Description
Bob Corritore has issued the second volume of his collaborative work with the great pianist and singer Henry Gray. Recorded over 20 or so years and spanning 1998 to 2018, Bob gives us a mix of stuff that has appeared elsewhere but is mostly newly released stuff. A host of players support Gray and Corritore here; Henry visited Bob annually at Bob’s Rhythm Room in Phoenix after visiting in 1996. Henry could no longer fly after the 2018 session due to his health and passed on January 17th this year right after his 95th birthday, so this is a fitting tribute to the great musician.
The first session they recorded at the club produced “Ain’t No Use,” which is the 10th track, and “The Twist” which follows it sequentially and was from their last session. One can contrast Gray’s aging vocals over time (never an issue and he does an amazing job even at 94) but his piano remained steady and jumping when it needed to. From the opening strains of the title track (where Henry lays out some slick piano and truly emotive vocals while Corritore blows some dirty harp and Bob Margolin hits us with some fine guitar) to “Going Down Slow” to close the album we get to hear some stellar tracks.
