I Walk on Guilded Splinters - Dr. John, Doctor John
Black Widow Spider - Dr. John, Dr. John
Loop Garoo - Dr. John, Dr. John
Wash, Mama, Wash - Dr. John, Dr. John
Mardi Gras Day - Dr. John, Doctor John
Familiar Reality (Opening) - Dr. John, Hill, Jesse
Zu Zu Man - Dr. John, Dr. John
Mess Around - Dr. John, Ertegun, Ahmet
Somebody Changed the Lock - Dr. John, Dr. John
Track Listings (22) - Disc #2
Iko Iko - Dr. John, Crawford, James "Su
Junko Partner - Dr. John, Headon, Topper
Tipitina - Dr. John, Byrd, Henry Roeland
Huey Smith Medley: High Blood Pressure/Don't You Just Know It/Well ... - Dr. John, Smith, Huey "Piano"
Right Place, Wrong Time - Dr. John, Dr. John
Traveling Mood - Dr. John, Byrd, Henry Roeland
Life - Dr. John, Toussaint, Allen
Such a Night - Dr. John, Chase, Lincoln
I Been Hoodood - Dr. John, Dr. John
Cold Cold Cold - Dr. John, Dr. John
Quitters Never Win - Dr. John, Dr. John
What Comes Around (Goes Around) - Dr. John, Dr. John
Mos' Scocious - Dr. John, Dr. John
Let's Make a Better World - Dr. John, Dr. John
Back by the River - Dr. John, Quateman, Bill
I Wanna Rock - Dr. John, Blackwell, Robert
Memories of Professor Longhair - Dr. John, Byrd, Roy
Honeydripper - Dr. John, Liggins, Joe
Pretty Libby - Dr. John, Dr. John
Makin' Whoopee - Dr. John, Donaldson, Walter
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive - Dr. John, Arlen, Harold
More Than You Know - Dr. John, Eliscu, Edward
New Orleans' burgeoning '50s R&B scene was the crucible for Mac Rebennack, an in-demand session guitarist in his teens, but he was sidelined by a gunshot wound to his left hand. He learned organ, then blossomed as a gi... more »fted pianist in a city renowned for brilliant, idiosyncratic players, and Mac soaked up the tradition. A move to Los Angeles and a trippy side project under the nom du disque of Dr. John, the Night Tripper, clinched his fate, giving American music one of its most ebullient, reliably musical originals. It's his gravelly, juicy voice that has earned him instant recognition, but Dr. John remains a student and evangelizer of his hometown's funky, fertile blues, R&B, and jazz canon. This superb two-disc survey serves both him and his origins well, ranging from early forays with Ronnie & The Delinquents and Morgus & The 3 Ghouls to the swampy brilliance of his solo career. His theatrical gris-gris remains deliciously spooky, but it's his later work that shines, from the brilliant R&B history lesson that yielded his classic Gumbo album, through his biggest single hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time" and his '80s forays into jazz and standards. --Sam Sutherland« less
New Orleans' burgeoning '50s R&B scene was the crucible for Mac Rebennack, an in-demand session guitarist in his teens, but he was sidelined by a gunshot wound to his left hand. He learned organ, then blossomed as a gifted pianist in a city renowned for brilliant, idiosyncratic players, and Mac soaked up the tradition. A move to Los Angeles and a trippy side project under the nom du disque of Dr. John, the Night Tripper, clinched his fate, giving American music one of its most ebullient, reliably musical originals. It's his gravelly, juicy voice that has earned him instant recognition, but Dr. John remains a student and evangelizer of his hometown's funky, fertile blues, R&B, and jazz canon. This superb two-disc survey serves both him and his origins well, ranging from early forays with Ronnie & The Delinquents and Morgus & The 3 Ghouls to the swampy brilliance of his solo career. His theatrical gris-gris remains deliciously spooky, but it's his later work that shines, from the brilliant R&B history lesson that yielded his classic Gumbo album, through his biggest single hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time" and his '80s forays into jazz and standards. --Sam Sutherland
"This is another Rhino extravagance with the usual witty and revealing liner notes best served with an artist like Dr. John who has had such a rich history. This collection spans the 30 years between 1959 to 1989 covering his early greaser days through his trippy 60's into the voodoo drenched 70's and 80's. If you feel you only need to own one Dr. John album, make sure this is the one."
I BEEN HOODOOD!
al tilley | down the road | 03/07/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Forget the single discs, and shell out for this anthology. Dr. John just ain't a "greatest hits" kinda guy anyhow. Dig this set and you will get schooled in a number of musical styles - jazz, funk, cajun/zydeco, and voodoo. Highlights include the wicked 5/4 vamp "Black Widow Spider", the parading foot-stomper "Mardi Gras Day", the creepy "Zu Zu Mamou", and the smile-inducing "Wash Mama Wash". And when the Meters check in on disc 2, well... forget about it. YOU CAN'T SHUT DA FUNK UP!!! Mac gives piano lessons on three solo instrumentals from the early 80's, and a set of standards closes things on a classy note."
Good For What Ails You
El Lagarto | Sandown, NH | 11/18/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rhino has done it again. Excellent selection of material, terrific booklet. This 2 disc anthology tracks the development of one of our greatest eccentrics, from the impenetrable swamp voodoo origins all the way through to top 40 favorites. The funny thing about Dr. John is that he's a horrible singer, a just good pianist, and a good songwriter. But the whole is so much more than the sum of the parts. Surprisingly catchy and musical. Not one false note (except Rickie Lee Jones on Makin' Whoopee). Check out the Honeydripper, Sahara, and Memories Of Professor Longhair. The most wonderful thing about Dr. John is his love of NOLA music, and all he's done to keep it alive. Plus, with the possible exception of a Vegas showgirl, no entertainer has ever looked quite so smashing in feathers. Avoid single disk samplings and go for this. Get yourself a beignet and a cup of chicory coffee. Mos' Scocious!"
Start here!
S J Buck | Kent, UK | 03/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great collection to get, especially if you don't have many of Dr John's solo CD's already. On 2 CD's you get 39 tracks covering his career from the recordings with Ronnie Barron (tracks 1 & 2) all the way up to 1989.
Dr John is one the most important New Orleans musicians alive and this collection covers the many varied styles of his career. Naturally the sound quality of the earliest recordings, which date from 1959 are a little rough, that may be the age or it may be what was intended.
Stylistically there's huge variety here:
The Voodoo sound (Gris Gris etc)
Prof Longhair (Tipitina, Memories of Prof Longhair)
Early 70's New Orleans Funk (Right Place Wrong Time, Life)
Rock n Roll (I Wanna Rock)
Solo Boogie Woogie Piano (Honey Dripper)
Big Band influenced Jazz (Makin' Whoopie, Accentuate The Positive, More Than You Know)
And that's without discussing the very early tracks which are a very eclectic bunch. Look at the credits for example on Storm Warning (1959). Allen Toussaint - Piano, Alvin Tyler - Sax, Melvin Lastie - Trumpet. This is already a core of very important New Orleans musicians, so you shouldn't be put off by the early tracks!
The CD's come with an excellent booklet, which gives you biographical information, as well as much background information on the recordings themselves. By the way track 15 'Opening' is not in the collection (hence no sample)."