Page 49 - BiTS_08_AUGUST_2025

Willie Buck/Bob Corritore—Oh Yeah—
Vizztone ASIN : B0F4WXHP4Y

Willie Buck (88) was born in Mississippi but
moved to Chicago as a teenager in the 1950s
where he heard the Muddy Waters Band and was
so impressed that he has played in that style ever
since. Willie and Bob met up in Chicago in the
1970s and now Willie is backed here by Bob and
his Rhythm Room All-Stars for an album recorded
at Tempest Recording in Tempe, Arizona and
produced by Bob, Clarke Rigsby, Kid Andersen
and John Wroble. The record kicks off with the
title track a Bo Diddley song but in the style of
the Waters band with Bob’s wailing harp out front and ‘She’s Alright’ is a Muddy
tune with ex-Waters sideman Bob Margolin on guitar but ‘That Ain’t Enough’ is
one of seven originals, again in the Chicago blues style of Muddy, with that
characteristic slide guitar.
However, with ‘Went Home This Morning’ we get some up-tempo Jimmy Reed-
style blues with Bob’s high register harp and ‘She Turned Me Down’ is a slow
blues with Willie’s authentic vocals over a fine performance by the band,
especially Anthony Geraci on rolling piano. Muddy’s band regularly played Big
Joe Williams’ ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’ and this version is similar to their swinging
version and that same drive continues on ‘Me and My Baby’. Finally, we get
another distinctive slow blues ‘Let Me Find Out Your Name’ with Bob on chromatic
harmonica and Ben Levin on dramatic piano. I’m with Willie in my admiration
for the Muddy Waters Band and the combination of Willie’s authentic voice, Bob’s
always wonderful harp and the excellent band, which combines veterans like Bob
Stroger (bass) and Bob Margolin with younger players like Ben Levin, makes for
a very enjoyable album.

Graham Harrison

Steve Marriner—Hear My Heart—Cordova
Bay Records
Listening to Canadian bluesman Steve Marriner’s
new album I couldn’t remember where I’d heard
the track ‘I Can’t Dance’ before – then it hit me it
was a hit for British band Genesis but here it’s
re-imagined as a swampy blues with Steve’s
throaty vocals, harp and slide guitar. ‘Workin’ on
Something’ and ‘Got to Be an Answer’ start the
album with Steve’s soulful vocals and chiming
guitars, with ‘Answer’ adding brass and backing
vocals. There are more swampy sounds on
‘Hellbound for Heaven’ with its atmospheric
electric slide guitar and echoey chromatic harmonica.

With ‘Straight Line’ we get a driving Cajun two-step with Steve’s harp taking on