When you latch on to a hit formula, don't mess with it, and that is just what the doctor ordered with Desitively Bonaroo.![dr-john-desitively-1.jpg]()
"Desitively Bonnaroo" was Dr. John's 1974 sequel to his smash "In the Right Place" LP of the year before. It continues in the sleek funk vein of 1970's New Orleans R&B, but failed to click hit-wise--which is surprising, as it is easily on par with his "Right Place/Wrong Time" and 1972 "Gumbo" collection of New Orleans oldies. If you liked "RP/WT" then you should absolutely get "Desitively!"
Here, Dr. John (a/k/a Mac Rebennack) reunites with "Right Place's" producer/arranger Allen Toussaint, the Meters as backup band, and a full horn section. Mac contributes mostly his wonderful gravelly singing and clever jive filled songs. His trademark acoustic piano playing is limited in this electric-funk setting, but Toussaint's inventive arrangements take these songs to a place beyond traditional New Orleans' styles.
Check out Toussaint's sublime horn arrangement at the intro to Earl King's "Let's Make A Better World" and the spooky interplay infesting Mac's own "What Comes Around (Goes Around)." The Meters are restrained in their backup role, but contribute artfully throughout. Art Neville's whispery organ peaks out soulfully behind "Me minusYou equals Loneliness" and George Porter's inventive bass line to "Sing Along Song" turns a campfire tune into a funky romp. This was a classy kind of funk that was unique in R&B--It still is.
With a collection of talent and songs this strong, "Desitively" should have been another smash, but a variety of factors (drugs, record label non-support, resistance from rapidly consolidating radio markets) left this gem in the dust. With the exception of Toussaint's production of "Lady Marmalade" for Labelle (1974), nimble New Orleans R&B lost out to the much heavier stylings of George Clinton, the Ohio Players, disco, etc. You'd have to look to Bob Marley and other reggae groups--all fans of N.O. R&B--to find this light-on-its-feet approach to soul music in the mid-1970s.
Dr. John's "Desitively" period is also documented in a video (available via Amazon) of the 1974 PBS program, "Dr. John: New Orleans Swamp - Soundstage." This hour-long TV special features Dr. John appearing with his road band, in addition to Professor Longhair (!) and Earl King--both backed by The Meters, who do a couple of numbers themselves. Musically, it's a bit shaggy compared to the funky precision of their records, but provides a glimpse of the short lived New Orleans R&B boomlet of the mid-1970s.
Give "Desitively Bonnaroo" a spin and relive it again. This is good time music, funky music, played with verve, craft and wit. If you're feeling wheezy, call the Doctor to radiate the eighty-eights, put some zip in your hip, and fix that hole in your soul. It delivers just what the Doctor ordered. Reviewer: "palermo@sprynet.com" (Los Angeles, CA United States)![dr-john-desitively-2.jpg]()
Dr. John: Keyboards, Vocals
The Meters:
Art Neville: Keyboards, Mark Colby: Wind, Gary Brown: Saxophone, Peter Graves: Horn, Kenneth Faulk: Horn, Joseph "Ziggy" Modeliste: Drums, Robbie Montgomery: Vocals, Leo Nocentelli: Guitar, George Porter, Jr.: Bass, Whit Sidener: Saxophone, Jessica Smith: Vocals, Allen Toussaint: Keyboards
traxfromwax:
1. Quitters Never Win 2. Stealin' 3. What Comes Around (Goes Around) 4. Me - You = Loneliness 5. Mos' Scocious 6. (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away 7. Let's Make a Better World 8. R U 4 Real 9. Sing-Along Song 10. Can't Git Enuff 11. Go Tell the People 12. Desitively Bonnaroo
angel's and RYP's request:
The Outnumbered "Work, Buy, Die" 1987![Outnumbered-Work-Buy-Die-1.jpg]()
"Desitively Bonnaroo" was Dr. John's 1974 sequel to his smash "In the Right Place" LP of the year before. It continues in the sleek funk vein of 1970's New Orleans R&B, but failed to click hit-wise--which is surprising, as it is easily on par with his "Right Place/Wrong Time" and 1972 "Gumbo" collection of New Orleans oldies. If you liked "RP/WT" then you should absolutely get "Desitively!"Here, Dr. John (a/k/a Mac Rebennack) reunites with "Right Place's" producer/arranger Allen Toussaint, the Meters as backup band, and a full horn section. Mac contributes mostly his wonderful gravelly singing and clever jive filled songs. His trademark acoustic piano playing is limited in this electric-funk setting, but Toussaint's inventive arrangements take these songs to a place beyond traditional New Orleans' styles.
Check out Toussaint's sublime horn arrangement at the intro to Earl King's "Let's Make A Better World" and the spooky interplay infesting Mac's own "What Comes Around (Goes Around)." The Meters are restrained in their backup role, but contribute artfully throughout. Art Neville's whispery organ peaks out soulfully behind "Me minusYou equals Loneliness" and George Porter's inventive bass line to "Sing Along Song" turns a campfire tune into a funky romp. This was a classy kind of funk that was unique in R&B--It still is.
With a collection of talent and songs this strong, "Desitively" should have been another smash, but a variety of factors (drugs, record label non-support, resistance from rapidly consolidating radio markets) left this gem in the dust. With the exception of Toussaint's production of "Lady Marmalade" for Labelle (1974), nimble New Orleans R&B lost out to the much heavier stylings of George Clinton, the Ohio Players, disco, etc. You'd have to look to Bob Marley and other reggae groups--all fans of N.O. R&B--to find this light-on-its-feet approach to soul music in the mid-1970s.
Dr. John's "Desitively" period is also documented in a video (available via Amazon) of the 1974 PBS program, "Dr. John: New Orleans Swamp - Soundstage." This hour-long TV special features Dr. John appearing with his road band, in addition to Professor Longhair (!) and Earl King--both backed by The Meters, who do a couple of numbers themselves. Musically, it's a bit shaggy compared to the funky precision of their records, but provides a glimpse of the short lived New Orleans R&B boomlet of the mid-1970s.
Give "Desitively Bonnaroo" a spin and relive it again. This is good time music, funky music, played with verve, craft and wit. If you're feeling wheezy, call the Doctor to radiate the eighty-eights, put some zip in your hip, and fix that hole in your soul. It delivers just what the Doctor ordered. Reviewer: "palermo@sprynet.com" (Los Angeles, CA United States)
Dr. John: Keyboards, VocalsThe Meters:
Art Neville: Keyboards, Mark Colby: Wind, Gary Brown: Saxophone, Peter Graves: Horn, Kenneth Faulk: Horn, Joseph "Ziggy" Modeliste: Drums, Robbie Montgomery: Vocals, Leo Nocentelli: Guitar, George Porter, Jr.: Bass, Whit Sidener: Saxophone, Jessica Smith: Vocals, Allen Toussaint: Keyboards
traxfromwax:
1. Quitters Never Win 2. Stealin' 3. What Comes Around (Goes Around) 4. Me - You = Loneliness 5. Mos' Scocious 6. (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away 7. Let's Make a Better World 8. R U 4 Real 9. Sing-Along Song 10. Can't Git Enuff 11. Go Tell the People 12. Desitively Bonnaroo
angel's and RYP's request:
The Outnumbered "Work, Buy, Die" 1987
