It’s time once again — just days past the winter solstice — for the Roadhouse gang (mostly me) to pause and wish everyone a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or a good day, or even week, of your choice, whatever that may be.
That means I get to share my favorite Christmas song, which features special animation just for this occasion.
And I also get to offer some holiday libation advice.
I always recommend leaving a little something out for Santa. I find that milk and cookies do little to lift the holiday spirits, so I heartily recommend some bourbon and brownies. And I also recommend not leaving much of them for Santa, if he ever does show up. I’m still waiting.
But maybe you’re a beer person. In that case, I recommend one of the many beers produced specifically with the Christmas season in mind. And since I’m a big fan, that means an ale from Belgium, where they make some of the world’s best beers and offer special holiday versions.
One of my favorite Belgians is the darkly delicious St. Bernardus Abt 12, and once again this year I’ve made the brewery’s Christmas Ale my holiday choice. It’s slightly more sprightly than the Abt 12, but still has enough warmth and cheer to accompany some fine seasonal blues.
None of this, of course, means that you are somehow obligated to celebrate the actual Christmas. Enjoy whatever holiday, or day, or season, that you like — enjoy being the key word.
So, a very merry, happy, peaceful version of whatever you want to celebrate.
To conclude, here is my favorite Christmas song, “White Christmas,” by the great Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, with special animation.
Bob Corritore, the master of blues harp and keeper of his blues-filled vault, is at it again.
He’s brought still more fine Chicago-style blues from his vaults for our listening pleasure. This time though, he’s focused on the massive blues talent from his adopted home of Phoenix, Ariz.
Corritore moved from Chicago to Phoenix in 1981, and began to make music with local bluesmen such as Tommy Dukes, Chief Schabuttie Gilliame, Big Pete Pearson and Dino Spells. He later persuaded Chico Chism to move from Chicago, and Sugaray Rayford eventually moved nearby.
Corritore opened the Rhythm Room club and started bringing blues artists to Phoenix for performances and recording sessions. Those sessions eventually provided the copious material for his “From the Vaults” album series.
“Rumble” is the fifth album in the “Vaults” series this year, and as its title suggests, it focuses on the blues talents of Phoenix area musicians, recorded between 1987 and 2017. Corritore tends to specialize in working in the traditional Chicago blues style, adding his sharp harp work to the mix.
“Rumble” is no different, as it opens with Chism’s rollicking “Big Fat Woman 480 LBs” with Corritore’s harp soaring over a steady rocking beat. “Come To Me Baby” is another tough blues featuring the rugged vocals of Gilliame. King Karl strolls along with old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll on “Walking In The Park,” with still more harp lines, then Karl returns with “Mathilda,” and piano reminiscent of Fats Domino, backed here by N’awlins-flavored harp.
Spells is next, checking in with a hard-driving tribute to the V8 Ford that takes on the road in his quest to find his “Jennie Bea.” George Bowman provides powerful vocals on the soulful “I Was A Fool.” Searing Corritore harp opens “Real Bad Day” by Dukes, offering a taste of Jimmy Reed-style blues with piercing guitar work. Next, Bowman returns with “Nine Times Out Of Ten,” another rough-and-tumble blues, again laced with fine harp solos. Gilliame again brings his gritty vocals to “Leopard Speckled Baby,” wrapped inside harp with equal grit. Dave Riley rides out the “Laughing Blues” with an evil chuckle.
Rayford is up next, bringing his magnificent vocal chops to the seven-minute, gently swinging, light-hearted opus of a three-legged horse they call “The Glide” (“I saw him jump over the Grand Canyon and he didn’t miss a beat … jumped the Grand Canyon without a runnin start …” My favorite cut, this epic horse tale is worth the price of admission!
Pearson brings it on home, closing with his fierce vocal turn on “I’m Evil,” a wicked slow blues, scorched by malevolent Corritore harpwork, a powerful finale to this rough and tough album of traditional blues.
“Phoenix Blues Rumble” is yet another excellent session from the seemingly endless supply of fine recordings mined from Bob Corritore’s mother lode of blues. If you haven’t sampled this “Vaults” series, you don’t know what you’re missing. If you have, this is another blues gem that begs to be heard.
Here’s “Real Bad Day” from the album:
Tracklist: Big Fat Woman 480 LBs (feat. Chico Chism) Come To Me Baby (feat. Chief Schabuttie Gilliame) Walkin In The Park (feat. King Karl) Mathilda (feat. King Karl) Jennie Bea (feat. Dino Spells) I Was a Fool (feat. George Bowman) Real Bad Day (feat. Tommy Dukes) Nine Times Out Of Ten (feat. George Bowman) Leopard Speckled Baby (feat. Chief Schabuttie Gilliame) Laughing Blues (feat. Dave Riley) The Glide (feat. Sugaray Rayford) I’m Evil (feat. Big Pete Pearson)
Blues Roadhouse 