Allen Toussaint

[garth cartwright]

ALLEN TOUSSAINT BUSH HALL

A few months ago Charlie dug out an old review he’d written on an Allen Toussaint album and so I mentioned seeing Charlie host a Songwriter’s Circle at the QEH featuring Toussaint and how it was one of the most magical musical experiences of my life. That was in 1994 and Allen had not been near the UK since. Then I find out he is playing solo at Bush Hall in May!!! You can bet I wasn’t going to miss that gig.

For those of us who love and revere the music of New Orleans Allen Toussaint is ranked alongside the likes of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Prof Longhair, Dr John, Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas and a handful of other giants.

For those not so familiar with Toussaint let me go over some common ground: now aged 68, he began as a pianist with Shirley & Lee in the 1950s and playing on Fats Domino (another giant) recordings, soon placing his witty, fresh and very soulful tunes with many of the rising stars of New Orleans R&B in the early 60s.

Allen was such a gifted composer that by his early 20s the likes of Herb Alpert were also recording his instrumentals. As his fame rose – the likes of the Stones, Beatles and such namechecked him – many Brit and US rockers hired him (Frankie Miller, The Band, Dr John, Lowell George to name a few) while he kept on knocking out great soul productions (Labelle’s Lady Marmalade is but one).

He also recorded 4 fine solo albums across the 70s – album No 3 Southern Nights being one of the most gorgeous discs in my collection, a masterpiece of songwriting, arranging, singing and something quite original – Southern soul that has an almost ambient flavour, trip-hop before anyone ever considered there could be such a thing. I imagine Toussaint was listening to country and reggae (he did produce a Mighty Diamonds album) and brought strains of both to Southern Nights. It’s reissued so I suggest all SOTW folk go get a copy – it will add pleasure to your summer, I guarantee!

None of the albums sold strongly tho Allen certainly did well with publishing as many big names cut his tunes. Then he appeared to go silent. Not vanishing but rarely producing other artists or issuing new solo projects. I imagine he was somewhat disillusioned by the fading of New Orleans’ music scene and how the change in popular black listening tastes had made elegant music such as his out of fashion. Allen occasionally issued solo albums – I bought one in 98 when there to interview Neil Finn and lent it to him (he had never even heard of Toussaint! Doh!!) and never got it back. Never trust a singer-songwriter . . . tho considering Finn’s artistic and commercial decline it appears unlikely he took notes.

Anyway, Toussaint was in town and I was there. The reason for this rare appearance was to promote his album cut with Elvis Costello The River In Reverse. As of the gig I had not heard the album and not having enjoyed anything Costello has done beyond his initial Stiff recordings (and Shipbuilding) I wasn’t sure what the collaboration would involve. Anyway, I was hoping just to get Toussaint solo tho the ticket did promise ‘special guests’ (ominous but being an optimist I thought maybe Frankie Miller would drop in to sing Brickyard Blues!).

Gig gets underway around 9 with Allen looking trim, afro now fully grey, introducing himself in that easy going manner, all Southern charm, playing instrumentals like Java which he mentions Herb Alpert recorded – he also tells us a funny story of recording it while in the army and having to drill the local army band as how to play New Orleans style.

He then does a medley of some of those great early 60s hits he wrote for the likes of Ernie K Doe and Lee Dorsey (Fortune Teller, Mother In Law, Working In A Coal Mine etc). I normally hate hits medleys but Allen played and sang so well and the songs segued together so smoothly that this was really enjoyable.

Then he introduced the ‘special guest’. Yup, Mr Costello. Elvis came on looking fat and happy and immediately the first problem – his vocal mic was way louder than that of Allen’s. Way louder than necessary for Bush Hall. Still, he wasn’t too bad, all things considered. Then Allen took over again, oozing charm, name dropping, telling great great stories – oh, I wish he would write his autobiography! Stories about Prof Longhair and how he came to write Farmer John and visiting farming relatives in rural Louisiana and how ‘when Jim Webb heard Southern Nights he told Glen Campbell ‘you better cut that Toussaint song and give it some tempo’ and he did and they took it all the way to the bank!’

All of this was brilliant except Elvis kept on joining him on stage and as the evening proceeded his singing got worse and worse. I mean, this is a guy who seems to think that singing Aaron Neville songs – a man with a heavenly voice – means imitating all kings of sub-soul mannerisms (squawks and screams and other gospel inflections). And, as mentioned, he was horribly loud – ear splittingly so.

Yet Toussaint kept mentioning Elvis as if he was the great artist! I guess this is the case of a black American musician who feels he’s been forgotten and suddenly finds himself promoted by a very media savvy individual and thus must do the ‘bossman’ act. I mean, there is no comparison in terms of talent – Toussaint is a master pianist, a legendary songwriter and producer and a velvety vocalist who has helped other artists achieve huge levels of success; Costello is a smart guy who has managed to parlay minimal musical ability mixed with word play into a career. Yes, he produced Free Nelson Mandela and A Pair Of Brown Eyes – both acts were already stars - and wrote Shipbuilding so he deserves some respect but really he should be sitting behind the mixing desk with Toussaint, not standing in front of him doing atrocious imitations of your and my fave black singers. Still, Toussaint was solo for around two thirds of the show and that was just magic – the melodies that man can pull out of a piano!

Next day and there’s The River In Reverse in the post. Elvis sings on almost every track and, Jesus, his strangled squawk is unlistenable. He even dares massacre Freedom For The Stallion, the song that Toussaint performed with such grace and dignity at the Songwriters Circle (thankfully they did not tackle that at Bush Hall). Avoid it and go get Southern Nights or From A Whisper To A Scream (a good comp of the 4 albums). And if Allen comes to town go see him. Just take your ear plugs in case any ‘special guests’ drop in.

[NormanD]

Thanks for this review, Garth. You've confirmed all my trepidations about the Toussaint/Costello album. Costello's vocals really get me down now, and I find them hard to listen to, though I used to rate him hugely. To give him his due, however, I think he has been a long-term fan of Allen Toussaint; I heard him do Lee Dorsey's "River Boat" years ago, and he has spoken knowledgeably and respectfully of his music in various past interviews.

Seeing them both on Jools Holland last week, it came across as Elvis C. with an excellent back-up pianist rather than a musical partnership. It seems to be Elvis' "New Orleans" album - he's done it and will now move on. A few years ago it was Elvis' Burt Bacharach album, he did that and moved on. One of the songs they did on TV I'd like to hear again, I can't decide whether I liked it or not. It was an adaptation of Prof Longhair's "Tipitina" (introduced as slowed down and in a different key) with new words. I just love "Tipitina", and I thought: this is a bleedin' cheek! but the new, added lyrics were interesting, a bit of post-deluvian criticism. It's an interesting companion piece to Allen Toussaint's own "Tipitina And Me" on the recent "Our New Orleans" album.

I was so glad that Jools Holland did not join Allen Toussaint for a duet. Jools is a decent pianist but I'm sure he must know when he's out-classed

Norman.

[Nikki Atkinson]

I had thought about going to the Allen Toussaint gig on Friday, but decided against going because I really was not in the mood for a gig, a decision I am sure I will come to regret in time. However, I caught the Allen Toussaint & Elvis Costello collaboration on Later with Jools Holland, and was taken aback by Allen Toussaint's phrasings on the piano, being reminded of some of Charlie's more recent programmes where he has played "Tiptina & Me" a song from the album "Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album For The Gulf Coast Hurricane Victims". I felt quite emotional about it (that is, Allen Toussaint's playing, not Elvis Costello's singing) - and felt an urge to cry.

[Con Murphy]

I agree with Nikki, Allen Toussaint sounded wonderful on Jools, his playing looked so natural and fluid. Elvis, on the other hand, was once again straining to do credit to the songs, and even as (or perhaps because I'm) a great fan of the man, I found it buttock-clenchingly embarrassing in places. There was a time when his voice was an incredible instrument, in turn capable of stripping paint off the walls, stopping clocks and removing feminine underwear. Now, it's probably only really suited to belting out country rock numbers with Lucinda Williams.

Naturally, I disagree with Garth's barb about Elvis' minimal musical ability. In fact, it's the polymorphous prodigiousness of his talent that works against him (Elvis, that is, not Garth. Although.....). Clearly a lot of very talented musicians from many different fields hold him in high esteem because of his ability to work across so many disciplines. Because of this far too much allowance is made for his singular inability to keep up vocally these days. The real wonder is that a man as musically gifted as Elvis can't see it.

I await the new album with the usual feeling of trepidation...

[johnfoyle]

Allen did a half hour set at the start of a evening of New Orleans music by the river in Galway last Saturday, July 29th. On a windy, occasionally rainy evening he played before a mostly older , sociable ( ie. except for the crowd at stage-front the rest talked all the time) crowd in a two-thirds full 'Big Top' tent .

Wearing a sky blue jacket and white pants he got delightful sounds out of a Steinway grand piano, singing quietly and expressively.

Arriving on stage at c.8.30 , grinning shyly throughout , he played and sang -

1. A Certain Girl
2. Mother In Law
3. Fortune Teller
4. Working In A Coalmine/a reprise of A Certain Girl
5. Shoora
6. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)
7. What Do You Want The Girl To Do?
8.Get Out Of My Life Woman
9. Southern Nights
10.Tipatina/'Longhair' tribute
11.Yes We Can Can

Comments included 'Here are some songs I've written for people over the years....' , 'What do...' was ' covered by Boz Scaggs who showed me how it should be done......then Bonnie Raitt did it and she showed me the way to the bank!', ' Play Something..' was dedicated to 'one of your neighbours , Frankie Miller' and so on.



After sets from Charmaine Neville and Marcia Ball ( slick, high volume performances that just about drowned out the chatter while still getting loud cheers) Allen joined the combined bands for a half hour , encore set. A re-worded version of Randy Newman's Louisiana ( references to Bush and lack of aid etc. as had regularly featured in the the bands' sets) had Allen trading piano licks with Amasa Miller on keyboards ( from the Neville band) . As every fly in Galway swirled in white specks in the stage lights , the massed players continued with a song called - I think - Sing Sing Sing. And then some more of a similar nature, including delightfully over the top guitar histrionics from Pat ' have-guitar-will-gurn' Boyack (from the Marcia Ball band) and it was all over.

It was great to see Allen in action ; next time , hopefully , it'll be with a band and in more sympathetic circumstances.

[Charlie]

As every fly in Galway swirled in white specks in the stage lights , the massed players continued with a song called - I think - Sing Sing Sing.

Thanks John, for posting this, and to Garth, Nikki & Con for their earlier contributions.

'Everybody let's sing sing sing' is in the chorus of Let's Make a Better World, written by another undervalued treasure of New Orleans music, Earl King. There's a Southern Comfort ad which has Dr John singing it in a bar while a thunderstorm rages outside. I guess they won't be able to show it again for quite a while.

[Nikki Akinjinmi2]

'Everybody let's sing sing sing' is in the chorus of Let's Make a Better World, written by another undervalued treasure of New Orleans music, Earl King. There's a Southern Comfort ad which has Dr John singing it in a bar while a thunderstorm rages outside. I guess they won't be able to show it again for quite a while.

I actually remember this advert, but wouldn't have known what the song was called or who wrote it or anything like that, but can remember thinking that I wish that I could be there in the bar with them, at the time. (It's a real "...piece of work...")

[ritchie]

Charlie wrote:

'Everybody let's sing sing sing' is in the chorus of Let's Make a Better World, written by another undervalued treasure of New Orleans music, Earl King.

Great catchy tune,

Does anyone know the lyrics and chords for this song ...the lyrics I can slowly work out but lose my way a bit with the chords.

'let the four winds blow' ( I think that's what it's called, by possibly Fat's Domino?) has also been rattlin' around in my head for the past couple of weeks, another great 'tune'

thanks in anticipation.

[johnfoyle]

Allen's on the road - wish I were there.

http://www.rosebudus.com/tourdates/toussaint.html

date venue city state with

10/22/2006 Aladdin Theater Portland OR Evening with
10/23/2006 Earshot Jazz Festival Seattle WA Evening with
10/28/2006 (TBA) New Orleans LA
11/1/2006 Ancienne Belgique Brussels BELGIUM

http://www.abconcerts.be/concerts/conce ... l?c=101480

11/2/2006 Melkweg-Max Amsterdam NETHERLANDS

http://tinyurl.com/ybdtwa

http://www.ticketmaster.nl/html/artist. ... 0TOUSSAINT


11/5/2006 Berlin Jazz Fest Berlin GERMANY

http://tinyurl.com/yj575r

11/6/2006 Jazz Cafe London ENGLAND

http://www.meanfiddler.com/displayPage. ... 5&URLID=19

11/9/2006 The Music of Bob Dylan

- Lincoln Center New York NY Multi act event
11/30/2006 World Cafe Live Philadelphia PA Evening with
12/1/2006 Avalon Theatre Easton MD Evening with
12/8/2006 The Temple - Mobile Mobile AL The Blind Boys of Alabama
12/17/2006 The Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant Minneapolis MN Evening with
12/18/2006 Steppenwolf Theater Chicago IL Evening with
2/17/2007 Pabst Theater Milwaukee WI
3/22/2007 Blues Alley Supper Club Washington DC w/ Marva Wright
3/23/2007 Blues Alley Supper Club Washington DC w/ Marva Wright
3/24/2007 Blues Alley Supper Club Washington DC w/ Marva Wright
3/25/2007 Blues Alley Supper Club Washington DC w/ Marva Wright

No Dublin date ; maybe Elvis Costello has influenced him. After a recent show in Amsterdam I asked Elvis (who hasn't played Dublin in over four years) when he might play here again. 'When hell freezes over' was his prompt reply. Read all about that here -

http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB2 ... 3&start=25

[johnfoyle]

Anyone lucky enough to be going to see Allen can expect this -

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... =183760195

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Slim Lively writes -


Allen Toussaint: A National Treasure

Just returned from seeing Allen Toussaint tonight at the Aladdin Theater in Portland. This was my third time seeing Allen over the years and everytime I am completely in awe of not only his performance, but of the output of sensational music he has written over the years. I was aware of all the songs he played tonight and so many others, but it thrills me each and every time. Listening to Allen Toussaint is like witnessing the history of New Orleans R&B firsthand.

When Katrina struck, I, like so many others, was enraptured by the fate of so many missing musicians of the city. When Toussaint was reported missing from the Superdome for a while, I was in fear of the worst. A man pushing 70 cannot be expected to survive in such conditions very easily and he has provided so many people with wonderful memories throughout his lifetime. I breathed a sigh of relief when he was reported amongst the survivors still inside the stadium.

The show tonight was not as heavily attended as should have been expected. Perhaps 350 people showed up, many late arrivals. But those who were there were treated to a show they'll most likely not soon forget.

Without any accompaniment, Allen Toussaint took the stage, with only a grand piano taking up the space. He opened with his instrumental classic "Java" and afterwards began what was a night full of stories about his music. Next up was "Whipped Cream" a song that became a big hit for Herb Alpert. Then a medley of New Orleans R&B standards, all his own compositions: "A Certain Girl," "Mother-In-Law," "Fortune Teller" and "Working In A Coal Mine." The performance never let up and he ran through hit after hit. Too many songs to name them all, but among the others were "Freedom For The Stallion," "Wrong Number, I'm Sorry, Goodbye," "Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)," and "Soul Sister" which he commented that he always seems to get requests from by mostly the white audiences. "Go figure," he stated.

Toussaint told the crowd that he was amazed at how beautiful the city of Portland was. He told us that he understood why people would want to live in such a lovely place and that nobody in their right mind would want to live any place else. "But we need you to come to New Orleans to help us out," he told the crowd, which was met with cheers. "I was born and raised in New Orleans. And I will die in New Orleans, too," he continued.

Of course, no Allen Toussaint show is complete without a tribute to Professor Longhair. He ran through a rendition of "Tipitina" that mixed the Caribbean jump of Fess and classical readings that sounded an awful lot like being at a James Booker concert. He finished this with his personal tribute that he wrote during the filming of "Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together," that he did with Tuts Washington and Professor Longhair, of which Longhair passed away in the middle of production.

He finished his show with a long story about his family outings when he was young to the Creole Country that led into a beautiful version of "Southern Nights." The crowd gave him his second standing ovation of the night; the first being when he walked on to the stage.

There was hardly any pause, even though the lights came on briefly, as he came out for an encore. He spoke fondly of all the people he has had record his music over time and mentioned LaBelle as he began playing the first chords of "Lady Marmalade." But he did not do the number, rather he jumped immediately into "Brickyard Blues (Play Something Sweet)" to a rousing applause. This he followed with the sweet ballad "With You In Mind." As he stood once again to leave the stage he was greeted with a thunderous applause of a very appreciate audience.

I highly recommend to anybody that has an opportunity to go see Allen Toussaint whenever you have the chance. This is one of those shows that you want to run to as quickly as possible. Do not let the chance slip you by. Allen Toussaint is a national treasure. If you have any doubts, they'll quickly be dispelled within the first few songs of his shows. This is the living history of American music in the flesh and it needs to be recognized and honored.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Catching up , as I have been , with Allen's output I've recently got hold of an album he produced in 1975 -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000 ... 12?ie=UTF8

Notice to Appear
~ John Mayall


It features a number of Toussaint songs not covered since , including a gorgeous tune ' Just Knowing You Is A Pleasure'. John's vocalising is eerily similar to Allens' ; on first listen I assumed they were singing alternate verses.

This Blogster drew my attention to the album -


http://homeofthegroove.blogspot.com/200 ... tunes.html

[johnfoyle]

There's a Allen Toussaint show on BBC Four Friday 3rd Nov. Not a gig - a doc about the man himself.

Details here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/listings/p ... 4_20906_60

[johnfoyle]

How I wish I'd been there -

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/gig ... d=23373473

Soulful solo from Mr T

By Jack Massarik,
Evening Standard 07.11.06

Allen Toussaint is a one-man jazz-blues entertainer


It's mystifying why that eloquent singer/pianist/composer and producer Allen Toussaint doesn't work solo more often. As a one-man jazz-blues entertainer, with only his voice and piano for company, this sophisticated old charmer from New Orleans has few rivals.

If he weren't so gregarious, he might not have collaborated with so many other artists during his long life and developed a brilliant solo career instead.

Looking sharp and relaxed in his black pinstripe suit, Mr T invested the keyboard with Delta wisdom last night, spinning out an absorbing evening of quality songs, most of them his own.

Between numbers came memories and a respectful litany of star names - Professor Longhair, Lee Dorsey, Dr John, Boz Scaggs, Frankie Miller, Bonnie Raitt and Elvis Costello among them - who had taught him, collaborated with him or covered his songs.

Dozens more (Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon and the Rolling Stones, for starters) stayed in the in-tray as Java, an elegant ragtime piece written when he was only 16, gave way to a slew of gumbo-spiced hits.

Brickyard Blues was superb and A Certain Girl, Working in a Coalmine, Soul Sister and Everything I Do Be Funky all had that infectiously lop-sided shufflebeat that belongs to Lousiana musicians alone. If you needed just one man to make your party go with a soulful swing, who else you gonna call?

[Charlie]

How I wish I'd been there

I was that lucky man, and it was as blissful as could have been imagined. The expectations were unreasonably high, but Allen delivered everything we could have wanted, and then some more.

It was interesting to hear so many little Professor Longhair figures on the right hand in the spaces between the vocals on the early hits - Mother in Law, Lipstick Traces, etc - and I was impressed by the sheer size of Allen's hands. Not only was his thumb-to-little finger stretch impressive (and often used), but those hands sure are chunky.

My favourite bit of the evening was his story of visiting his Creole grandparents as a child, and being amazed to hear his very correct father switch to an almost unintelligible patois. That led into Southern Nights, never one of my favourite Toussaint songs, but now I get the point.

[gordonfmoore]

I watched the tv show, what a gentle man. V. interesting.

However, how on earth do you pronounce his name, Everyone had a different version.

So, is it "A len or "A lan", I think Mr Shaver himself aka C Gillette should let us know... :()

[johnfoyle]

Allen will be in the U.K. in June -

http://www.rosebudus.com/tourdates/toussaint.html

(extract)

Allen Toussaint with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band

6/2/2007 The Anvil Basingstoke
6/4/2007 Barbican London
6/5/2007 Queens Hall Edinburgh
6/6/2007 De Montfort Hall Leicester
6/7/2007 Colston Hall Bristol
6/8/2007 Lighthouse Poole
6/9/2007 Derngate Northampton
6/10/2007 The Sage Gateshead Gateshead
6/12/2007 Philharmonic Hall Liverpool
6/13/2007 Warwick Arts Centre Warwick
6/14/2007 Bridgewater Hall Manchester
6/15/2007 Brighton Dome Brighton