Dr. John "The Night Tripper" (Mac Rebennack, 1940-), New Orleans Rock Singer Active 1950-Present

[The Hersch]

I've been a fan of Dr. John for most of my life. My first exposure to him was his very first album, Gris-Gris, released in 1968, although it was probably the following year when I first heard it. "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya":

 

His earliest work as a leader was drenched in voodoo, or at least voodoo trappings, and was sometimes rather disturbing, like the track above, and this, from Dr. John's 1971 album The Sun Moon & Herbs, "Craney Crow":

 

Later in his career, Dr. John concentrated more on straightforward New Orleans music, although he continued to make unconventional costume choices, as you'll see here in a brilliant performance of the New Orleans classic "Iko Iko" with the first iteration of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band (1989), and a remarkable collection of icons it was:

 

I don't use "brilliant" casually. God, I wish I had been there. The talent on that stage was positively prodigal.

[Al Dente]

One of the best shows I've ever been to was Dr John at the Blue Note club in NYC. I was bar-hopping with some clients when we saw that he'd be playing there, so we got tickets and walked in. We sat about 8 feet away from him in the front row! He clearly loved performing and had the crowd rockin'.

[mr food]

I remember seeing him at jazz fest in NO years ago. He had a large snake-boa or python- wrapped around him which was very entertaining until it began to wrap itself around his neck, His scantily clad lovely assistant was able to remove it or it might have been bye bye Dr! He continued to play and sing without pause.

[The Hersch]

I see Dr. John is scheduled to perform on Sunday, September 27, at the Landmark Festival in West Potomac Park.

[Steve R.]

Last summer (not the current one that I'm not willing to let go of), we went to see him in Prospect Park (dusk, outdoors). I, too, am a fan from back in the late '60s & own those first "Night Tripper" albums, but have become used to him only doing his repertoire of great NOLA stuff. However, I sat in awe as he launched into "Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya...they call me Dr. John...the Night Tripper..." ("Walk on Guilded Splinters") & then more of the old spooky stuff.

He's integrating the 2... any idea how the above show went?

[sheldman]

I saw The Night Tripper at Landmark last weekend, and he was great.

He shows his age in some ways - walks on and off stage on two canes, has large-print lyric sheets on the piano stand - but was absolutely fantastic.  His band was really good, including trombonist (who was also musical director) as well as drums, bass, etc.  Many of the "standards" - Iko, RIght Place Wrong Time, Such a Night, Gilded Splinters - but also other less-expected songs.  And he (and the band) can be shaggy, or tight, or both within the same song, depending on the mood and situation.  Sometimes they go off into a messy tangent and you're not sure that they'll stick the landing, but they always do.

Also a fantastic green suit.

[aaronsinger]

Later in his career, Dr. John concentrated more on straightforward New Orleans music, although he continued to make unconventional costume choices, as you'll see here in a brilliant performance of the New Orleans classic "Iko Iko" with the first iteration of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band (1989), and a remarkable collection of icons it was:

 

Isn't Iko Iko an old Mardi Gras Indian song? Would explain the costume in the video.

[DonRocks]

Isn't Iko Iko an old Mardi Gras Indian song? Would explain the costume in the video.

aaronsinger, here's something I found on Iko Iko - it looks like a popular song written in 1953. I only skimmed the Wikipedia entry, but it looks like you made a fine catch.

1953 and 1986 are the only two current years not represented here, so this would be an important split to me!

Maybe I'll do a post about the ferocious tannins in 1986 Margaux? Or how round, the tannins are in the '53 Haut-Brion - more like the '29 than the '28?

I love learning more than I can put into words - this website allows me the chance to educate myself for free, and I'm eternally grateful to our members for contributing such wonderful content. Yes, I organize it well - I'm good at that. But I would have spent the rest of my life not knowing what "Iko Iko" was had it not been for you all.

Damn it I wish more people would participate in what's truly important instead of fretting over what's going to be the next "hottest opening in town." We're largely above this, but not entirely. Any song that's being discussed 62 years after it debuted is more important than 99% of all restaurants which open - think about it: The music can be captured, and passed down to peoples' grandchildren; when the restaurant closes, all that's left are words and pictures (which is also why I know this website is so important, but that's a whole other story). If I had a restaurant, I would post a picture of every single dish ever offered on the restaurant's thread - how else will it be remembered 500 years into the future? And that's exactly my intent - to make it *all* remembered, 500 years into the future. Hell, 5,000 years into the future. Does anyone not see how important this is? Why do you think your supposedly "small" posts about some mom-n-pop restaurant are so important? It's history, and nobody else is doing this.

This kills me.