Exystence says: You can take the musician out of New Orleans but you can’t…well, you know the rest. That’s the impression behind Dr. John’s Live at The Village Gate, a riveting show finally released November 21.
It’s logical to assume any artist as closely associated with New Orleans’ culture as Dr. John would work with those born and raised in the most richly musical of American cities. And while that was true for much of his career, this performance from 1988 features a seven-piece band consisting of New York City pros.
Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John) had moved from his Big Easy home to NYC, on the advice of his manager, in order to expand his income choices. During that time he booked a residency at the Village Gate club with top-flight local…talent he dubbed The Louisiana Luminoids even though none of them actually came from that state. Nevertheless, John’s exuberant playing and singing epitomized the soul of the Crescent City and this group created the colorful dazzle of John’s hometown in the middle of Greenwich Village.

This double CD presents one typically vibrant 90-minute gig as John runs through old and new material, some quite obscure, for a wildly appreciative crowd. There are only a dozen titles, but all are expanded, improvised and enhanced by animated playing fronted by the leader’s distinctive gravelly voice, sprightly piano and sheer exuberance. A three-piece horn section brings the R&B, session guitarist Joe Caro lets loose enough for anyone to wonder why he wasn’t more famous, and drummer Richard Crooks finds that alluring New Orleans beat as effortlessly as anyone born and raised there.

One listen to eight-minutes of these guys blowing through the oldie “Mess Around” and you’ll know the players were on fire. Dr. John is revved-up from the opening thump of “Renegade” (a lost gem from 1970s ‘Tango Palace’), tickling the keys as the outfit instantly finds its greasy groove. All three horns take solos and John holds it together like only great band leaders can, engaging the audience with his grizzled, witty, stream-of-consciousness chatter about life as a musician while the percussion bubbles.

“This here is our motto” says John introducing “Keep That Music Simple” as the vibe gets colorfully funky. The horns blow (“Don’t be too hasty/Hit ‘em with two or three licks/Just enough to be tasty”) and the ensemble falls into that indescribable but you-know-it-when-you-hear-it New Orleans’ shimmer combining jazz, soul, and blues in ways that usually only performers from there can do.

While there is no “Right Place, Wrong Time” or “Such a Night,” two of John’s most popular tunes, we get a sizzling “I’ve Been Hoodood” from 1973s classic ‘In the Right Place’ collection. It’s blown out to nearly nine minutes, capturing the humid swampy atmosphere so specific to John’s style. He lowers the temperature by locking onto an emotional slow blues for “Rain” featuring nimble piano tinkling, and a transcendent “Georgia on My Mind” that’s every bit as potent as Ray Charles’ definitive take.

John also reaches back to 1968s debut for a rare version of the playful “Mama Roux,” and closes with a quarter hour trip to “Mardi Gras Day.” It starts slow, picks up steam and includes short, succinct solos from each member, ending with a blowout as festive, funked-up and frantic as anything you’d hear on Bourbon Street during Jazzfest.

The audio mix is terrific with each instrument balanced and John’s vocals crisp and clear making you wonder why it took so long for this incredible music to see the light of day. Regardless, it’s here now and ready for anyone who hasn’t experienced a typical Dr. John show to get a dose of New Orleans’ finest on a particularly effervescent night. — rockandbluesmuse.com 


*Now I didn’t know Exystence and this seems like a legitimate gem BUT . . . . most of what they share appears to be ( I say appears to be . . . .) commercially available so I don’t tend to share such . . . . I have however posted this here as it is listed on Amazon for sale and yet when they share they have ‘1’ in stock I figure they are trading for hits as they don’t carry it in stock in real terms therefore I consider them ‘out of print’ and if anyone knows otherwise then please get in touch. 

So anyone listing one copy that makes them fair game in my opinion and are (mostly) not really taking money from artists pockets which was the whole point of my guidelines anyway but . . . so it goes

but if you check the latest listings from Exystence then most recent postings are from 2025 and are listed as commercially available either from their own labels or a selection of sources (like the wonderful Norman Records see Matt Berry’s set for nearly £120!) where you can buy them. If you know better then please let me now but as per the guidelines I share as to what I am trying to do here and the sharing of legitimate ROIOs and if they are available for sale I will not share them. 

It is no doubt getting to be more and more of a grey area and as far as I can see these are available from more commercial sources . . . .ironically I couldn’t download this for some reason and you may need a VPN as opposed to a legitimate browser (Safari, Fox or Google Chrome for example)         [Sorry Dave]

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