Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack

Dr. John | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 2, 1989)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Clean Cuts
• ASIN: B0000001Z5
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  DVD Audio
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,628 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Dorothy

2. Mac's Boogie

3. Memories of Professor Longhair

4. The Nearness of You

5. Delicado

6. Silent Night

7. Dance A La Negres

8. Wade in the Water

9. Honey Dripper

10. Big Mac

11. New Island Midnight

12. Saints

13. Pinetop

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

By the early '80s Dr. John was mostly in demand as a session player and ad jingle writer, but he cut a pair of back-to-back solo piano albums that proved he was still capable of greatness. The first, Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, ranges widely, from joyous tributes ("Memories of Professor Longhair," "Pinetop") and slow blues ("New Island Blues," "Saints") to graceful standards such as "Dance à la Negres" and "Wade in the Water." With the exception of a gentle version of "The Nearness of You" and a disconcertingly peppy take on "Silent Night," this album is all instrumental--a joy if you're a fan of solo piano, a bit wearing if you're not. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Album, a must for students of the genre, May 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack (Audio CD)

As Bill Evans entrances you with his solo piano albums, as Art Tatum floors you with his mastery on his solo recordings.....Dr. John will slay you with the pianistic mastery of his genre. He is a treasure, an encyclopedic connection with Americas musical past.

I lived and breathed this record for almost 6 months transcribing almost all of it. My growth as a player took a quantum leap and I am indebted to the Doctor.

The joy of this recording are the wonderful new discoveries with each listen....the inner voices within his incredibly challenging chordal voicings, the bewildering time keeping in the left hand, the syncopation, the octave work, the emotional sensitivity....I could go on and on...

The Doctor takes no prisoners. Buy it, live it, love it and (for you players)learn it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic solo paino CD of a "True Professor.", March 14, 2000

By 

Kathy Kieth (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack (Audio CD)

I discover this (mostly Ignored) CD after exhausting my professor Longhair and James Booker CD's, and if you like solo piano - this album cannot be recommended highly enough! True there are only a couple vocal tracks, but instrumentals like "Dorothy" have such strong melodies and heart that they make you wanna cry, they really do. I would give my left NUT to play with the soulful depth & playfulness this CD glows with. forget brightest smile in town - THIS is THE Dr. John solo piano CD! BUY IT - period.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the doctor gets all the way down, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack (Audio CD)

No other piano album, with the possible exception of James Booker's "Spiders On The Keys", has ever captured the essence of modern New Orleans piano like this wonderful early 80s solo effort from Dr.John. The listener is taken along on a ride through every imaginable style of Nawlins music, dirges, boogies, marches, stride piano numbers; all in all: get fonkified...