Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack: Legendary Sessions 2

Dr. John | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Clean Cuts
• ASIN: B000E5KQRI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,297 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The second of back-to-back solo albums cut in the early '80s, Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack: The Legendary Sessions Volume Two (originally released as The Brightest Smile in Town) presents a more balanced mix of vocal and instrumental tracks than its predecessor, Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack. While it's fun to hear the great New Orleans pianist romp through "Box Car Boogie" and patiently work his way through the twilight blues of "Pretty Libby," the unexpected treats are the best: a heartsick version of Jimmy Rodgers's "Waiting for a Train;" a Doc Pomus cover, "Average Kind of Guy," that sounds like Randy Newman on a particularly good day; and "Marie La Veau," a highly syncopated bow to one of the Crescent City's many voodoo queens. By the time Rebennack ends Brightest Smile with two gorgeous instrumentals--a lovely take on Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Suite Home New Orleans"--you're reminded just how encyclopedic his knowledge of American music is. (The 2006 reissue adds six previously unreleased bonus tracks.) --Keith Moerer

Product Description

This is volume two of the solo piano recordings by the great Dr. John. A much expanded release of the album originally released back in 1979 under the title The Brightest Smile In Town. Contains some previously un-issed songs. Acadia. 2006. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rythm and Blues Master, November 25, 2006

By 

Soulboogiealex (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack: Legendary Sessions 2 (Audio CD)

Somewhere in the mid-eighties Dr John released plays Mac Rebennack. Where a lot of the good doctor's studio work was at times plagued by mediocrity that release was suddenly a more than solid effort. Mac Rebennack is of course the Night Tripper himself, doctor John was suddenly playing out of his "own" songbook, although a lot of the compositions here are actually originated from some one else's pen. Plays Mac Rebennack gives you the good Doctor at his most pure, just the man and his rolling and funky piano, his rough and gruff voice and a great assortment of songs and instrumentals. The original release focussed on instrumental work, the vol. 2 companion of the re-release with outtakes from the original sessions focuses more on vocal outings of Dr. John from that time.

Plays Mac Rebennack was a highly intimate late night album; the outtake sessions featured here in vol. 2 are much in the same vein. This is not a bad thing at all, listening to this album one can only conclude that the Doctor is much more powerful and compelling when playing all by his lonesome. The album features a lot of different shades, from uninhibited joy to dark melancholy. With tracks like Marie La Veau some of the Night Trippers mystic creep into this album, Boxcar Boogie is a bar room brawl, Touro Infirmary is a strong adaptation of the familiar st. James, Come Rain or Shine is spine chilling.

Every single selection here is played in the Doctor's signature style, highly indebted to Professor Longhair yet very recognisable as Mac Rebennack. Doctor John has long been one of the most eccentric individuals in Rhythm and Blues; Plays Mac Rebennack shows us he's a master. There's not a note to many, during the record he plays his strengths en weaknesses very well. This release and the re-release of the original album were long overdue.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic album, March 22, 2006

By 

Kreskin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack: Legendary Sessions 2 (Audio CD)

A great way to revisit classic Dr. John. Remastered for amazing sound with a TON of bonus tracks...this is a fantastic album for any Dr. John fan or someone looking to get into his stuff. Definitely pick it up!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really fine recordings of a wonderful musician, July 8, 2010

By 

J. Mercik (Hartford, CT United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack: Legendary Sessions 2 (Audio CD)

Indeed... As mentioned by another reviewer, this is a blues music for bars: A never-ending stream of notes that make you feel unworried and thirsty. A wonderful retrospective of Mr. Rebennack's musical roots: the ghosts of Tony Jackson, Pinetop Perkins, 'Fes (of course), Roosevelt Sykes, Cow Cow Davenport, Jelly Roll Morton (of course), Cousin Joe, and all of the rest ... all come alive. What a treat. It has something specifically American about it that I find perfect: common, simple, earthy, vibrant, sexual in a Crescent City Storyville sort of way. If you have any ear at all for straight New Orleans blues and boogie woogie, both Volumes 1 & 2 of this series by Mac are no-brainer sure-fire sources of listening pleasure. These recordings will be listened-to for a long time.