Bob Corritore & Friends  

Do The Hip-Shake Baby!

Vizztone Label Group/Southwest Musical Arts Foundation

Bob Corritore is a Blues Music Award winner with a total of six nominations including one again this year as Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. His last album was 2018’s “Don’t Let the Devil Ride”.

Corritore is also back with a brilliant follow-up, his fourteenth album, “Do The Hip-Shake Baby!” Although Corritore plays harmonica throughout the recording here he is cast in the role of producer; highlighting some amazing vocalists, guitarists, pianists and rhythm sections. This time Corritore’s friends number thirty-nine!

The party begins with “Shake Your Hips”, Slim Harpo’s 1966 Excello Records follow up single to “Baby Scratch My Back”. The musicians on the track are The Fremonts and they include Mighty Joe Milsap, vocals; Patrick Skog, guitar; Tony Tomlinson, bass; and Alan West, drums. The Fremonts are featured again on Harpo’s “I’m Gonna Keep What I’ve Got”.

The amazing Alabama Mike is vocalist on four tunes. Jimmy McCracklin’s “Gonna Tell Your Mother” first recorded in 1961; Asie Reed Payton’s “Worried Blues”; Little Junior Parker’s “Stand By Me” also from 1961, and “Few More Days” from Eddy Bell and The Bel-Aires. Some of the musicians on these tracks include guitarists L.A. Jones, Johnny Rapp, Andy T, and Anson Funderburgh; pianists Fred Kaplan and Larry Van Loon; bassists Adrianna Marie, Bob Stroger and Doug Swanson, and drummers Brian Fahey and Jim Klinger.

Henry Gray sings and plays piano on Hank Ballard’s “The Twist” popularized by Chubby Checker in 1960.  John Primer is vocalist on Muddy Waters’ “Love, Deep As The Ocean” with Bob Welsh on piano. Oscar Wilson of The Cash Box Kings sings on  Jimmy Reed’s “Bitter Seed”. Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry takes a turn on his own “You Better Slow Down”, while Jimi “Primetime” Smith is lead vocalist on “I Got The World In A Jug”.

Have you ever seen Sugaray Rayford shake his hips? He could knock someone off the stage! He sings on “Trying To Make A Living” featuring guitarist Junior Watson. Rayford sings again on the closer, his self-penned gospel tune, “Keep The Lord On With You”, with Kid Ramos on guitar.

Although recorded in different sessions between 2016 and 2018 Corritore’s production is meticulous. This soul blues dance party is a must to own.

Richard Ludmerer