John Foster

Dr. John revived his "Night Tripper" persona at the 2006 Bonnaroo Festival. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, his sense of urgency about Louisiana and the Gulf region allowed his spiritual persona free rein in concerts and interviews for the first time since the '70s. He wore the garb on-stage and brought his entire history as a musician to bear in his performances. He's become a full-fledged activist who does his part educating the world about his geography's unique significance as a musical, spiritual, and environmental territory. As an album, Tribal, employs some of the spookier elements of Dr. John's earlier recordings like Gris Gris, but it's all rooted in blues, funk, folk traditions, and R&B that have been at the heart of his musical career since the '50s.