Louisiana Red & Bob Corritore – Tell Me 'Bout It

05-03-2022

Bob Corritore is an American harmonica player who was born on September 27, 1956 in Chicago. His life changed forever when he first heard Muddy Waters on the radio at the age of twelve. In less than a year he learned to play the harmonica. Bob contacted the great harpists, such as Big Walter Horton, Little Mack Simmons, Louis Myers, Junior Wells, Big John Wrencher and Carey Bell. They gave him many harmonica tips and encouragement. In 1981 Bob moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where in 1986 he began collaborating with former Howlin' Wolf drummer Chico Chism. That collaboration lasted twenty years, until Chico passed away in 2007. In 1991 Bob opened the now famous blues & roots club, The Rhythm Room and in 1999 he released his debut album 'All-Star Blues Sessions'. In 2005 Bob brought the Rhythm Room All-Stars, with Big Pete Pearson, to the Marco Fiume Blues Passions Festival in Italy. This created a lot of European interest in Bob Corritore's fiery harmonica playing. In 2007 Bob received a Keeping The Blues Alive Award from the Blues Foundation. That same year, Travelin' The Dirt Road, a collaboration with Dave Riley, was nominated for a Blues Music Award. In 2011, Bob Corritore & Friends' album 'Harmonica Blues' won a Blues Music Award for Best Historical Blues Release. In 2013, 'Ain't Nothing You Can Do', the brilliant collaboration with John Primer, was voted Best Blues Album Of 2013 by the German Blues News Magazine. A year later, Corritore also received a Blues 411 Jimi Award for Best Harmonica Player. In May 2020, 'The Gypsy Woman Told Me', the third collaboration between Bob Corritore and John Primer, was released. In the fall of 2020, three more albums by Bob Corritore were released in the 'From The Vault Series' series. Bob Corritore also invited a whole series of guests on his 2021 album 'Spider In My Stew'. Sugaray Rayford, Lurrie Bell, John Primer, Alabama Mike, Diunna Greenleaf, Francine Reed, Johnny Rawls, Oscar Wilson, Willie Buch, Bill & Shy Perry, Bob Stroger, Bob Margolin, Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, Johnny Main, Jimi Smith and Adrianna Marie are a few of them. Louisiana Red is the stage name of Iverson Minter, who was born on March 23, 1932 in Bessemer, Alabama. He died on February 25, 2012 in Hanover, Germany. He was a singer/songwriter, blues guitarist and harmonica player. Iverson lost both parents at a young age. His mother died shortly after his birth from pneumonia and his father was lynched by the Ku Klux Klan in 1937. Louisiana Red was already recording for Chess Records in the late 1940s. Then he had to go to the army where he was trained as a paratrooper and in 1951 had to go to Korea. After the Army, Red spent two years with John Lee Hooker in the late 1950s. In 1963 Louisiana Red released his debut album 'Lowdown Back Porch Blues'. During the 1960s and 1970s, he had a busy recording schedule, working as a session musician for Chess Records, Checker Records, Atlas Records, Glover, Roulette Records, L&R and Tomato. In 1983 he won a W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Male Artist'. He lived in Hanover, Germany from 1981. Louisiana Red recorded more than fifty albums and he is best known for the song 'Sweet Blood Call'. In Bob Corritore's 'From The Vaults' series, Louisiana Red and Bob Corritore's 'Tell Me 'Bout It' appeared on February 18, 2022. There are eleven songs on the album, of which Louisiana Red wrote nine. All songs on the album were recorded between 2000 and 2009. The album opens with the languid Chicago blues shuffle 'Mary Dee Shuffle'. It is one of two songs not written by Iverson Minter, but by Dora Minter, Iverson's last wife. Drummer Brian Fahey and bassist Mario Moreno provide the languid driving groove and pianist Matt Bishop knows how to weave his piano sounds into the melody. The wonderful guitar work comes from Buddy Reed and Bob Corritore shines on the harmonica. Louisiana Red sings with his raw and lived-in voice that he spends a lot of time with Mary Dee in a New Jersey drinking establishment. Louisiana Red's weathered and raw blues voice comes into its own even better in the Delta blues song 'Early Morning Blues'. It is one of the few songs on this album that has never been released. The great slide work of guitarist Louisiana Red and the fantastic harmonica work of Corritore provide the few, but oh so beautiful instrumental accompaniment. Trains and travel are central to many of Louisiana Red's songs. The steamroller 'Alabama Train' is a wonderful example of this. Harmonica virtuoso Bob Corritore is present throughout the song with his fantastic ripping sounds from his small wind instrument. David Maxwell and Little Victor take care of the piano and guitar work and the rhythm section here consists of drummer Alex Pettersen and bassist Billy Troiani. 'Alabama Train' is one of the highlights on this album. Muddy Waters was one of Louisiana Red's great examples and you can hear that in the flowing Chicago blues song 'Caught Your Man And Gone'. Bassist Paul Thomas and drummer Chico Chism provide a wonderful groove and Corritore eagerly scatters the entire song with strong harmonica riffs. The recurring guitar riff comes from Johnny Rapp. Buddy Reed once again shows his class as a guitarist in the slower and compelling blues song 'New Jersey Blues'. It is again sung with great emotion and passion by Louisiana Red and Corritore also shines again with great blowing and suction on his blues harp. The train is once again the subject of the searing blues song 'Freight Train To Ride', in which Louisiana Red lets its listeners enjoy the life of a blues musician on the road. Chico Chism on drums and Paul Thomas on bass provide the driving groove. Louisiana Red lets his bottleneck slide over the strings on the neck of his six-string in a soulful way and of course Corritore's fantastic harmonica work is also explicitly present in this song. In 'Freight Train To Ride' we recognize many Elmore James influences. The second song written by Louisiana Red's last wife Dora is the title track 'Tell Me 'Bout It', in which Louisiana tells of a bad experience, because one of his sweethearts stole all his money. The musicians differ from song to song. The rhythm section in 'Tell Me 'Bout It' consists of drummer Brian Fahey and bassist Patrick Rynn and keyboardist Don Maxwell is back on the piano. 'Earline Who's Been Foolin' You' is an excellent up-tempo blues song with Rob Corritore who evokes memories of Junior Wells on the blues harp. Blues veteran Louisiana Red knows how to sing the love song 'Edith May' with great passion and conviction. In between he, together with guitarist Bob Margolin, throws around with excellent slide riffs. Chicago blues aficionados will be delighted with 'Bessemer Blues', in which Corritore is expressly and excellently present throughout the song with fantastic harmonica work. The great guitar work and the beautiful string solo come from Buddy Reed and Louisiana Red. The album closes with 'Bernice Blues', a Chicago blues ballad, in which Louisiana Red's voice comes into its own. This time too, Bob Corritore has once again made an excellent selection of the recordings he made with Louisiana Red. Lovers of the blues and harmonica will definitely enjoy "Tell Me 'Bout It" by Louisiana Red & Bob Corritore. It is another nice addition to the 'From The Vaults' series.

01. Mary Dee Shuffle

02. Early Morning Blues

03. Alabama Train

04. Caught Your Man And Gone

05. New Jersey Blues

06. Freight Train To Ride

07. Tell Me 'Bout It

08. Earline Who's Been Foolin' You

09. Edith Mae

10. Bessemer Blues

11. Bernice Blues

Louisiana Red - Vocals and Guitar