Spins: Dr. John • Live at the Village Gate

Dr. John

Live at the Village Gate

(Omnivore)

The late Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack and his Louisiana Luminoids raised the spirit of New Orleans in New York City’s Greenwich Village on March 5, 1988. This previously unreleased 12-song set stretches beyond 90 minutes, giving ample opportunity to revel in the sound of Rebennack’s sparkling piano and ace band featuring a hot brass trio and a rhythm section that cracks like a whip. The mix gets dialed in as opening number “Renegade” progresses, with the sharp chime of Joe Caro’s gradually sitting into the ensemble. Tenor saxophonist “Blue” Lou Marini of Blues Brothers fame takes his first of several thrilling solos before Dr. John does some “jaw-jerkin'” during song’s breakdown to make a NOLA hipster rap about the pursuit of filthy lucre.

Newcomers may want to know that Dr. John’s biggest hits “Right Place, Wrong Time” and “Such A Night” from 1972’s In the Right Place album are not included in this set list. The band visits the album for the Crescent City funk of “Qualified.” “Your Cadillac ain’t no hipper than my bus stop,” sings Rebennack, expressing the song’s sentiment of self-worth regardless of means. The band also plays a spellbinding version of the album’s “I’ve Been Hoodood.” Propelled by drummer Richard Crooks’ second-line rhythms, the band casts a mysterious spell and proves to be equally adept at jazz-informed improvisation as they are at R&B, funk, and soul. The song boasts an extended baritone saxophone solo from Ronnie Cuber.

“I Walk on Guilded Splinters” from 1968’s Gris-Grisis also absent, but Rebennack honors a fan’s request for deeper cut “Mama Roux” as the set nears its thrilling conclusion. “Ain’t play it in a long time, so ‘scuse me if I lame out on it, but here it is,” hedges Rebennack before diving in. Although his voice shows a bit of extra rasp and wear by this time of the show, the mid-tempo New Orleans rambler is a crowd pleaser. Lew Soloff’s trumpet helps reinforce the high notes on the chorus.

The show includes an early performance of “Life’s a One Way Ticket,” which was eventually captured on 2004’s N’Awlinz: Dis Dat or d’Udda. “There ain’t no second time around,” sings Rebennack in a smoky blues rambler about making the most of the time one has. Alongside leads by Marini and Caro, Soloff’s trumpet takes flight for a soulful melody.

“This here is our motto,” says Rebennack when introducing the low funk of “Keep That Music Simple” from 1979’s Tango Palace. As the lyric suggests, the band keeps the groove right in the pocket and leaves room for the horn section to stretch out. Like “Mama Roux,” “One Dirty Woman” is a non-standard inclusion in the set list. The song proves to be a highlight as a rolling blues with an urbane rumble. The brass players trade leads before Caro uncorks a hot Larry Carlton-styled guitar solo reminiscent of Steely Dan.

Following a dramatic piano intro, Rebennack calls down natural disasters if he can’t have his love on the slow-burning jazz-blues of “Rain.” “Let The Good Times Roll” unfolds with an irresistible swing. In addition to Rebennack’s exhortation to suck the marrow from life, the song features lively blues-rock solos from Caro and Marini.

The band fuses a lively blues with 1953 Ray Charles hit “Mess Around” as heard on 1972 album Dr.John’s Gumbo. “Ah, I got it, son,” says Rebennack as he takes the first solo section in his irresistible style. The tempo slows for an expressive and sentimental run through Hoagy Carmichael’s Great American Songbook standard “Georgia on My Mind.” The Dr. John arrangement includes another hat-tip to Charles and his indelible 1960 version, expanded with big band and Big Easy flourishes by the brass.

Wrapping the evening is a 17-minute set-closing version of party stoker “Mardi Gras Day.” The latter begins as Dr. John’s piano quotes the gospel hymn “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” accompanied by Crooks’ mournful parade rhythm. Soon, the song erupts into a joyful rhythm with an extra measure of Cajun spice in Dr. John’s patois. He calls for freewheeling solos around the bandstand. “Soul in the bowl,” says Dr. John fondly after Marini’s final fling.

Despite the omission of Dr. John’s most familiar singles (“Iko Iko” is another favorite gone AWOL), fans will be thrilled by a set that is perhaps more adventurous than the fan-pleasing fare Rebennack was performing in front of festival crowds toward the end of his career. The mix here is imminently listenable but imperfect; it’s most likely sourced from a soundboard mix collected by manager Barbara “BB” Becker. As such, Crooks’ rhythms are often tucked in the background. Caro’s guitar and Trazi Williams’ congas occasionally dominate the mix. Nonetheless, this is the closest thing to being in the room with a front row seat. Pour a mint julep and enjoy.

– Jeff Elbel

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