R.I.P. Dr. John

brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
This is a big, big loss.  Dr. John (stage name for Malcolm John Rebennack) died today at age 77.   He made so much great music, and played with a lot of greats.

His first album, Gris-Gris is one of those that if you have not heard it, you owe it to yourself to get this album (preferably on record LP), set aside time to be free of distractions, find yourself a really comfortable place to just sit back, close your eyes, it go there.  It's amazing.  This is one of those rare records that is totally off the map and yet, at the same time, has the allure of a sweet dream, the warmth of mellow grooves and vibrancy of black magic dances, and enough good juju to "cure alls yous ills".   It's truly one rare and mighty fine listen.

R.I.P.  Dr. John
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













Comments

  • 23scidoo23scidoo Thessaloniki,Greece Posts: 18,412
    Sad day for the music..RIP Sir

    https://youtu.be/HT4RainY-lY
    Athens 2006. Dusseldorf 2007. Berlin 2009. Venice 2010. Amsterdam 1 2012. Amsterdam 1+2 2014. Buenos Aires 2015.
    Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
    EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.

    I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
  • helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,262
    allen toussaint has company and that sucks for all of us. nola key players are the best of their kind.
  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,632
    Very sad.  He’s beyond a legend in these parts
  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,632
    Funny thing.......Everybody’s kids know Dr John if they ever watched the Curious George cartoons.  They just don't realize it yet.  
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,258
    Yeah sad day , he inspired lots of today’s artists ...
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,755
    I was recording in a studio down in New Orleans a couple of years ago called The Parlor Studio. I was in one of the side rooms playing a Yamaha piano when the engineer came in and said, "You like that one? Yeah, Dr. John was playing that the other day and just loved it." That's when I stood up and moved to another piano. In no way did I deserve to be playing the same instrument that Dr. John did just a few days prior.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    I was recording in a studio down in New Orleans a couple of years ago called The Parlor Studio. I was in one of the side rooms playing a Yamaha piano when the engineer came in and said, "You like that one? Yeah, Dr. John was playing that the other day and just loved it." That's when I stood up and moved to another piano. In no way did I deserve to be playing the same instrument that Dr. John did just a few days prior.
    Great story.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would not feel comfortable in a similar situation with guitar and someone I really admire.  I need to track down a copy of Under the Hoodoo Moon; The Life of the Night Tripper.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • 23scidoo23scidoo Thessaloniki,Greece Posts: 18,412
    Athens 2006. Dusseldorf 2007. Berlin 2009. Venice 2010. Amsterdam 1 2012. Amsterdam 1+2 2014. Buenos Aires 2015.
    Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
    EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.

    I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
  • helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,262
    23scidoo said:
    that, right there, is the greatest musical city in the world. nothing even comes close.
  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,632
    edited June 2019
    23scidoo said:
    that, right there, is the greatest musical city in the world. nothing even comes close.
    Truth.  I always liked that quote by Ed about NOLA. “You walk down the street and it’s intimidating. Every guy sitting on the curb playing an instrument is a way better musician than you”. 
    Post edited by cp3iverson on
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,755
    23scidoo said:
    that, right there, is the greatest musical city in the world. nothing even comes close.
    Truth.  I always liked that quite by Ed about NOLA. “You walk down the street and it’s intimidating. Every guy sitting on the curb playing an instrument is a way better musician than you”. 
    That’s a wonderful quote and so true. We’d be working and my producer Tom would say, “Let’s bring in my buddy. He’s local and will just blow your mind.” He was always right. So much talent down there. 
  • helplessdancerhelplessdancer Posts: 5,262
    if any music fans have not been to NOLA u just gotta make it happen for yourself
    dumpstaphunk anyone?? omg !
    and this is the guy who's blowing my mind these days
    Corey Henry "Tell Ya Mama 'Nem"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2mwfhf6WTc
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,755
    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dr-john-last-album-846783/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    Great article here. Shane Theriot here actually played guitar on my sessions down there that I talked about above. It’s really a tight community down there. 
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dr-john-last-album-846783/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    Great article here. Shane Theriot here actually played guitar on my sessions down there that I talked about above. It’s really a tight community down there. 
    Great article, thanks for posting it.  And congratulations on having the opportunity to work with Shane Theriot!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,755
    brianlux said:
    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dr-john-last-album-846783/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    Great article here. Shane Theriot here actually played guitar on my sessions down there that I talked about above. It’s really a tight community down there. 
    Great article, thanks for posting it.  And congratulations on having the opportunity to work with Shane Theriot!
    Possibly the nicest guy on the planet. I’m by no means a talented guitar player. I’m a basic singer-songwriter. Nothing tricky. So I’m showing him this tune we’re recording and he just can’t get it down right. Something is throwing him off. So I’m in there playing it slowly for him to catch it and I hear my producer Tom yell, “That’s right! You show that Shane Theriot hack how to play!”
    Shane is super cool though. He told a great story about how he was almost the SNL band leader after G E Smith retired. Just cool and down to earth. It’s easy to see why he and Dr. John would click so well. 

    Ok. That’s enough about me recording down there. Those stories just seem to fit. Back to the legend of Dr. John. 
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    brianlux said:
    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dr-john-last-album-846783/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

    Great article here. Shane Theriot here actually played guitar on my sessions down there that I talked about above. It’s really a tight community down there. 
    Great article, thanks for posting it.  And congratulations on having the opportunity to work with Shane Theriot!
    Possibly the nicest guy on the planet. I’m by no means a talented guitar player. I’m a basic singer-songwriter. Nothing tricky. So I’m showing him this tune we’re recording and he just can’t get it down right. Something is throwing him off. So I’m in there playing it slowly for him to catch it and I hear my producer Tom yell, “That’s right! You show that Shane Theriot hack how to play!”
    Shane is super cool though. He told a great story about how he was almost the SNL band leader after G E Smith retired. Just cool and down to earth. It’s easy to see why he and Dr. John would click so well. 

    Ok. That’s enough about me recording down there. Those stories just seem to fit. Back to the legend of Dr. John. 
    Oh, but that's such a cool story!

    Man, I just wish I'd had a chance to see Dr. John live.  That would have been great.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592

    WOOOOW!  That gave me goose bumps!  One of my favorite Dr. John songs.  THANK YOU for posting this!  :smiley:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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