In 2008, writer/musician Ned Sublette interviewed the late Coco Robicheaux for Bomb Magazine. In it, he speculates on how Dr. John came to sing Coco’s name in “I Walk on Guilded Splinters”: There’s a spot on “I Walk on Guilded Splinters,” the track that put Dr. John on the map in 1967, where you can [...]
Tag Archives: Mac Rebennack
Obituary: Wardell Quezergue (1930-2011)
October 1, 2011 – 12:12 am
On the bright late summer morning of September 12 the crème fraiche façade of Corpus Christi-Epiphany Church gleamed optimistically amid this still-blighted Seventh Ward neighborhood along St. Bernard Avenue. Inside the packed church, many of the surviving players from the glory days of New Orleans R&B gathered to send off Wardell Quezergue, an arranger so [...]
Dr. John Cover Story Photo Shoot Extras
March 14, 2011 – 6:47 pm
Tonight, Dr. John will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his honor, the Doctor graces our cover this month, with John Swenson writing about how Mac Rebennack’s life led up to the act of Dr. John, and Steve Hochman supplying a Dr. John discography buyer’s guide. For the cover and [...]
YouTube du Jour: Dr. John
March 14, 2011 – 10:01 am
Tonight, Dr. John will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Tom Waits, Darlene Love, Art Rupe, Jac Holzman and Leon Russell. Dr. John’s induction speech will be given by John Legend, and an edited version of the ceremony will be aired Sunday night at 9E/8C [...]
Mac’s Tracks: A Guide to the Dr. John Discography
March 1, 2011 – 12:15 am
It’s pretty simple. The place to start with Dr. John is where he started—before he was Dr. John, before he was the Night Tripper, before he was known as a piano player and singer (and before he even got credited on recordings for which he’d been a key contributor). Of course, if you can find [...]
Dr. John, Tribal (429 Records)
September 1, 2010 – 12:59 am
Dr. John is among the core group of New Orleans musicians who’ve brought renewed purpose to their work in the last five years. His last release, City That Care Forgot, was a masterpiece of post-Katrina commentary. Tribal is more personal, with a spectacular performance from his “Lower 911” band, particularly from drummer Herman Ernest III, [...]
Dr. John Sits in at Piano at Preservation Hall
December 18, 2009 – 3:24 am
Tag: Only in New Orleans. This past week, we’ve endured rainstorms of biblical proportions, causing some severe flooding in places and generally disrupting the city’s normal habits and schedules. For pianist Thaddeus Richard, those habits include a regular Tuesday night gig with Shannon Powell and the Preservation Hallstars at Preservation Hall. But with Richard unable [...]
Johnny J & the Hitmen, Louisiana Rockabilly (Blue Viper)
August 1, 2008 – 12:01 am
The title of this one pretty much says it all as Johnny J tackles 12 classic rockabilly songs written or performed by Louisiana artists. The album was produced by Shreveport native, Dale Hawkins, who provided the opener, “Bang Bang,” which echoes of the late 1950s. Lake Charles’ Al Ferrier proves to be a big influence [...]
Dr. John, City That Care Forgot (429/Savoy)
June 1, 2008 – 12:01 am
Dr. John has always been a superior songwriter. A master conceptualist, he envisions lyrics and music as part of an overall vision. He is one of the very few denizens of the fertile New Orleans R&B scene of the 1950s to translate the miniaturist art of the three-minute hit into the longplayer ethos of funk [...]
