Dr. John / LA, USA 1981

This 74-minute recording captures the band’s performance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, a veritable gumbo mecca, on May 9, 1981. It features a recently unearthed audience master, with a 2025 mastering. While there are some cuts and fade-ins, the sound has been carefully adjusted and missing sections carefully patched together to produce a satisfactory sound. While he released a piano-accompanied album that year, and while his earlier “City Lights” era saw him approach a sophisticated urban sound, here in New Orleans he embraced a funky style that was full of gumbo influences, including “Right Place,” “Such a Night,” and “Hoodoo,” and of course, his lighthearted boogie-woogie piano playing. Additionally, the band features Leo Nocentelli, renowned for his work with the Meters, on guitar, making this a must-listen for fans of this venue. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival : at New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA, USA May 9th 1981 : Audience Recording / 2025 Remaster 1. Opening Instrumental 2. Stage Introductions – IKO IKO 3. LIFE 4. SAME OLD SAME OLD – QUITTERS NEVER WIN 5. ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY 6. I BEEN HOODOOD 7. RENEGADE 8. SUCH A NIGHT 9. RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME 10. QUALIFIED – fade out 11. fade in – WILD HONEY 12. BIG CHIEF – Band Introductions – BIG CHIEF – Ending Announcement –encore- 13. fade in – SHOO FLY MARCHES ON Dr. John – keyboard, vocals / Leo Nocentelli – guitar / Bruce “Weasel” MacDonald – guitar / David Barard – bass / Bernard “Bunchy” Johnson – drums / Afro Blue – percussion