Allen+toussaint

Hits he produced, his original versions of future hits for others 50 key cuts from the New Orleans R&B titan! His Java and Whipped Cream (The Stokes; later the theme for The Dating Game ) join Young School Girl Fats Domino; Ernie K-Doe's smash Mother-In-Law; It's Raining Irma Thomas; Lipstick Traces Benny Spellman; Chris Kenner's big hit I Like It Like That; Wrong Number Allen Neville; Working in the Coal Mine; Yes We Can , and the title hit by Lee Dorsey; Sophisticated Cissy; Look-Ka Py Py Meters, and more.

Legends of New Orleans showcases three of the city's most celebrated musicians: Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, and the Neville Brothers. These musicians came of age during the heyday of R&B when the New Orleans sound dominated the national R&B charts. These performances are from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2000, the world's largest music and cultural event with over a half million people from around the world attending. Includes a special appearance by Bonnie Raitt.

When Allen Toussaint died of a heart attack on November 10 of last year, it was a shock to just about everyone, since the famed pianist had still been extremely active, to the point where he’d been set to perform a sold-out show in London on Nov. 15 and to perform a benefit concert with Paul Simon in New Orleans less than a month later. While his absence is still felt even now, we hope this news will help fill at least some small portion of the void: The Complete Warner Recordings, which has been out of print since the sellout of its limited-edition Rhino Handmade release, is now available once more.

A tremendous tribute to the genius of Allen Toussaint – the man who almost single-handedly shaped the sound of New Orleans soul in the 60s! As the title implies, Toussaint is featured here as an artist, producer, and songwriter – and most tracks were issued on his Sansu Records label, and recorded in his Sea Saint studios – a spot that was as important to New Orleans as Chess was to Chicago, and Stax was to Memphis! The singers vary here, but the songs and instrumentation have a very unified vibe – plenty of Nola funk at the bottom, and some killer lyrics that often have a lot of sharpness and wit. Tracks include "So Good" by Ernie K Doe, "Sneakin Sally From The Alley" by Lee Dorsey, "Hercules" by Aaron Neville, "Gone Gone Gone" by Eldridge Holmes, "Don't Pity Me" by Curly Moore, "Bad Luck" by Betty Harris, "All I Want Is You" by Zilla Mayes, "Wheel Of Fire" by Etta Jones, "If You Love Her" by Benny Spellman, "Omar Khayyam" by The Rubiyats, "Here Come The Girls" by Ernie K Doe, "How To Pick A Winner" by Maurice Williams, "Star Revue" by Warren Lee, "Greatest Love" by Willie West, "The Book" by Eldridge Holmes, "Wait A Minute Baby" by Diamond Joe, and "We Are The People" and "Working In A Coal Mine" by Toussaint himself.

Producer, songwriter, arranger, session pianist, solo artist Allen Toussaint wore all these hats over the course of his lengthy and prolific career, and his behind-the-scenes work alone would have been enough to make him a legend of New Orleans R&B. Thanks to his work with numerous other artists, Toussaint bore an enormous amount of responsibility for the sound of R&B in the Crescent City from the '60s on into the '70s. His productions kept with the times, moving from rollicking, earthy soul in the '60s to gritty, rambunctious funk in the '70s. As a composer, Toussaint proved himself a consistent hitmaker, penning more than a few gems that have since become R&B standards and been covered by countless artists working in many different styles.

Originally released in 1975, Allen Toussaint's SOUTHERN NIGHTS is a celebrated album showcasing his signature blend of funk, soul, and R&B. The title track later reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles by Glen Campbell and made its way to the Louisiana state song list. The album also features standout tracks like "Last Train" and "Worldwide," highlighting Toussaint's innovative style. Notably, Toussaint's use of rich, orchestral arrangements on this album contributed to its critical acclaim and lasting influence. ABOUT RHINO RESERVE: Launching as part of a new audiophile vinyl series, Rhino Reserves, offering legendary albums on 180-gram premium-quality black vinyl. Ensuring the highest audio quality, Rhino Reserve will be pressed locally at Fidelity Record Pressing’s brand-new plant in Oxnard, CA, and cut by renowned mastering engineer Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab. For these inaugural releases, however, the lacquers were cut by Chris Bellman, with the vinyl pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing.

Allen Toussaint had it all around him – the voices and spirits of black music, rhythm ’n’ blues, funk and soul. He was born in New Orleans and grew up there, the birthplace of jazz. As from 1960, he worked as a record producer and an A&R man at Minit Records, an independent label, which was closely associated with the transformation of the New Orleans Sound. His compositions for fellow musicians landed them in the charts, he frequently participated by performing with them on the piano, and so became a connoisseur and master of all possible sounds.

New Orleans musicians laid the cornerstone for a large swath of American music, and Allen Toussaint is among the city s most gifted players. As a composer, arranger, producer, pianist and singer, Allen has created an enduring body of work. Songbook presents Allen Toussaint as many of his fans have longed to hear him, in an intimate solo setting, performing many of his best-loved songs. His piano playing is a marvel, with its orchestral conception and effortless New Orleans syncopation. But what comes across most strongly is the warmth of Allen s performance. The gentle Creole lilt in his voice brings a resonance and a smile to his songs, rivaling the versions he produced for others.

Allen Toussaint experienced a late-career revival sparked, ironically enough, by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He had to leave his hometown New Orleans after the hurricane, relocating to New York City where he started to play regular gigs at Joe's Pub and, soon enough, he cut The River in Reverse with Elvis Costello. That 2006 album propelled Toussaint toward a greater audience, leading to more headlining concerts, two of which are chronicled on Rounder's 2013 release Songbook. Recorded in 2009 at Joe's Pub, Songbook features nothing more than Toussaint alone at a piano running through songs he's written over the decades. He sprinkles in a New Orleans standard here and there there's an excellent rendition of "St. James Infirmary" but the spotlight is on his peerless originals, songs that are standards in their own right: "Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)," "Holy Cow," "Get Out of My Life, Woman," "Yes We Can," a medley of "A Certain Girl/Mother-in-Law/Fortune Teller," "Southern Nights."