Willie Buck & Bob Corritore – Oh Yeah!
Vizztone Label Group/SWMAF Records – 2025
10 tracks: 39 minutes
Chicago blues legend Willie Buck teams up with harmonica heavyweight Bob Corritore to bring new excitement to those blues classics that once emanated from inside clubs and on the streets of Chicago, Illinois. Oh Yeah! is the latest release from Corritore’s “From the Vaults” series, described as “Historic blues recordings from Bob’s vast archives!”
According to the album’s one-pager, Buck and Corritore are true ambassadors of (that) classic Chicago blues sound. Their musical relationship began in the late 1970s when Buck invited Corritore to join his band. They’ve remained close friends and perform together each year. Oh Yeah! exemplifies their shared mission of delivering old school Chicago blues as it’s meant to be played.
Willie Buck (William Crawford) was born and raised in Mississippi and drawn to the blues after hearing B.B. King and Muddy Waters. He moved to Chicago in the early 1950s and became a part of the Maxwell Street blues scene and remains a mainstay of Windy City blues to this day. According to his online bio, Buck is known for his powerful vocals delivered with raw, gut-wrenching intensity.
While Buck still lives in Chicago, Bob Corritore relocated to Arizona years ago, where—according to his website—he formed the Southwest Musical Arts Foundation (in 2000), hosts the popular radio show “Those Lowdown Blues,” owns the Rhythm Room (in Phoenix), and is both a Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) award recipient and Blues Music Award (BMA) winner (2011), along with receiving many other awards and professional recognition.
Buck’s passionately gritty vocals combined with Corritore’s savvy no nonsense harmonica style are an absolute joy on Oh Yeah!
Joining Buck and Corritore on this album are a Who’s Who of blues musicians, including: Bob Margolin on guitar, Jimi “Primetime” Smith (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Mojo Mark Cihlar (guitar), Jon Atkinson (guitar), Anthony Geraci (piano), Ben Levin (piano), living legend Bob Stroger (bass), Troy Sandow (bass), Wes Starr(drums), and Brian Fahey (drums).
Oh Yeah! was produced by Corritore, Clarke Rigsby, Kid Andersen, and John Wroble at Tempest Recording in Tempe, Arizona, where Rigsby handled the recording while Wroble did all post-production work at Porcupine Productions in nearby Chandler, Arizona.
The album kicks off with the title track, an old Bo Diddley hit, and Buck and Corritore get right to it with Corritore’s dynamic harp playing and Buck’s commanding vocals. “She’s Alright” by Muddy Waters clearly highlights that “classic Chicago blues sound” made famous by Waters and many others. Buck’s gritty “That Ain’t Enough” features amazing guitar licks from Margolin and “Primetime” Smith. Another Buck original, “Brand New Cell Phone,” is timely with that traditional blues backbeat and toe-tapping rhythm.
“She Turned Me Down” features Geraci’s barrelhouse piano and smooth soulful slide play. Waters’ classic “Baby Please Don’t Go” gets an up tempo makeover that’s sure to have blues aficionados asking for more. “Let Me Find Out Your Name” is Willie Buck at his best and gives new meaning to belting out the blues.
The guitar work of Cihlar and Atkinson shines on Buck’s “Went Home This Morning,” while Billy Flynn’s “Money Can’t Buy Everything” rounds out a masterclass on downhome Chicago blues.
As their one-pager states, “if tough, pure Chicago blues is your pleasure, then this album is sure to bring you great joy.”
Absolutely.
