harmonica (he’s an accomplished player in his own right as
evidenced on “That’s All Right”), a number of the tracks feature ample
doses of the “Mississippi Saxophone” compliments of Kim Wilson of the
T-Birds on “Goin’ Away Baby” and “Horsin’ Around”, Paul Oscher on
“That’s It”, Billy Boy Arnold on “Two Drinks of Wine” and Johnny Dyer on
“Monkey Meat”. While there is certainly nothing groundbreaking here,
this disc serves as a reminder that when it comes to the blues you don’t
have to lay down a hundred bucks to get a good night of live music. If
you can’t make it to Phoenix for a night at the Rhythm Room this is the
next best thing.
-By
Mark Smith
|
MazzMusikaS Free-zine
(Netherlands) (11/05/07)
|
|
Bob Corritore’s Rhythm Room
in Phoenix, Arizona, is op amper tien jaar tijd uitgegroeid tot één van
de belangrijkste bluesclubs in de States en dit verzamelcd’tje met live
opnamen moet daar het bewijs van leveren. De makers concentreerden zich
vooral op de jaren na de eeuwwisseling met enkel één uitzondering; Sonny
Rhodes (’97) die een sterk My Bleeding Heart neerzet. Verder is
het mengeling van ouderwets en hedendaags met namen zoals The Fabulous
Thunderbirds (drie maal in twee verschillende bezettingen) en The
Mannish Boys (Kid Ramos staat op scherp in Lonesome Bedroom), een
intieme Robert Lockwood Jr., Floyd Dixon, Henry Gray (rockend met alweer
de Kid), Billy Boy Arnold en Louisiana Red. Naast al deze bekende namen
ook nog twee minder in het oor klinkende mensen zoals Big Pete Pearson
met een gedegen That’s All Right en Chief Schabuttie die in het
gezelschap van Johnny Dyer en Henry Gray een stevig stuk Monkey Meat
afbijt. Een onontbeerlijk cd’tje kan dit zeker niet genoemd worden maar
in al z’n variatie aan stijlen luistert het wel lekker weg en het is
zonder meer een prima staalkaart van wat die club zoal te bieden heeft.
(MN)
|
Virus de Blues
(France) (November 2007)
|
|
Bob Corritore nous refait le coup de la compil all star,
et on l'en remercie, en applaudissant des deux mains (plus facile à
faire qu'avec une seule) par dessus le marché. Parce que c'est le genre
de chose que l'homme sait faire. Bien sûr, il partage le mérite avec
tous les artistes venus enregistrer live entre 1997 et 2006 au Rhytm
Room, son club de Phoenix, Arizona, pour finir sur ce CD qui célèbre les
15 ans de l'endroit. Ça commence fort avec les T-Birds, avec Troy Gonyea
à la guitare, puis ce sont les Mannish Boys avec Finis Tasby en leader,
suivis de Long John Hunter seul avec sa guitare (que devient-il ?), le
regretté Floyd Dixon avec la crème de l'écurie Delta Groove augmentée
d'une superbe section de cuivres, Big Pete Pearson accompagné du Rhythm
Room All-Stars dont Corritore lui-même à l'harmonica, puis Henry Gray et
Kid Ramos s'associent le temps d'un instrumental avant que ne reviennent
les Fabulous Thunderbirds, cette fois avec Ramos et Fletcher aux
guitares et deux sax dont Doug "Mr Low" James, avant que Sonny Rhodes
n'invite Leon Blue. Paul Oscher nous la joue solo, puis c'est Chief
Schabuttie Guilliame qui récupère Gray au piano, suivi de feu Robert
Lockwood Jr en solo qui précède les T-Birds version Gonyea à nouveau.
Louisiana Red en petit combo leur succède avant de céder la place à
Billy Boy Arnold aidé d'une formation un peu plus étoffée. Bref que du
beau linge ! Tout le monde s'en donne à cœur joie pour le plus grand
plaisir du public d'abord, du possesseur du CD ensuite. Y'a pas, le
blues est bien vivant à Phoenix, et le Rhythm Room de Bob Corritore n'y
est pas pour rien. -René Malines
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back to Review Index
|
