Willie Buck & Bob Corritore’s musical paths crossed in the late ’70s, when Buck invited Corritore to join his band. They remained friends even after Corritore relocated to Phoenix in the ’80s, performing together at least once a year.

Oh Yeah! (VizzTone Label Group) is another outstanding collection from Corritore’s wonderful “From The Vault” series that gathers ten tracks the pair recorded in four sessions between 2010 and 2023.

Buck handles vocals and Corritore harmonica with backing from guitarists Bob Margolin, Jimi “Primetime” Smith, Billy Flynn, Mojo Mark Cihlar, and Jon Atkinson, with Anthony Geraci and Ben Levin sharing piano duties, bassist Bob Stroger and Troy Sandow, and drummers Wes Starr and Brian Fahey. The set list (six written by Buck with four covers) is an old school Chicago blues fan’s dream.

The exuberant title track, penned by Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters’ “She’s Alright” open the album , a snug fit with the Chicago blues vibe that permeates throughout. The next two songs, the smoldering blues “That Ain’t Enough,” with slide guitar from Margolin, and “Brand New Cell Phone,” a contemporary blues topic given a traditional musical theme, are Buck originals that provide an ideal showcase for his songwriting skills.

Guitarist Flynn wrote the swinging “Money Can’t Buy Everything,” but it sounds like an ideal vehicle for Buck. Two more Buck compositions follow, with the lively “Went Home This Morning” (from the 2010 session with Cihlar and Atkinson on guitars, Sandow on bass, and Fahey on drums) and “She Turned Me Down,” a slow burner with more sizzling slide guitar work.

Another Muddy Waters standard, “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” gets a faithful treatment from Buck and Corritore before the album wraps with two more Buck originals --- “Me and My Baby,” an upbeat sauntering blues, and the superb “Let Me Find Out Your Name,” an extended slow blues with great guitar work from Margolin and Smith that proves Willie Buck is still a top notch Chicago blues master.

Corritore is also at the top of his game on these tracks, and the rest of the supporting musicians are marvelous as well. Chicago blues fans will do themselves well by picking up this excellent outing from two of the genre’s key artists.

--- Graham Clarke