New Orleans 3 : Dr John - Gumbo, City that Care Forgot, Going Back to New Orleans.

In terms of actually sitting down and deliberately listening to music from The Big Easy it really started for me about 30 years ago with Dr John's Gumbo.  Even then it was a bit of an eccentric re-release but with covers of Iko Iko (which was a pop hit at the time for some squeeky clean act), Junko Partner and Stack A Lee, (perhaps The Clash had been listening to the album when they were recording London Calling) and most importantly some covers of Professor Longhair and Huey Piano Smith.






Ten years after I bought Gumbo we were living in Taupo and Jan bought me Going Back to New Orleans on CD (I later managed to get a rare vinyl version) when the good Doctor released what was then his second tribute to his home town.  This album has quite a different feel to Gumbo, presenting big (N'alinz" band arrangements of classics associated with the town.  Careless Love, Basin Street Blues, How Come My Dog Don't Bark When You Come Around, Good Night Irene, Cabbage Head and Blue Monday.  I played this album pretty solidly for a year and love how it all flows together.

After consciously avoiding recording albums in and about New Orleans until Going Back, Mac seemed to have a change of heart after that and many of his albums since then notably Creole Moon and N'Awlinz, Dis, Dat or the Other have the city's vibe all over them.  However like it did with so many other artists Hurricane Katrina seemed to breathe new life into him - pushed by a sense of anger and frustration at the slow recovery to the disaster and the impact it had on many of his friends and musicians.    City that Care Forgot  was the immediate result a terrific return to form where even Eric Clapton manages to seem inspired.

Highlights for me are the title track, My People Need a Second Line (with Trombone Shorty), Time for A Change and Promises Promises