Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, High Rise Blues from Bob Corritore & Friends and I really like it. Opening with Last Time featuring Jimmy Rogers on vocal and guitar, this band is in the groove. With Chico Chism on drums, SE Willis on piano, Johnny Rapp on guitar, Bruce Lopez on bass and Bob Corritore on harmonica, this is a solid opener. Title track, High Rise Blues , features Chism on vocal and he does a great job.  Rapp is joined by Luther Tucker who rips some great guitar riffs backed by Gordo Moraga on bass and Chism on drums. Chicago blues, Honey Where You Going has a great feel with Corritore upfront on harmonica joined by Sam Lay on vocal and drums. Rapp and Chris James on guitar Patrick Rynn on bass round on this great track. Pinetop Perkins is featured on vocal and piano leading Grinder Man . His quiet yet firm vocal style provides great balance for his deliberate piano style and Corritore gets the harmonica humming on this one. W...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Women In Blues Showcase by Bob Corritor e and there are some real gems here. Opening with You're Gonna Be Sorry , Barbara Lynn on vocal and guitar is joined by Corritore on harmonica, Maxine Johnson and Laydee Jai on backing vocal, and Bill Tarsha on drums. A cool, early blues rock sound makes this an excellent opener. One of my favorite tracks on the release is soulful, I Just Need A Friend, by Carol Fran . Johnny Rapp on guitar, Paul Thomas on bass, and Chico Chism on drums really support this excellent vocal track perfectly. Koko Taylor is front and center on What Kind of Man Is This with great Chicago swagger. Joined by Bob Margolin on guitar, Frank Krakowski on guitar, Bob Stroger on bass, Adriana Marie on bass and Willie Big Eyes Smith on drums, a real cool track. Shy Perry does a great job  belting out Dixon's Wang Dang Doodle with Corritore on harmonica and Brian Fahey on drums. Diunna Greenleaf ...

Here's the latest VizzTone news blast.  There's been a lot happening, so it's a long one!  To make it easier to navigate, here's a little Table of Contents. Read on for: BLUES MUSIC AWARDS BLUES PARTY ON BEALE AWARD SEASON AGAIN!    COMING SOON SNEAK PEEK - NEW VIZZTONE ARTISTS! ARTIST NOTES VIZZABLE MUSIC WELCOME TO THE VIZZTONE ROOM   BLUES MUSIC AWARDS     We had a natural ball in Memphis last month, as expected.  We were proud to root for all our nominees at the Blues Music Awards, and thrilled to see Diunna Greenleaf accept the Koko Taylor Award , Traditional Blues Female Artist .  We watched great performances by Little G Weevil , Gracie Curran , and Bob Margolin (performing on the eve of his birthday with Ronnie Earl.) Here are a few pics. Diunna Greenleaf accepting her long-overdue Koko Taylor Award!  (photo by Louis Blackwell) Bob Margol...

I have just received a copy of Maria Muldaur 's newest release, ... First Came Memphis Minnie (available October 9, 2012). Muldaur has elnisted a virtual who's who of blues royalty including Rory Blck, Ruthie Foster, Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow, Koko Taylor, Del Rey, David Bromberg, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Roy Rogers, Steve James and Steve Freund . First up is Me And My Chauffeur Blues with Muldaur on vocals and Roy Rogers on guitar. This is a really nice cover and one of Minnie's gems. Bonnie Raitt and Freund do a great version of Ain't Nothin' In Ramblin' . On I'm Goin' Back Home , Muldair teams up with Alvin Youngblood Hart for a very classic sounding duet. (Certainly one of my favorites tracks on the release). I'm Sailin' featuring Muldaur on vocals with Del Rey and Steve James on guitars shows Muladur's voice at it's best. Rory Block takes the lead on When You Love Me both on vocals and guitars. Long As I Can See You Smile , agai...

Koko Taylor sometimes spelled KoKo Taylor (September 28, 1928 – June 3, 2009) was an American Chicago blues musician, popularly known as the "Queen of the Blues." She was known primarily for her rough, powerful vocals and traditional blues stylings. Born Cora Walton in Shelby County, Tennessee, Taylor was the daughter of a sharecropper. She left Memphis for Chicago, Illinois in 1952 with her husband, truck driver Robert "Pops" Taylor. In the late 1950s she began singing in Chicago blues clubs. She was spotted by Willie Dixon in 1962, and this led to wider performances and her first recording contract. In 1965, Taylor was signed by Chess Records where she recorded "Wang Dang Doodle," a song written by Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf five years earlier. The song became a hit, reaching number four on the R&B charts in 1966, and selling a million copies. Taylor recorded several versions of "Wang Dang Doodle" over the years, including a l...

Believe me, Koko Taylor and Little Walter GOT THE BLUES! Yes...that's Hound Dog Taylor on guitar! Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE