N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda

Dr. John

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 13, 2004)
• Original Release Date: July 13, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B0001XQ6FE
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,214 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Mac Rebennack took his stage name from the voodoo healer Dr. John and became a '70s pop star by recasting New Orleans's myth and music in his own psychedelic image. At 63, he's again revamped the Crescent City sound, minus the acid-trip trappings, for his best album in decades. With its string, horn, and Afro-Latin percussion sections and its slate of re-imagined classics, N'Awlinz is a masterful summation of Dr. John's abilities as a leader and performer. Guests such as Willie Nelson, B.B. King, and Mavis Staples, plus a roster of Louisiana luminaries including Randy Newman, Nicholas Payton, Snooks Eaglin, Gatemouth Brown, Dave Bartholomew, and Earl Palmer, all make winning contributions. In Dr. John's grasp, "When the Saints Come Marching In" becomes a stately waltz that twines his elegant piano and gravel throat with Staples's rich, red-clay gospel singing. And he honors the spirit of standards like "Stackalee" and "St. James Infirmary" while spinning his own lyrics and melodies into them. "Time Marches On" (with King, Nelson, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band), "Life is a One Way Ticket," and several spirituals contemplate mortality, but never interrupt the graceful, upbeat flow of this late-career opus. --Ted Drozdowski

Product Description

Featuring special guests Mavis Staples, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Cyril Neville, Randy Newman, Willie Nelson, B.B. King and others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a masterpiece!!!, July 21, 2004

By	Di Marino Maurizio "talgarik" (Italy) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

hey you, guys at Amazon, come on adjourn your Dr. John's essential recordings list!!!
Needless to say this is not the new Gumbo, it is not even the new Goin' back to New Orleans: the fact is that during the decades the Doctor has constantly expanded his musical palette and now he has summed all his science up into this new album, though we find the usual receipt of Rebennack originals and Rebennack arranged traditionals here too. The special guests are really special and do special things with the Doctor: Mavis Staple on When the Saints - the fabulous slow version trademarked by Rebennack - and on Lay my burden down; Randy Newman is amazing - though every connoisseur is aware that Randy is very knowledgeable of New Orleans music - when he sings I ate up the apple tree; Cyril Neville vocals will kill you on Marie Laveau, Chickee le Pas and the closing number I'm goin' home; and what about Nicholas Payton and his trumpet who help the Doctor paying hommage to Louis Armstrong on Dear old Southland? and how not to be haunted by Wardell Quezergue's horns and strings? and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band does a wonderful job on Time marches on and Lay my burden now, then I wish you own a decent hi-fi system to enjoy the wonderful percussion job by John Boudreaux, Smokey Johnson and Joachim Cooder. And don't forget all the regular guests of Dr. John recordings: the legendary Earl Palmer, the Mardi Gras Indians, David Barard and many others. And what to say about Malcolm "Mac" Rebennack? well, I want to say one word no one would use to describe the Dr. John persona: he is serious, he is a damned serious musician in love with the music and he respects the music and the musical heritage of New Orleans.
Buy this record, it makes no difference if you are already a fan of the good Doctor or a newcomer: this album is - to put it simply - great music, genre bending music, a masterpiece.
And don't miss your chance to see Dr. John in concert!!!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good but not great, September 27, 2004

By	lawdood (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

A fine album by the good Dr. and his special guests, but not every selection is top notch. While most of the material captures a Nawlinz buzz and has that identifiable Mac sway, I found Newman to be pretty irritating on "I Ate Up the Apple Tree" - if someone could be accused of mugging for the microphone (rather than the camera), this is it. He actually sounds like he is trying to relegate Dr. John to the background. Also, to my ears, Nelson and King on "Time Marches On" sound uninspired and dull, especially when contrasted with B.B.'s much better vocal performance on "Hen Layin' Rooster." I get the feeling that were it not for their presence, "Time" would have been left on the studio floor. It's a shame because Mac and Willie sounded great together on the tune "Black Night" (Nelson's Milk Cow Blues). That said, the remaining material is so strong, so much fun, so dense and atmospheric, that it is easy to recommend this album as a whole.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the DR does it AGAIN!, July 22, 2004

By	A. Christensen "glanna" (san francisco ca) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This album is mesmerizing! This is definately one of the most enjoyable albums I have heard this year. Dr John brings the "flava" of New Orleans home in this album with the funeral dirge-like lamenting of "When The Saints Go Marching In" (with Mavis Staples)- also the Marie Laveau with Cyrille Neville is enchanting. Not to mention all the other remarkable vocal couplings with other legendary artists! Get in the bayou mood and get this one!