Dr. John

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Dr. John
Image:20060714 Dr. John in Vienne, France.jpg
Dr. John at "Jazz à Vienne" festival, 2006
Background information
Birth name Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr.
Also known as Mac Rebennack
Born November 21 1940 (1940-11-21) (age 68)
Origin New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
Genre(s) Blues, Rock, Psychedelic rock, New Orleans R&B
Occupation(s) Vocalist, Musician
Instrument(s) vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar
Years active 1950s–Present
Label(s) Atco, Blue Note
Website http://www.drjohn.org/

Dr. John (also Dr. John Creaux) is the stage name of Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (born November 21, 1940), a colorful pianist, singer, and songwriter, whose music spans, and often combines, blues, boogie woogie, and rock and roll.

Contents

[edit] Musical biography

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, his musical career began as a session musician in New Orleans in the 1950s. Early in his career he also played guitar and was often known as Mac Rebennack. He switched to the bass, and then the piano after his left ring finger was injured by a gunshot, while he was protecting his bandmate, Jesuit High School classmate, and longtime friend Ronnie Barron.

Professor Longhair was an important influence on Rebennack. Rebennack gained fame beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with music that combined New Orleans-style rhythm and blues with psychedelic rock and stage shows that bordered on voodoo religious ceremonies, including elaborate costumes and headdress. For a time he was billed as Doctor John, The Night Tripper. The name "Dr. John" came from a legendary Louisiana voodoo practitioner from the start of the 19th century.

He is perhaps best known for his 1973 hit song, "Right Place, Wrong Time", which reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. He was also a prominent session musician at this time, playing piano, for example, with The Rolling Stones on the popular 1972 song Let It Loose, as well as on the popular Carly Simon and James Taylor duet of "Mockingbird" in 1974. He also contributed the song "More and More" to Simon's Playing Possum album. He was co-producer on Van Morrison's 1978 album A Period of Transition and also played keyboards and guitar. He has played and recorded with Willy DeVille. His music has been featured in many films including "Such a Night" in "Colors" in 1988.

Dr. John has also done vocals for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' "Luv dat chicken..." jingle, as well as the theme song ("My Opinionation") for the early-1990s television sitcom Blossom. A version of "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans" with Harry Connick, Jr. was released on Connick's album 20 and VHS Singin' & Swingin' in 1990.

His movie credits include Martin Scorsese's documentary The Last Waltz (in which he joins The Band for a performance of his song "Such a Night") , the 1978 Beatles inspired musical "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", and Blues Brothers 2000 (in which he joins the fictional band The Louisiana Gator Boys to perform the songs "How Blue Can You Get" and "New Orleans"). He also wrote and performed the score for the film version of John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" released in 1982. In 1993, his hit song "Right Place Wrong Time" is extensively used in the movie Dazed And Confused.

Dr. John has also been featured in several video and audio blues and New Orleans piano lessons published by Homespun Tapes. In addition to the instructional value, there is historical context about many other blues artists.

In 1997, he appeared on the charity single Perfect Day.

In September 2005 he performed Bobby Charles' "Walkin' to New Orleans," a song made famous by Fats Domino, to close the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast telethon. This was for the relief of Hurricane Katrina victims; following the devastation of his hometown of New Orleans.

In November 2005, he released a four-song EP, Sippiana Hericane, to benefit New Orleans Musicians Clinic, Salvation Army, and the Jazz Foundation of America. On February 5, 2006, he joined fellow New Orleans native Aaron Neville, Detroit resident Aretha Franklin and a 150-member choir for the national anthem at Super Bowl XL as part of a pre-game tribute to New Orleans. On February 8, 2006, he joined Allen Toussaint, Bonnie Raitt, The Edge, and Irma Thomas to perform "We Can Can" as the closing performance at the Grammy Awards.

On May 12 2006, Dr. John recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios forLive from Abbey Road. His performance was aired alongside those of LeAnn Rimes and Massive Attack on the Sundance Channel in the USA and Channel 4 in the UK.

On July 30, 2006, Dr. John performed a solo piano benefit for New Orleans composer and arranger Wardell Quezergue (King Floyd's "Groove Me") at a New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund benefit at the Black Orchid Theatre in Chicago. Special guest Mike Mills of R.E.M. was in attendance, along with an all-star funk band.

Dr. John performed the theme music to the FOX drama K-Ville.

[edit] Discography

  • Storm Warning / Foolish Little Girl Rex 45 RPM (196?)
  • Gris-Gris (1968) (Atco, SD 33-234)
  • Babylon (1969)
  • Remedies (1970) (Atco, SD 33-316)
  • The Sun, Moon & Herbs (1971) (Atco, SD 33-362)
  • Gumbo (1972)
  • In The Right Place (1973) (Atco, SD 7018)
  • Desitively Bonnaroo (1974) (Atco, SD 7043)
  • Hollywood Be Thy Name (1975) (United Artists, UA-LA552-G)
  • City Lights (1978)
  • Tango Palace (1979) (Horizon, SP-740)
  • Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack (1981)
  • The Brightest Smile in Town (1983)
  • The Ultimate Dr. John (1987)
  • In a Sentimental Mood (1989)
  • Goin' Back to New Orleans (1992)
  • Television (1994)
  • Afterglow (1995)
  • Trippin' Live (1997)
  • Anutha Zone (1998)
  • Duke Elegant (2000)
  • Creole Moon (2001)
  • All By Hisself: Live at the Lonestar (2003)
  • N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda (2004)
  • Live at Montreux, 1995 (2005)
  • Sippiana Hericane (2005)
  • Mercernary (2006) (Blue Note 54541)
  • New Orleans Music in Exile (2006)

[edit] Famous fans

Dr. John's song "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" was covered in 1969 by Marsha Hunt (mother of Mick Jagger's first child) and produced by Tony Visconti; July, 1970 by Johnny Jenkins, whose supporting musicians included slide guitarist Duane Allman and drummers Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johnson ; Allman also produced Ton Ton Macoute, the album that contained it. (Allman, Trucks and Johnson were members of The Allman Brothers Band, formed the previous year, Allman Brothers bass guitarist Berry Oakley also appeared on other tracks on the album).

It was also covered in the 1970s and made epic by Humble Pie on their album Performance Rockin' the Fillmore. The same song was also covered in the nineties by Paul Weller and Oasis' Noel Gallagher on Weller's acclaimed album Stanley Road, and again in 2004 by Califone on their acclaimed album Heron King Blues. "Gilded Splinters" is also a concert staple for both Widespread Panic and the Allman Brothers Band. The song "I Walk on Gilded Splinters" also provided a sample for the songs "Loser" by Beck and "Comatose" by P.M. Dawn.

Van Morrison mentions Dr. John on the 1995 album Days Like This in the song "Russian Roulette". Musician and television personality Jools Holland is a fan who regularly features Dr. John on Later with Jools Holland, his weekly musical showcase.

Muppet creator Jim Henson was also a fan; his character of Dr. Teeth (from Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem) was heavily based on Dr. John. In a promo for the album Good News for People Who Love Bad News airing on MTV Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock names Dr. John as one of his favorite artists.

Robert Klein mentions briefly meeting Dr. John, and being a fan of the song "Right Place, Wrong Time" in the track "On The Road" from his "Mind Over Matter" comedy album.

The annual Bonnaroo music festival took its name from his 1974 album Desitively Bonnaroo.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] See also

[edit] Further reading

Under a Hoodoo Moon: the Life of Dr. John the Night Tripper by Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) and Jack Rummel, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994. ISBN 0-312-10567-3

[edit] External links

fr:Dr. John ja:ドクター・ジョン ru:Доктор Джон simple:Doctor John

Retrieved from "http://india.smashits.com/wikipedia/Dr._John"
Views
Personal tools

Toolbox