Dr. John's sound is a musical gumbo composed of blues, rock, R&B, zydeco, jazz and standards, anchored by his own unmistakable voice and grooving piano work. He brought this unique blend to an episode of Piano Jazz that originally aired in spring 1989.
Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Dr. John was born Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack Jr., in 1940 in New Orleans. "Mac" went to work in the music business at 15 as a backup guitarist for Fats Domino's band, but a gunshot wound to his left ring finger in a 1960 brawl ended his guitar-playing career. He began to seriously play organ and piano with help from James Booker, and moved to Los Angeles, where he became a first-call studio musician.
In the late '60s, he brought his R&B and New Orleans roots to psychedelic rock with a stage show that borrowed from the imagery and chants of Louisiana voodoo practice — Dr. John, a.k.a. Dr. John the Night Tripper, was born. Dr. John's best-known tune is his seminal funk hit from 1973, "Right Place, Wrong Time," produced by fellow NOLA legend Allen Toussaint with backing by The Meters. Over the past few decades, his unmistakable voice and persona have made Dr. John the go-to artist for producers seeking a bit of traditional New Orleans flavor. His music has made appearances in a long list of films, television shows and commercial spots; in 2009, he lent his vocals to "Down in New Orleans," the opening tune in Disney's The Princess and the Frog.
After Hurricane Katrina, Dr. John used his position as a musical spokesman for the Crescent City to raise awareness of the response to the disaster by composing an album with Eric Clapton and Willie Nelson, among others, called The City That Care Forgot. In this 1989 session, Dr. John performs his hit "Right Place, Wrong Time," along with some traditional New Orleans jazz, Mardi Gras tunes and a few touches of boogie-woogie.
Host Marian McPartland remembers Dr. John on the program, saying, "It was such a kick to watch him play. He had the most amazing rhythmic sense and that great voice."
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