.................................the blog nobody reads

The 'MASTER' for a Sunday morning there is NOTHING finer than a master class with Mr Mac Rebennack, the good Dr. John. First discovered way back by me at the time of his Night Tripper album and we all went on a journey together and met Professor Longhair and Tuts Washington along the way not to mention the Meters and Allen Toussaint and all things N'Orleans. It is maybe worth remembering he was a guitar player who had his finger shot off and decided to turn to the piano!
He is simply the 'Master' of Fonk and archivist of all things truly R'nB' boogie woogie and one of the most extraordinariy talented musicians on the planet

Here he is playing Stephen Foster's Swannee River Boogie



The Ahmet Ertegun classic which for me he has recorded the defintive version on 'Gumbo', I think, The Mess Around combined with Cow Cow Blues as only Mac can



Here's he explores the earliest blues song I can recall 'C.C. Rider' which I had when but a 13 year old by Big Bill Broonzy...........


A favourite story blues 'Frankie & Johnny' a la Professor Longhair..........class.........Henry Roland Bird he of the Shuffling Hungarians and the Chappaka Shaweez........my main man second only perhaps top the good Doctor for putting me in touch with all these people


Again another classic blues from my childhood - I LOVE this song
Goodnight Irene by Leadbelly


and finally the 'novelty' song IKO IKO which had me spellbound when I first heard the Doctor play it........

"Iko Iko" is a much-covered New Orleans song that tells of a parade collision between two "tribes" of Mardi Gras Indians. The lyrics are derived from Indian chants and popular catchphrases. The song, under the original title "Jock-A-Mo", was written in 1954 by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford in New Orleans, but has spread so widely that many people take it to be a much older folk song. The song is closely identified as a Mardi Gras song, but it is equally known as a Top 40 hit. The main melody bears a strong resemblance to the guitar riff in "Son de la Loma" recorded by the Trio Matamoros. "Son de la Loma" was written by Miguel Matamoros sometime before May 8, 1925.[1]

The story tells of a "spy dog" or lookout for one band of Indians encountering the "flag boy" or guidon carrier for another band. He threatens to set the flag on fire.

Check out Mac's book here it's a stone classic and no mistake...should be on everyone's book shelves IMHO