Dr. John - Jazz Fest, New Orleans (198x)

Psychedelic R&B superstar Malcolm (Mac) Rebennack Jr., better known as Dr. John, the piano maestro with the prototypical New Orleans accent was a perennial performer at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans. According to the WBGO announcer Michael Bourne; Dr. John is joined by none other than David "Fathead" Newman, Hank Crawford, Charlie Miller, Renard Poche, Alvin 'Shine' Robinson, Herman Ernest, Kenneth Williams, Robert Montgomery and others. These tracks were brought to my attention by KingCake. So far, he has been unable to clearly identify the tunes. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The sound quality is quite good for a nearly forty-year-old recording. I have done my best to improve its fidelity and trim/fadeout excess applause. In the end for any Dr. John, David "Fathead" Newman and Hank Crawford fan it is well-worth acquiring. 

FM Broadcast, American Jazz Radio Festival
Recorded 4th May 198x at Jazz & Heritage Festival, Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans 

Musicians:
Dr. John - Keyboards
David "Fathead" Newman - Saxophone
Hank Crawford - Saxophone
Charlie Miller - Saxophonist, Flute
Renard Poché - Multi-Instrumentalist [Guitar, Trombone etc.,]
Alvin 'Shine' Robinson - Guitar
Herman Ernest - Drums
Kenneth Williams - Guitar
Robert Montgomery - Multi-Instrumentalist
+ Others 

Tracks:
1. Unknown Title (6:00)
2. 13th Floor (10:35)
3. Forever Mine (6:28)
4. Carnegie Blues (6:30)
5. Unknown Title (5:57) 

Total Time: 35:30

Jimmy Witherspoon - Midnight Lady Called the Blues

Jimmy Witherspoon - Midnight Lady Called the Blues
Muse 5327, 1987

1. New York City Blues
2. The Barber
3. Blinded By Love
4. Happy Hard Times
5. Something Rotten In East St. Louis
6. Midnight Lady Called The Blues
7. Blues Hall Of Fame

Bass – Wilbur Bascomb
Drums – Bernard Purdie
Guitar – Calvin Newborn
Piano, Arranged By, Producer – Dr. John
Producer – Pomus*
Saxophone [Alto], Arranged By – Hank Crawford
Saxophone [Tenor] – David "Fathead" Newman
Trumpet – Charlie Miller
Vocals – Jimmy Witherspoon

WOW was this one ever a fabulous surprise! I bought this and a Shirley Scott at the same time and hit home runs on both. Not only is this a relatively unknown Spoon album but the band is mostly Mac's mid eighties aggregation that included Fathead Newman, Hank Crawford and Charlie Miller! Everything is produced, arranged and written by Doc Pomus (click for bio) and Doctor John. There is even a picture of the elusive Doc Pomus, certainly one of the two greatest white Blues and R&B songwriters ever! (see evidence here), the other guy would be Dan Penn.

If looking at those titles isn't enough to back me up on that statement take a look at the list of people who have recorded Doc Pomus songs here. Kind of staggering isn't it?

This is one terrific little jewel of an album and I'm quite pleased to be able to share it with y'all.