Back
in my teens... as I sit here now, gingerly, because my back is
twinging (again) those days seem a very long time ago... Anyway, as I
was about to say, back in my teens I developed a long record wants list. The list was long because I was young and had discovered this giant musical sweet shop but pocket money, and then pin money
earned shelf stacking at the local Co-op, didn't stretch nearly far
enough to fund all the great music I was hearing. Take yourself back
to your teens and I'm sure you were similar. I don't remember ever
writing my list down, I just carried it around in my head. Forty or so years on
there is of course a danger that the memory plays more than a few
tricks, but I am reasonably sure that a certain Dr John album was on
my wants list and I'm happy to say that, although it's taken a long
time, I can finally cross it off the list. A local charity shop came
up trumps recently. I had never seen a Dr John album in such
surroundings before, they had three. To be fair it is not exactly
your typical charity shop. They have an upstairs “inner sanctum”
where they keep some records they deem to be more desirable. It is a
mini record shop really, reflected in the prices. Nevertheless, I was
happy to pay the asking price for this album.
Was
it worth the wait? You bet. If I tell you that besides singing in his
inimitable style and playing guitar and piano the good Doctor also
plays muted fingernettes and zigola(!) you know it's on its way to
being a winner. Now mix in The Meters and Allen Toussaint playing the
most elegant* funk you could wish to hear and bingo! The whole album
is an irresistible gumbo of New Orleans goodness. (*Maybe read
slinkilicious – believe me, funk can be elegant without
losing any of its power).
Can
the album be summed up in just two words? Well, a track on the album
has a good stab – Mos' Scocious – but the album title says
it perfectly: Desitively Bonnaroo!