Cover Photo by Andrew Francke
Dr. John’s Atco and Atlantic sides were clearly the right-place right-time recordings. They put Mac Rebennack on the map and into the ears and minds of music enthusiasts the world over. On September 18, 2015, Omnivore Recordings will release the 22-song compilation Dr. John: The Atco/Atlantic Singles 1968–1974.
The collection contains the six-time Grammy® Award winner and Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s A- and B-sides recorded for the Atlantic labels from 1968-74, among them some of Dr. John’s best-known songs: “Right Place Wrong Time,” “Iko Iko,” “Cold Cold Night,” “Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya,” “Loop Garoo,” “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” and more. Included also are “A Man of Many Words,” featuring accompaniment from Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton, and the mono short version of “The Patriotic Flag Waver.”
Arrangers and producers include Allen Toussaint, Harold Battiste, Tom Dowd, Jerry Wexler, Eric Clapton, Ahmet Ertegun and Michael Cuscuna. Writers include Willie Dixon, Huey Smith, Buddy Guy Allen Toussaint, Quezerque Gaines, Earl King, James “Sugar Boy” Crawford, Alvin Robinson, Jessie Hill and Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack himself.
Musicologist Gene Sculatti wrote the compilation liner notes.
From Sculatti’s notes: “Dr. John has proven to be one of music’s foremost generalists, a primary-care cat whose practice extends back some 60 years. His expertise encompasses rock ’n’ roll, swamp pop, New Orleans, R&B, funk, jazz, and the Great American Songbook — and he’s made worthy contributions to recordings by the Stones, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, Buffalo Springfield, Gregg Allman, and others. The awards (six Grammys and counting) and accolades long ago validated the quality of his output, but it’s the range of what he’s done that truly impresses.
“These Atco and Atlantic sides were clearly the right-place right-time recordings. They put Dr. John on the map and into the ears and minds of music enthusiasts the world over.”
Track Listing:
1. The Patriotic Flag Waver (Mono Short Version)
2. Mama Roux
3. Jump Sturdy
4. I Walk On Gilded Splinters (Part I)
5. I Walk On Gilded Splinters (Part II)
6. Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
7. Loop Garoo
8. Wash Mama Wash
9. Iko Iko
10. Huey Smith Medley: “High Blood Pressure” “Don’t You Just Know It” “Well I’ll Be John Brown”
11. Wang Dang Doodle
12. Big Chief
13. A Man Of Many Words (Buddy Guy With Dr. John & Eric Clapton)
14. Right Place Wrong Time
15. I Been Hoodood
16. Such A Night
17. Cold Cold Cold
18. Life
19. Let’s Make A Better World
20. Me-You=Loneliness
21. (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away
22. Mos’ Scocious
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