Description
We’re very excited to hear this new collection of early recordings, rarities and live performances from the inimitable, late great Dr. John. Born Malcolm John ‘Mac’ Rebennack, he learned piano and guitar as a child and was steeped in the music of New Orleans growing up there in the 1940s. As such, his music is stamped with the rhythms and traditions of the Crescent City, and spent a career that spanned more than half a century championing its music.
His first album Gris-Gris masterfully evoked the mystical spirit of back-alley voodoo in a musical setting of otherworldly ‘N’Awlins’ swamp funk. It meshed perfectly with the age of psychedelia in which it was released. Such cuts as ‘I Walk on Gilded Splinters’ evoked a late-night, back-streets netherworld of ritual and mystery. Until his untimely passing on June 6th of this year, Dr. John continued to keep the Crescent City’s musical heritage alive.
Focusing on Dr. John’s early singles pre-Atlantic Records (also some recorded under his real name Mac Rebenack), and previously unreleased live concert recordings, this new retrospective includes rarities from the Rex, Ace, and Crazy Cajun labels, and rare live band and solo performances of his greatest hits. Sitting at 31 tracks in all, these early recordings echo the vibe of his later productions, but with a style that’s more stripped-down – a lesser-known side to this legendary soul singer before he hit the mainstream in the late 1960s. The Mojo Of Dr. John is an essential accompaniment to any fan’s collection and a respectful and enlightening celebration.
