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Blues Noir - News
New CD now available
Holy Days of Obligation Batman, our new CD "BLUES NOIR NOIR ALBUM" is available, and it's not even been a year since we released our third one. I guess the creative juices were flowing this past year.
We'll soon have a link up to Digistation where you will be able to buy individual MP3s or the entire CD, check back in a day or two for the link, and they are available on CD Baby as well. Here are some MP3s of some of the new songs, and yes, that's me playing the genuine Zydeco Rubboard seen above on Night Train to Memphis. Thanks to June Maniacek for the photo.
Tony Perrino and I arranged the horn parts on the above tune, and featured in their world premiere are the Trans Fat horns, with Jack Coffee on Tenor Sax, Hugh Jarse on Baritone Sax, Bob Ferapples on Trumpet, and Miachel Roedabowdashore on Trombone. Background vocals by John Nichols and his evil twin Randy . Scotty T is on bass on this track
Night Train to Memphis is basically a straight ahead Delta style blues after a Bukka White groove, I wrote this 19 years ago and it's nice to have it recorded and sounding authentic.
Tap City is our newest instrumental, recorded with my new, at the time, Swart Atomic Space Tone amp. Scotty T is on bass on this track as well.
All above songs written by Peter Corrigan, copyright 2008 by Peter Corrigan and Blues Noir
Summer is Over
Hard to believe our "Endless Summer Tour" is already over. We were busy every weekend save for one we chose to take off, we put on some serious miles, and played for a lot of great people. Like the 46er Family, regulars at the Tail of the Pup in Ray Brook, N.Y. Here are some excerpts from their blog and photos they took.................
Posted by 46er Family Monday, August 6, 2007
We ended or weekend at Tail O the Pup with the only band that should ever play there, called Blues Noir. We have been quite disappointed this summer with the live music.................but these guys have been our perennial Tail o the Pup favorite and we finally figured out what days they play. Some of the lyrics are decidedly not PG and you can imagine that maybe one (or two) of the guys did some time in the slammer. Now that's some good blues.
Posted by 46er Family Monday, August 20, 2007
On our way home we had to pass Tail O the Pup and heard our favorites, Blues Noir so we decided to have an outdoor dinner and some blues to end a great day. They played our favorite "Big Fat Momma" ("Big fat momma. She's as wide as she is high. When I make myself a chicken...I'm lucky if I get a thigh") and the waitresses came up on stage to sing backup! That's a first for us.
Posted by 46er Family Monday, September 3, 2007
We made it to Tail O the Pup for the last set of Blues Noir and Joe had not one, but two, beers spilled on him during dinner but it did not "dampen" his spirits. The mood there appeared to match ours, as they are readying to shut down for the season. Lots of regulars, and extended families. We chatted briefly with our blues heroes after their set and hear they may be playing more nights next summer.
Heroes indeed, we could use more great fans like these.
Charlie O's, Saturday, February 24th
Here's another video from Charlie O's, from Saturday, February 24th. Thanks again to Les Parker for shooting the video.
Charlieo O's Photos and Video
Here are some photos from our Saturday, December 2nd performance at Charlie O’s in Montpelier, Vermont. Many thanks to Les Parker who took the photos, and who shot the video footage of us performing "Big Fat Momma".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGsKh39slsw
New CD Mixed and Mastered
Our new CD is mixed and mastered and all we have to do now is finish the photos, artwork and text, and ship it all off to Healy Disc in Canada, and we should have it in our hands 3 to 4 weeks after that. Here are some more MP3 samples of songs that will be on the CD.
Let_Me_Out_the_Car.mp3
Featuring Tony "Fess" Perrino on Piano, a crushing New Orleans second line groove by John, Chuck on fretless Fender Bass, and Pere Noir’s heavy dialect vocals.
Woman_of_Means.mp3
One of the first songs I ever wrote, finally on CD. I played slide on the Traveler Guitar, killer tone thanks to the guitar and Mr. Perrino
Tinys_Blues.mp3
Had this one up before but we redid it with Chuck playing his King Moretone upright and me tracking two acoustic archtops, a 1946 Epiphone Emperor (I like Big Bouts) and a Blonde 1951 Epiphone Triumph Regent. We can’t say enough about how great Tony made all three acoustic instruments sound, especially the bass.
Way_Past_Late.mp3
The product of a way overactive imagination. I played this on a blonde 1946 Epiphone Blackstone.
All songs written by Peter Corrigan, copyright Blues Noir, 2006
Breakwater Cafe- June 24, 2006
Here are some photos from our first Breakwater Cafe show this season. It was a beautiful night, the crowd was great, and we can't wait to return in July and August. Thanks again to Kevin and crew for having us. All photos by Susan Brome.
Blues Noir - Reviews
La Hora Del Blues Review
Blues Noir se lanzan a la aventura de grabar un nuevo álbum con la incorporación en sus filas del cantante y armonicista afincado en New York, Jr. Johnny. Con este nuevo 'fichaje' el grupo ha ganado en contundencia y vigor, construyendo un 'sonido' compacto, enérgico y sólido. Actualmente la banda la forman el cantante y guitarrista Peter Carrigan, el armónica y cantante Jr. Johnny, el bajista Ken Smith y el bateria John Nichols. Juntos forman un 'paquete' que cautiva al oyente y combina sin contemplaciones ni fisuras el Chicago-Rockin'-Blues mas atrevido y desvergonzado. Johnny se encarga de tomar las riendas en la mitad de los temas (cada dia se muestra mas influenciado por Charlie Musselwhite) mientras en la otra mitad quien controla es Peter Corrigan. Asimismo los solos de guitarra y armónica se combinan con buen criterio y armonía.. Blues Noir have undertaken a new venture of recording another cd, this time with New York settled singer and harmonica player Jr. Johnny who has joined the band. With this new member the band has become more powerful and strong and they build up a compact hard strong sound. The musicians are Peter Corrigan on guitar and vocals, Jr. Johnny on harp and vocals, Ken Smith on bass, and John Nichols on drums. All them form a good band that will satisfy listeners with their daring convincing Chicago-rockin’blues. Johnny leads half of the songs (he is gradually getting more Charlie Musselwhite influences) while Peter Corrigan leads the other half cd. Guitar and harp solos are tastefully and cleverly combined. .
Blues Noir offers a two-pronged attack that is the envy of other local blues bands. Guitarist Peter Corrigan can cut heads with the best. What's more he can do it with a jumping T-Bone Walker riff, a stinging Son House slide lick or a Bukka White boogie. That would be enough firepower for any band, but Corrigan stands alongside harmonica ace Jr. Johnny -- who was given his nickname by none other than John Lee Hooker. Also, unlike many generic blues outfits, the Noir gang (completed by the rock hard rhythm section of Ken Smith on bass and John Nichols on drums) creates almost all of their own appropriately dark material. - Michael Eck, albany2go.com Calendar
I commend you for doing originals rather than covers…You guys sound like you're having a lot of fun…Sweet Mamma Big Legs- good groove, nice combination of acoustic and electric instruments. I enjoyed the "tuba" bass line…Judgement Day-...Good slide, by the way. Overall you have a good band, and I honor the fact that you do a lot of varied original material….There was a lot to enjoy here. Thanks for the good music. - Bruce Iglauer, Alligator Records
What I am Album Review
By Pamela Polston
Seven Days Vermont, July 2001
 BLUES NOIR, WHAT I AM (self-released, CD) - The blues has little competition in the Sexiest Music Department; there's something about that slinking, slow grind, the steady-driving boogie that heads straight for the first chakra and plays the devil. Blues Noir have those feels going for them, and then some. They also have that penchant for sexual more-than-suggestion that's percolated up from the Delta to Ballston Spa, New York, where the band lives. They've also got not one but two outstanding guitarists - Paul Brisco and Peter Corrigan -who excel at slide, for which I am a total sucker.
So I got that little inner rumble absorbing the first couple of songs on the bands debut CD, What I Am. They're both written and sung by Corrigan, as are eight others on this 14-song disc. Brisco wrote and sings the rest. Both guitarists contribute solo work on each other's songs, making this outfit both collaborative and blessedly lacking in that me-me-me thing. These guys rule companionably together.
But back to the first two songs: "Sweet Mama Big Legs" reminds me of the '60s British blues band Cream; something about its driving arrangements and the way the guitar and bass - in this case, a tuba played by producer Tony Perrino - play in unison. The song is blatant, about a woman who wraps her legs tight around her man. etc. "How Many Women?" also goes for an NC-17 rating with a simmering boogie that enumerates the number of gals he could handle at once. The bring-'em-on attitude easily rivals that of any posturing homeboys, and Corrigan plays guitar like he really means it. Unh, gimme, gimme.
Though cooler heads preval on the next few songs, the band manages to rise above standard-issue blooz nearly every time. Brisco is slightly less randy than Corrigan, though he does turn up the heat on the lengthy boogie, "Ain't Gonna Quit My Line." He turns up the tempo on "Ten to Eight," an instrumental with a lickety-split pace more common to ska. With guitar this breathlessly deft, who needs words?
The title track is another standout for Corrigan, an easy-swinging boogie that confesses a bit of self-doubt through a litany of things that he is not. On his "One Red Rose," though, the inspired choice to invite a vocalist Janelle Donovan just makes me want to hear more of her. The song is an achingly slow grind, and she wrenches the most out of her too-short turn at the mike. Can anyone give me a good reason why this woman isn't in the band full-time?
What I Am winds up with a roadhouse number, "I.O.U. Blues," that would be ordinary but for its needle-nosed guitar lines. Corrigan and Brisco appropriately ground themselves with a steady pulse from drummer John Nichols and bassist Matt Zlotnick. I especially liked their precise aerobics on "Ten to Eight."
Blues Noir play occasionally in Burlington, and in fact had their CD release party last week at Nectar's. Keep an eye out for their next date on this side of the lake. What I Am suggests that sizzling is what they are.
The arrangements are as elemental as can be. The band has the good sense to avoid weighing down the 14 originals with embellishments, giving their brand of blues a raw, open and engaging feel. With a feel that is equal parts rock 'n' roll and backyard blues, BLUES NOIR is capable of putting a smile on your face. - Michael Korb, The Saratogian
Bringing The Blues Home For The Fans
New releases from George Boone, Blues Noir, Scotty Mac, Ernie Williams and The Providers
By Donald E. Wilcox
BLUESprint, September 2001
A bunch of great releases like the ones reviewed below remind me of why the Northeast Blues Society is worth the effort the volunteers put into it to foster an atmosphere that helps keep this music alive and thriving. These are not releases of local wannabes playing cookie cutter imitations of the real thing. Each of these acts has a unique personality drawn straight from the heart and worth of your investment in their art emotionally and financially.
- Jimmy Rogers once told me the only difference between his work with Muddy Waters in Chicago vs. his back porch sessions in the Delta was plugging in his guitar. You get the same impression listening to Peter Corrigan's playing on What I Am.
But that's only beginning. Corrigan's lyrics are some of the blackest in every sense of the word that I've ever heard come from any local artist.
How many white artists have you heard extolling the delight of being squeezed by some big-legged mama? In "How Many Women," he asks the question, How many women can a man keeps satisfied?: You believe he's not exaggerating when he answers his own question with, "If it kills me find the answer, you know I won't mind havin' died."
This is a work that is totally unique and quite out of the norm for a white band from the Northeast. Corrigan & company pull off Blues Noir's "black night" image with style and believability, and their playing has improved with age.
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