For those of you out there aching for some genuine, no foolin’ ‘round, blues…with a capitol ‘B’, Dave Riley and Bob Corritore are serving it up with their latest release, LUCKY TO BE LIVING. The guitar and harmonica duo deliver over 41 minutes of traditional Chicago-style blues music that is sure to satisfy any classic electric blues fan.Dave Riley’s guitar work is far from “flashy”, but stays true to the Muddy Waters school of playing and comes across as informed and authentic. The Mississippi native’s vocals are soulful and slightly gravely, but remain controlled and clear. Bob Corritore, who hails from Chicago, manages to shine on the album’s 10 standard 12-bar tracks by delivering his rich and perfectly meaty harmonica tone, with taste and a refreshing amount of restraint. Like many of the blues’ most beloved recordings, LUCKY TO BE LIVING is not about “bells and whistles”. Riley and Corritore take a “less is more” approach, emphasizing the importance of how the notes are played, rather than trying to see how many notes they can fit into a 3 minute song.
LUCKY TO BE LIVING is not groundbreaking. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel and it is far from trying to push the genre to its limits, but it is a tastefully executed and completely authentic collection of Dave Riley originals and lesser known blues compositions, penned by Frank Frost, John Weston and Fred James. If you’re a blues fan that is looking for something new, but you don’t want it to sound too out of place on your classic Chess Records playlist, this might be what you’re looking for.
*If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy: Bill Sims Jr. & Mark LaVoie
Copyright © 2009 - J. Blake. All Rights Reserved
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