Unsung Heroes 6 : Dr John

I am not really sure whether someone who has been in the business for 60 years and has recorded with just about everyone qualifies as an unsung hero, but I am always surprised by how few people know of (and appreciate) Dr John.  I first became aware of him when I heard Right Place Wrong Time and Such a Night on American Top 40 in what must have been 1974. It was so different to everything else at the time. However I did not buy that then.  I waited a few years.

The next time I came across him was when he played Such A Night on the The Last Waltz which for me was definitely one of the highlights of that great movie.   As is usual for me I took a rather circuitous route into the good Dr's music starting first with Dr John's Gumbo the first of his tribute albums to his home town of New Orleans. This was also my first real introduction to some of the sound of New Orleans that now makes up so much of my music collection and lead me to searching out music by Professor Longhair and Huey "Piano" Smith.



Over the years I slowly acquired more and more music by Dr John and now have about 20 albums. In addition to that I probably have at least another 20 where he contributes, vocals, piano or production.  I will highlight a few that I particularly like.

They are not all good but many of them are just excellent.  The next one that really caught my attention was one recorded about 20 years later and was indeed his next tribute to New Orleans the excellent Goin' Back To New Orleans. This album rocks more than Gumbo and really has a mardi gras feel to it as evidenced by the Indian costume he wears on the cover. There are some great classic and non classic songs on this album. The perennial Careless Love and also songs like Cabbage Head and How Come my Dog Don't Bark When You Come Around?



Rolling Stone Magazine recognises Dr John's first album Gris Gris as one of the most important albums of all time fusing New Orlean's voodoo, funk and second line jazz with rock.  It is not an easy listen and one track I Walk on Guilded Splinters has been  covered by many people including Paul Weller and Cher!! I particularly like Cher's version which was recorded at Muscle Shoals with the Swampers. Maybe the best thing she has ever done?




In later life he has recorded a number of solid albums.  I enjoy In a sentimental mood for its selection of songs included great big band versions of Making Whoopee (with Ricki Lee Jones on whose debut album he played) and Accentuate the Positive.








I eventually picked up a copy of In the Right Place and wonder why I waited so long.  The mixture of great songs, playing by the Meters and Allen Toussaint's production.  The closest thing to a hit album he has ever had! Highly recommended.







After Hurricane Katrina he recorded The City that Care Forgot which was probably his most political set where he attacked the politics of neglect that followed the Katrina.  On that album he was assited by Eric Clapton - playing with a bit of fire in his belly for once and Willie Nelson.  I finally managed to see him at the Auckland Town Hall when he toured following this album.

Two years ago he teamed up with Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys and recorded Locked Down.  On that album he swapped his piano for an organ and together produced what, at 72 may be the best and funkiest album of his career.  It not only sold better than his more recent albums but earned him new fans and a Grammy for best R'n'B album.  While many late career comeback albums are rated more for nostalgia than quality this really is a stunning album worth investigation.  The title track  does not sound like a pensioner trading on his past but some one still providing vital music.