Customer Reviews

Mos' Scocious : The Dr. John Anthology

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This is another Rhino extravagance with the usual witty and revealing liner notes best served with an artist like Dr. John who has had such a rich history. This collection spans the 30 years between 1959 to 1989 covering his early greaser days through his trippy 60's into the voodoo drenched 70's and 80's. If you feel you only need to own one Dr. John album, make sure this is the one.

Forget the single discs, and shell out for this anthology. Dr. John just ain't a "greatest hits" kinda guy anyhow. Dig this set and you will get schooled in a number of musical styles - jazz, funk, cajun/zydeco, and voodoo. Highlights include the wicked 5/4 vamp "Black Widow Spider", the parading foot-stomper "Mardi Gras Day", the creepy "Zu Zu Mamou", and the smile-inducing "Wash Mama Wash". And when the Meters check in on disc 2, well... forget about it. YOU CAN'T SHUT DA FUNK UP!!! Mac gives piano lessons on three solo instrumentals from the early 80's, and a set of standards closes things on a classy note.

Rhino has done it again. Excellent selection of material, terrific booklet. This 2 disc anthology tracks the development of one of our greatest eccentrics, from the impenetrable swamp voodoo origins all the way through to top 40 favorites. The funny thing about Dr. John is that he's a horrible singer, a just good pianist, and a good songwriter. But the whole is so much more than the sum of the parts. Surprisingly catchy and musical. Not one false note (except Rickie Lee Jones on Makin' Whoopee). Check out the Honeydripper, Sahara, and Memories Of Professor Longhair. The most wonderful thing about Dr. John is his love of NOLA music, and all he's done to keep it alive. Plus, with the possible exception of a Vegas showgirl, no entertainer has ever looked quite so smashing in feathers. Avoid single disk samplings and go for this. Get yourself a beignet and a cup of chicory coffee. Mos' Scocious!

At first I thought I was having an issue with one of the cds in this anthology. Disc #1 was having some issues playing in my cd player.

Well actually, it's kinda weird. It was working up until track #6. I skipped the track and the cd kept rewinding back to where it was! The cd is working fine now, I'm pretty sure it was some of that "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya" Night Tripper Hoodoo Voodoo!!! MOS' SCOCIOUS!

This is a great collection to get, especially if you don't have many of Dr John's solo CD's already. On 2 CD's you get 39 tracks covering his career from the recordings with Ronnie Barron (tracks 1 & 2) all the way up to 1989.

Dr John is one the most important New Orleans musicians alive and this collection covers the many varied styles of his career. Naturally the sound quality of the earliest recordings, which date from 1959 are a little rough, that may be the age or it may be what was intended.

Stylistically there's huge variety here:
The Voodoo sound (Gris Gris etc)
Prof Longhair (Tipitina, Memories of Prof Longhair)
Early 70's New Orleans Funk (Right Place Wrong Time, Life)
Rock n Roll (I Wanna Rock)
Solo Boogie Woogie Piano (Honey Dripper)
Big Band influenced Jazz (Makin' Whoopie, Accentuate The Positive, More Than You Know)

And that's without discussing the very early tracks which are a very eclectic bunch. Look at the credits for example on Storm Warning (1959). Allen Toussaint - Piano, Alvin Tyler - Sax, Melvin Lastie - Trumpet. This is already a core of very important New Orleans musicians, so you shouldn't be put off by the early tracks!

The CD's come with an excellent booklet, which gives you biographical information, as well as much background information on the recordings themselves. By the way track 15 'Opening' is not in the collection (hence no sample).

I don't how he does it, but he does. Ya can't remain depressed when he's plumking around, all over in fact, the piano.

DR.JOHN HAS THAT VOICE&ORGAN TALKING.NOW in ALL HONESTY SOme OF HIS MAterial i've been mixed with but this Double-Disc is very Essential.Right Place Wrong Time is very Much New ORleans Meets James Brown.THis Two-Set Reflects His Growth&Many Styles he can do.Wash,Mama,Wash is also Smoking.