Review: Willie Buck & Bob Corritore – Oh Yeah!
Willie Buck & Bob Corritore – Oh Yeah!
Format: CD – Digital / Label: Vizztone Label Group
Release: 2025
Text: Bert van Kessel
Harmonica ace Bob Corritore has certainly earned his spurs in the American Blues Scene, In his hometown of Phoenix Arizona he has been running a record label, a studio and a blues club for many years now. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the blues.
Also for quite a few years this blues-jack-of-all-trades has been inviting legendary blue masters to his blues club . He invariably invites these blues icons into his studio and this way he has created a great series called “From The Vaults”; this wonderful album with renowned vocalist Willie Buck is the latest instalment in this series .At the respectable age of 87 Willie still belts out his vocals with passion and conviction, just as he did in the fifties working with Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Willie Buck and Bob Corritore have collaborated on and off for nearly five decades now; they are true ambassadors of the classic Chicago blues sound. The album was recorded and co-produced by Clarke Rigsby at Tempest Recording in Tempe, Arizona. The star-studded core band includes Willie Buck on vocals; Bob Corritore on harmonica; guitarists Bob Margolin, Jimi ”Primetime” Smith and Billy Flynn, plus excelling pianists Anthony Geraci and Ben Levin. Willie Buck penned five of the ten tracks himself and they fit seamlessly among the other classics.
The opener and title track track was written by Bo Diddley and takes us straight into a classic Chicago blues club. it is followed by Muddy Waters’ She’s Alright with Margolin excelling on guitar.
The slowly rocking That Ain’t Enough” is the first self-penned track, it is hot-blooded, with searing lead guitar work and wailing harp. This is definitely classic Chicago blues, with Willie Buck singing full throttle confidently. The spirited backing band really lets loose on this one.
Brand New Cell Phone is not a blues classic as you might have inferred from its title . It is a Willie Buck original ánd a classic in the making. Went Home This Mornin features Bob Corritore impressively hitting some mighty fine high notes. Baby Please Don’t Go is the Muddy Waters classic and gets an exceptionally lively rendition.
The closing track, the lowdown Let Me Find Out Your Name, is another masterful specimen of true Chicago blues, tough, pure and joyful. It lays down an exciting, stomping rhythm with Willie Buck blossoming out as a true blues shouter.
The album’s closer and longest track, Let Me Find Out Your Name slows the tempo way down, giving the players ample opportunity to demonstrate their skills on their respective instruments. This buoyant track makes clear that Buck and the players were having a great time recording these tunes.
When it comes to authentic Chicago blues with drive and passion, this fine album is the real deal.
Tracks:
01. Oh Yeah!
02. She’s Allright
03. That Ain’t Enough
04. Brand New Cell Phone
05. Money Can’t Buy Everything
06. Went Home This Morning
07. She Turned Me Down
08. Baby Please Don’t Go
09. Me And My Baby
10. Let Me Find Out Your Name
Line-up:
Willie Buck: Zang
Bob Corritore: Harmonica
Bob Margolin: Guitar (2,3,4,7,8,9)
Jimi Primetime Smith: Guitar (all songs except 6)
Billy Flynn: Guitar (1,5,10)
Mojo Mark Cihlar: Guitar (6)
Jon Atkinson: Guitar (6)
Anthony Geraci: Piano (4,7,9)
Ben Levin: Piano (1,2,3,5,8,10)
Bob Stroger: Bass (all songs except 6)
Troy Sandow: Bas (6)
Wes Star: Drums (all songs except 6)
Brian Fahey: Drums (6)
Website:
http://www.williebuck.8m.net/
https://bobcorritore.com/