DR. JOHN
All By Hisself - Live At The Lonestar (Hyena)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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If there's anyone left that doesn't realize what a true treasure of American music Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack is, this disc, the first in a series entitled The Rebennack Chronicles, should put the matter to rest. In cooperation with Hyena Records, Dr. John has created the Skinji Brim imprint, which will serve as the outlet for his trove of over 20 years of live performance recordings, as well as selected releases by new artists who, as the Doctor puts it, "...ain't found a home nowhere, but has some solid music to project."

He kicks it off with a 12 track, 18 song performance from New York's Lonestar in December of 1986. It's just Dr. John and a piano, but in his capable hands a piano is practically an orchestra. The set includes some of the songs he's made famous, like "Such A Night" and "Right Place Wrong Time" along with the blues, boogie and New Orleans classics of which he is an undisputed and unrivaled master. It's an invaluable performance by an incomparable artist.

As if the Lone Star show isn't enough, the CD is packaged with a bonus DVD featuring Dr. John's exposition of the history of New Orleans music through song and story. With a career that began as a teenage session player for the likes of Professor Longhair and Frankie Ford, there's nobody better qualified to tell that story, and the DVD is worth the price of admission all by itself.

Track List:

Swanee River Boogie * Stagger Lee * Average Kind Of Guy * Sick And Tired * Such A Night * Qualified * Something You Got * Junco Partner * Traveling Mood>Let's Make A Better World * Right Place Wrong Time * Iko, Iko * Rockin' Pneumonia>High Blood Pressure>Happy Times>Don't You Just Know It>Don't You Know Yockomo

Bonus DVD: Mac sings, plays and talks about New Orleans music

© 2003 - Shaun Dale