1. Dance The Night Away With You
2. Street Side
3. Wild Honey
4. Rain
5. Snake Eyes
6. Fire Of Love
7. Sonata/He's A Hero
8. City Lights
Dr. John - Vocals, keyboards
Steve Gadd - Drums
Will Lee - Bass
Richard Tee - Keyboards
Hugh McCracken, John Tropea - Guitars
Arthur Jenkins - Percussion
Charlie Miller - Cornet
Barry Rogers - Trombone
David Sanborn - Alto sax
George Young - Tenor sax
Ronnie Cuber - Baritone sax
Ronnie Barron, George Jones. Tammy Lynn, Alvin
Robinson - Background vocals
Claus Ogerman - Strings arranger and conductor
Reissued in Universal's "Originals"
series, this 1978 album helped to establish
singing pianist Dr. John (alias Mac Rebennack,
alias Malcolm John Rebennack Jr.) as a jazz
performer. He had previously made his name
as a bluesy rocker from New Orleans with an
interest in voodoo. If you doubt his credentials
as a jazzman (and you won't find him in many
jazz reference books), just look at the company
he keeps on this CD, including such notable
jazz musicians as Steve Gadd, Dave Sanborn
and Ronnie Cuber.
Of course, he never lost
that typical New Orleans swirl on the piano
and that gritty singing voice which seems
to anticipate the similar vocal style of Tom
Waits. Of course, New Orleans is the fabled
"birthplace of jazz", so it was natural for
Dr. John (born in New Orleans in 1941) to
have jazz in his soul - as well as soul in
his jazz. Anyway, the result is an album which
will appeal equally to traditional Dr. John
devotees and jazz fans.
The use of background strings
on tracks like Rain tends to make them
lush and sentimental but the good doctor's
robust vocals keep things earthy. And the
blues element which is at the heart of his
music dispels any possibility of this being
"smooth jazz". The opening Dance the Night
Away illustrates this: a down-home boogie-type
number with interesting interpolations from
the brass, arranged (like all the tracks)
by Dr. John and guitarist Hugh McCracken.
Street Side has a
typical bass-drum thud from Steve Gadd on
the third beat of every bar, tethering the
music to the pavement. Wild Honey is
a catchy piece of jazz-rock which incites
the listener to dance or at least tap the
feet. Rain is gentler: a slow-burner
with added class supplied by Dave Sanborn's
distinctive alto sax, soloing radiantly. Snake
Eyes is more in New Orleans swaying style,
with gutsy guitar and Dr John's vocals telling
it like it is.
Fire of Love also
sways with that characteristic New Orleans
rhythm. Sonata/He's a Hero turns the
spotlight on Dr John's piano, with strong
swirling bass, before moving into irresistible
jazz-rock-boogie. The closing title-track
starts with luxurious strings backing Dr John's
soulful piano, leading into a poignant song
expressing late-night loneliness.
Whether you categorise Dr
John as jazz, blues, rock, boogie or anything
else, it actually encompasses all these (and
more) to create a mix that simply invites
you to lie back and listen.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Verve
0602517686823
