Bob Corritore & Willie Buck — “Oh Yeah” — VizzTone Label Group
This splendid album of traditional, old-school Chicago blues is yet another release from Bob Corritore’s masterful “From the Vaults” series, featuring artists he’s recorded over the years as they visited his Phoenix Rhythm Room club.
This album features the ageless voice of Chicago blues powerhoue Willie Buck, now 88 and still slinging the blues. Corritore’s relationship with Buck goes back to the late 1970s, when Buck invited him to join his Chicago band. Buck has since made regular visits to Corritore’s sweet home Phoenix, and recorded music like this. The tracks here come mainly from three Arizona sessions from 2021 to 2023.
The tough-enough blues aggregation backing Buck’s gritty pipes includes former Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin, Corritore regular Jimi “Primetime” Smith, Chicago’s Billy Flynn, pianists Anthony Geraci and Ben Levin, veteran bassist Bob Stroger and drummer Wes Starr, plus assorted guests. And of course, Corritore’s harp soars throughout.
Together, this blues-driven band and Buck bring some great old music, including songs by Waters and Buck, whose songwriting chops carry their own considerable weight.
For the opener, though, they reach back nearly 70 years to 1958 for the churning title track, “Oh Yeah,” by Bo Diddley. It’s deep blues driven hard by ferocious guitar and blazing harp, with Buck rolling out the lyrics. Waters’ 1968 hypnotic “She’s Alright” roars in next, with an especially tough Buck vocal. “That Ain’t Enough,” with Margolin and Smith dazzling on guitar, is the first of Buck’s originals.
“Brand New Cell Phone” shuffles in with Geraci’s rock-steady piano backing and Corritore’s razor-sharp harp. “Money Can’t Buy Everything” is a Flynn contribution, with a whimsical lyric, easily captured by Buck’s vocal prowess. “Went Home This Morning” features piercing Corritore harp throughout, swirling around Buck’s tough vocal, decorated by some great guitar.
Scorching slide guitar permeates Buck’s torchy “She Turned Me Down,” a deeply felt slow blues built for belt-polishing close dancing. “Baby Please Don’t Go” is a Waters’ classic rocked hard by Buck and the band. “Me And My Baby” features Flynn on wicked slide guitar.
The closer is the slow-blues scorcher, “Let Me Find Out Your Name,” with the band cranking out a fierce blues concerto behind Buck’s steamy vocals. It’s a breathtaking masterpiece, which Buck seems to realize as it all wraps up, happily proclaiming: “Let’s leave it like that … I don’t think I could do it again.”
You can do it again, though, by giving this album a well-deserved spot on your old-school curriculum.
“Oh Yeah” is Chicago blues at its glorious best. Blessings on Corritore for doing his best to keep this classical American music alive and well. Very well, indeed!
Here’s the album’s title track:
Tracks Listing:
1. Oh Yeah! – 3:42
2. She’s Alright – 2:24
3. That Ain’t Enough – 4:27
4. Brand New Cell Phone – 3:13
5. Money Can’t Buy Everything – 3:09
6. Went Home This Morning – 3:33
7. She Turned Me Down – 4:28
8. Baby Please Don’t Go – 3:22
9. Me And My Baby – 2:57
10. Let Me Find Out Your Name – 7:53
Blues Roadhouse 