Allen Toussaint in New Orleans

Awhile back Allen Toussaint was here in San Diego. What a great artist he is. If you missed the concert, you can read about him at:

http://ladydpiano..blogspot.com/2009/03/allen-toussaint-sweet-touch-of-love.html

In fact, Nola tunes stopped by and posted a comment on my blog entry that day. Nola said: Allen Toussaint is AMAZING! you can get his music at New Orleans music store -

http://www.nolatunes.com

I recently read a review on Allen Toussaint by Jennifer Kelly on Blurt at:

http://www.blurt-onlline.com/reviews/view/1025
Jennifer says, "In The Bright Mississippi, New Orleans R&B composer and pianist Allen Toussaint revisits the classic jazz of his childhood, interpreting wonderful old-time cuts by Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Though Toussaint's band for this album includes avant garde heavyweights like Don Byron and Marc Ribot, the tone is quite traditional, the steady swagger of funeral march drums and percussion anchoring arabesque swoons and swoops of melodic improvisation. Toussaint himself conjures lush, extravagant textures of ragtime piano, his playing now staccato and rhythmic, now flowering into rolls and cascades and fluid runs of notes. And the rhythm section - David Piltch on upright and Jay Bellerose on drums - imposes a stately, restrained dignity over the whole enterprise, with widely spaced thump of bass, clicks on rims and musing, dreamy swirls of brushes on snares.
Toussaint recorded The Bright Mississippi at the urging of producer Joe Henry, who, during sessions for a Gulf Coast tribute album Our New Orleans, heard Toussaint playing the Professor Longhair song, "Tipitina." Toussaint, most famous for composing R&B and rock songs including "Fortune Teller," "Sneaking Sally Through the Alley" and Otis Redding's "Pain in My Heart," had grown up with jazz and ragtime. Why not build an album out of these beloved songs?"... Jennifer goes on to give her recommendation of some of the best standout tracks: Egyptian Fantasy, St. James Infirmary and Solitude.
Fortune Teller/ELVIS COSTELLO and ALLEN TOUSSAINT

Yes We Can into Fortune Teller. Sorry.. not the best visually, insanely great show and a great song in spite of my footage by smallfry52

Then there's Fortune Teller - Krauss and Plant singing off their album, Raising Sand.
Personally, I'm not into fortune tellers but I do love the song, it rocks! Here are the chords:
Three chord groove {D} {C} {A} repeated throughout the song
Went to the fortune teller
Had my fortune read
I didn’t know what to tell her
I had a dizzy feeling in my head
Then she took a look at my palm
She said son you feel kind of warm
She looked into her crystal ball
And said you’re in love
How could that be so
I thought of all the girls I know
She said when the next one arrives
You’ll be looking into her eyes
I left there in a hurry
Looking forward to my big surprise
The next day I discovered
That the fortune teller told me a lie
I hurried back down to that woman
As mad as I could be
I said I didn’t see nobody
Why had she made a fool out of me
Then something struck me
As if it came from up above
While looking at the fortune teller
I fell in love
Now I’m a happy fellow
’Cause I’m married to the fortune teller
I’m happy as we can be
Now I get my fortune told for free

http://www.911tabs.com/link/?4727308

Geraldine Wyckoff, Contributing Writer of Louisiana Weekly wrote a great article called Toussaint, one of the faces of Jazz Fest ', is having a great year
Toussaint, one of the faces of Jazz Fest ', is having a great year
"This is shaping up to be a very fine year," Allen Toussaint says with much enthusiasm. Notably, the legendary New Orleans Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame inductee, pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger's image dons this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster.
"I feel very highly honored," he acknowledges. "To be on the poster at all - any time would be great - but for the big 40th anniversary party as well."
Toussaint, who also just released a new album, Bright Mississippi, performs on the Acura Stage on Sunday, May 3, 1 p.m. He's been a regular at Jazz Fest since first playing onboard the Riverboat President in 1974. Read more at:

http://www.louisianaweekly.com/news.php?vieewStory=1233
"I love the idea of the festival period," says Toussaint, who for the last year has again been able to call New Orleans home while retaining an apartment in New York. "I like walking the grounds and hearing other people play and getting a shrimp po-boy. The whole ambience of the festival is so right, so New Orleans."

Will you be going to the Festival this year?
All the best,
~ LadyD

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Allen Toussaint- Sweet Touch of Love

"In its 4-star review, the Los Angeles Daily News calls this CD, created in the wake of the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, the fruits of a songwriting partnership made in R&B heaven. Our matching songbook contains all 13 tracks: Ascension Day · Broken Promise Land · International Echo · Nearer to You · On Your Way Down · The River in Reverse · Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further? · and more."

http://www.stagepass.com/allproduct/item_detail.hperl?Invnum=30689

George Varga, Pop Music Critic, wrote a great article (Big) Easy on the ear
LOS ANGELES — This feels like history,” Allen Toussaint said last month, just before receiving his Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award at an invitation-only ceremony.

"The New Orleans rock, funk and R&B legend was referring to his fellow Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. They included Motown vocal greats The Four Tops, jazz piano icon Hanks Jones, 100-year-old classical music composer Elliot Carter and singer Brenda Lee, along with posthumous honorees Gene Autry, Dean Martin and electric guitar innovator Clarence “Leo” Fender." For more read on Allen Toussaint

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/05/lzlw04gvargal82650-easy-ear/?zIndex=62038

Allen Toussaint's happy music just makes me feel so good!
His song, Sweet Touch Of Love, set to a cool slide show can be found here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZmkMp7

Sweet Touch Of Love Chords

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/a/allen_toussaint/sweet_touch_of_love_crd.htm

One of the most influential figures in New Orleans R&B, many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through their numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Brickyard Blues", "Get Out My Life Woman", "Southern Nights" and "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky".



Southern Nights
Working in the Coal Mine
Get Out of My Life
Java
Nearer To You
Get Your Way
Piano chords available here

http://www.freehandmusic.com/Search.aspx?All=Allen=Toussant

"Producer, songwriter, arranger, session pianist, solo artist Allen Toussaint has worn all these hats over the course of his lengthy and prolific career, and his behindthescenes work alone would have been enough to make him a legend of New Orleans RB. Thanks to his work with numerous other artists, Toussaint bore an enormous amount of responsibility for the sound of RB"

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Music%20of%Ennio%20Morricone:1921140919

Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint - The River in Reverse

Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint - The River in Reverse By Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello. Piano/Vocal/Chords Songbook (Arrangements for piano and voice with guitar chords). Softcover. 90 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (306839) See more info...

Allen turned 71 in January! He's 10 years older than me! lol He sure doesn't look it! His music compliments approaches to the New Orleans music traditions that helped shape rock 'n' roll and pop. Do you have some favorites? Mine are Working In The Coal Mine and Southern Lights.

Until next time,
LadyD


http://LadyDpiano.com

P.S. He's playing in San Diego tomorrow!

DETAILS

“The Keys to New Orleans,” with Allen Toussaint, Henry Butler and Jon Cleary

When: Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave., North Park

Tickets: $38-$51

Phone: (619) 239-8836

Online: birchnorthparktheatre.net