The newest archival release from the estate of Dr. John is a double disc of live New Orleans R&B. Directly titled Live at the Village Gate, it is a previously unissued performance of the good doctor fronting an eight-piece band that played the historic NYC venue on March 5, 1988.
The 80s were not a strong decade for Dr. John, having moved to NYC to change sounds and try to achieve more commercial success, recording jazz fusion, movie soundtracks, solo albums, writing with Doc Pomus, and more. At the end of the decade, however, he was back on track; he was a part of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, and this newly unearthed live album finds him strong and in charge.
Backed by a group of studio musicians Mac christened “The Louisiana Luminoids” (even though they were all based in NYC), the band flourished. The group is Richard Crooks on drums, Joe Caro on guitar, Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Trazzi on congas/percussion, and a grade A horn section of Lew Soloff on Trumpet, Lou Marini on tenor sax, and Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone, while Dr. John led the charge on keys and vocals.
Things get funky from the get-go, as “Renegade” features big-band horn hits, hand drums, and castanets clicking before Mac delivers a spoken-word break about the root of all evil, “Muny”. The sound levels at times on the album can be distorted, pushing horns back or forward, but the energy is palpable throughout.
The tunes here all stretch out, allowing for multiple solos to ramp up the proceedings. Highlights include the piano-based blues of “Life Is A One Way Ticket” that swirls with keys, guitar, and trumpet solos, the gumbo-infused “Mess Around”, and the touching ballad “Rain” that ends the first disk. Less successful are the repetitive light funky blues of “One Dirty Woman” and the chicken scratching guitar of “Qualified,” which never truly catches fire.
One of the issues with the outfit is that, while they are all crisp musicians, they don’t always grease and slide in New Orleans fashion, as on “Let The Good Times Roll/Ooh Poo Pah Doo”. However, one track where everyone syncs up gloriously with that mystical voodoo is the swampy funk of “I’ve Been Hoodood,” which delivers spooky goodness.
The seemingly off-the-cuff request of “Mama Roux” is a fun spin, while the highlight of the whole show is the piano ballad “Georgia On My Mind” that swells and goes over the top in dramatic Broadway fashion, showcasing Dr. John’s playing and strong vocals. Mac brings it back south to wrap up, introducing the band and delivering an extended and joyous “Mardi Gras Day” to close.
There have been a few posthumous archival releases, and each one is worth checking out as Mac Rebennack played in a host of styles with a bunch of different bands. Live at the Village Gate showcases a lesser-known period in Dr. John’s career, when he was back on the ascent.
