It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.
Showing posts with label Dr. John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr. John. Show all posts
Wednesday
Allen Toussaint
What is Success: The Scepter and Bell Recordings - 1968-70
It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.
It's hard to fathom the meager success of Allen Toussaint when considering the incredible impact he's had on music over the past 40+ years. In fact, the title of this compilation might be more fitting with a question mark at the end, but that's just getting picky. Jokes aside, this collection of tracks from Toussaint's second LP (the first under his own name) and a few singles from his days on the Bell label is a stunning example of the man's ability to crank out classic after classic tune and one of the greatest single documents of Crescent City R&B every produced. And though he's looked upon fondly for his songwriting chops, Toussaint's fingerprints are all over records by Dr. John, the Meters, Lee Dorsey and famously, the Band's Rock of Ages LP, for which he arranged the horns. Just take a peek at the liner notes - he's everywhere. So hearing Toussaint's own records is like filling in a giant void, connecting the dots on your record collection and realizing there's a giant hole in it where his LPs should be sitting.
Thursday
Spider John Koerner & Willie Murphy
Running, Jumping, Standing Still - 1967
While Dylan and the Band were holed up in basement of Big Pink brewing up their response to the summer of psychedelia, Spider John Koerner was doing much of the same back in Minneapolis, and with arguably better results. Instead of eschewing any and all drippy hippie elements like his Woodstock counterparts, Spider John and barrelhouse pianist Willie Murphy carefully plucked and weaved curious harmonies, bizarre instrumentation, clever production and the finer elements of the technicolor scene into an LP that remained firmly rooted in the brilliant folk songwriting with which he'd made his name as one third of Koerner, Ray & Glover. Produced by the same Mohawk production team responsible for Dr. John's magnificent Gris-Gris LP, Running, Jumping, Standing Still is an absolute rarity; an album of incredible depth and ingenuity that has remained far enough off the radar to detract hordes of imitators, and in turn, has managed to age more elegantly than most anything of its time. Standouts include the title track and "Magazine Lady", a couple of the album's finer examples of the duo's penchant for loose grooves and patchwork time shifts, as well as the pillowy leadoff track "Good Night." An album as satisfying on its first spin as its twentieth.
While Dylan and the Band were holed up in basement of Big Pink brewing up their response to the summer of psychedelia, Spider John Koerner was doing much of the same back in Minneapolis, and with arguably better results. Instead of eschewing any and all drippy hippie elements like his Woodstock counterparts, Spider John and barrelhouse pianist Willie Murphy carefully plucked and weaved curious harmonies, bizarre instrumentation, clever production and the finer elements of the technicolor scene into an LP that remained firmly rooted in the brilliant folk songwriting with which he'd made his name as one third of Koerner, Ray & Glover. Produced by the same Mohawk production team responsible for Dr. John's magnificent Gris-Gris LP, Running, Jumping, Standing Still is an absolute rarity; an album of incredible depth and ingenuity that has remained far enough off the radar to detract hordes of imitators, and in turn, has managed to age more elegantly than most anything of its time. Standouts include the title track and "Magazine Lady", a couple of the album's finer examples of the duo's penchant for loose grooves and patchwork time shifts, as well as the pillowy leadoff track "Good Night." An album as satisfying on its first spin as its twentieth.Bobby Charles
Bobby Charles - 1972
Famously aided by Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel, Bobby Charles' 1972 self-titled LP has often been referred to as "the Band album that never was". Truthfully, it's much much more than that. Charles, a Louisiana native, creates an album here that bridges the geographical gap to a near physical extent, marrying his bayou swamp rock with the Band's northeastern backwoods mystique to land somewhere near the loose southern funk of a Muscle shoals production. Maybe its the addition of Dr. John's piano, organ and unique rhythm guitar that peppers the album with its charming eccentricities, or the pedal steel and Dobro work of Neil Young cohort Ben Keith, but seasoning and guest stars aside, it's really the strength and well-worn familiarity of Charles' originals that drive the proceedings. Despite the company he keeps, it's his show all the way. Among the ten originals is a handful of brilliance, and although the album itself fades in and out of print, it's standout "Small Town Talk" has lived on in various incarnations, most famously on the 1977 self-titled LP of the song's co-author, Rick Danko.
Famously aided by Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel, Bobby Charles' 1972 self-titled LP has often been referred to as "the Band album that never was". Truthfully, it's much much more than that. Charles, a Louisiana native, creates an album here that bridges the geographical gap to a near physical extent, marrying his bayou swamp rock with the Band's northeastern backwoods mystique to land somewhere near the loose southern funk of a Muscle shoals production. Maybe its the addition of Dr. John's piano, organ and unique rhythm guitar that peppers the album with its charming eccentricities, or the pedal steel and Dobro work of Neil Young cohort Ben Keith, but seasoning and guest stars aside, it's really the strength and well-worn familiarity of Charles' originals that drive the proceedings. Despite the company he keeps, it's his show all the way. Among the ten originals is a handful of brilliance, and although the album itself fades in and out of print, it's standout "Small Town Talk" has lived on in various incarnations, most famously on the 1977 self-titled LP of the song's co-author, Rick Danko.Friday
Dr. John
Babylon - 1969
Establishing himself as the high priest of psychedelic voodoo with his 1968 debut, Gris Gris, Dr. John tweaked his formula a bit, spaced things out even further and brewed up a far weirder, equally intoxicating follow up with Babylon. Here, the grooves are twitchy and loping, the instruments have more room to roam and the chorus of female voices serves as more of an instrument in and of itself rather than a counterpoint to the lead vocals. Oddly enough, Mac Rebennack's voice toes the line between a frothy Captain Beefheart and Van Morrison on a bad trip, while the music reaches Sun Ra levels of spacial intensity. Taken in album-length doses, Babylon is an incredible achievement that with such a varying palette of flavors and grooves laid out to soak up, rivals Gris Gris in depth and flat-out weirdness. Every track is a highlight, but the chorus of "Glowin'" is one of Dr. John's most beautifully emotive sections in his repertoire, while the electric-piano backbone of "Black Widow Spider" drives and whirls the album to a manic peak. Not easy to come by and sadly overshadowed by its predecessor and Dr. John's funkier, more accessible work with the Meters a few years later, Babylon is an enigma. If Gris Gris was a tidy pot of gumbo, Babylon was a cajun boil with all of its elements poured on the table to feast on and dissect. Delicious.
Establishing himself as the high priest of psychedelic voodoo with his 1968 debut, Gris Gris, Dr. John tweaked his formula a bit, spaced things out even further and brewed up a far weirder, equally intoxicating follow up with Babylon. Here, the grooves are twitchy and loping, the instruments have more room to roam and the chorus of female voices serves as more of an instrument in and of itself rather than a counterpoint to the lead vocals. Oddly enough, Mac Rebennack's voice toes the line between a frothy Captain Beefheart and Van Morrison on a bad trip, while the music reaches Sun Ra levels of spacial intensity. Taken in album-length doses, Babylon is an incredible achievement that with such a varying palette of flavors and grooves laid out to soak up, rivals Gris Gris in depth and flat-out weirdness. Every track is a highlight, but the chorus of "Glowin'" is one of Dr. John's most beautifully emotive sections in his repertoire, while the electric-piano backbone of "Black Widow Spider" drives and whirls the album to a manic peak. Not easy to come by and sadly overshadowed by its predecessor and Dr. John's funkier, more accessible work with the Meters a few years later, Babylon is an enigma. If Gris Gris was a tidy pot of gumbo, Babylon was a cajun boil with all of its elements poured on the table to feast on and dissect. Delicious.
Wednesday
Doug Sahm
Doug Sahm and Band - 1973
Here in central Texas
Here in central
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