Allen Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi

[clinthopson]

Once in a great while I will hear something that just blows me away and this disc is the first one in years.

Allen Toussaint is a Crescent City giant. His accomplishments are there for all to see.

Toussaint has put together a fine little band with Nicholas Payton (my favorite current trumpeter), Don Byron, Marc Ribot, David Pilch and Jay Bellerose and guests Brad Mehldau and Joshua Redmond.

The songs are all warhorses with Monk's Bright Mississippi being the most recent composition but Toussaint and his band put a different twist on every piece. The bring back memories of Johnny Dodds, Prof. Longhair, Jelly Roll Morton, Red Allen and Lonnie Johnson without being copycats.

My two favorites are the title song and St. James Infirmary which get very unique treatments.

Admittedly, this is old-timey stuff (what else would you expect from me?) but it's damned good and gets your foot tappin'.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

I like this one a lot, too, and I've been playing the title cut at my dances. Fun to listen to, very comfortable, lots of smiles in the music. Evocative of New Orleans rock, and early (trad) jazz, but a unique mix.

[Mike Schwartz]

I haven't had the chance to listen to the entire CD yet, but have played tracks for radio the last couple of weeks, and like what I've heard thus far.

[Xavier]

Low key, comfort music. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.

[Chazro]

I picked this one up today, wonderful music!

Also picked up Levon Helms latest, 'Electric Dirt', which coincidentally has a few horn arrangements by Toussaint.

Two solid scores, different musics, yet as solidly Americana as you could possibly get!

[Xavier]

Just picked up the Levon Helm cd too. I agree. As good as or better than his last one, which i liked a whole lot.

[Pete C]

Hate it. Utterly boring, slick nostalgia. I'd rather listen to real Jelly Roll Morton.

[Xavier]

I'll take Morton in a second, without a doubt, but I like Toussaint's recording.

[clinthopson]

I have always liked James P. Johnson's playing better than Morton's, but it's all a matter of personal taste.

[Xavier]

I agree totally. Toussaint may not be the brightest star twinkling in the sky but he's good.

[groover]

Toussaint's a great songwriter, but I usually prefer interpretations of his tunes to his versions. He's almost too mellow.

This jazz set is intriguing, though.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Pete all-by-himself a tough house! But I don't think the comparisons to Jelly Roll or James P (both of whom are on my all-time 5 favorite jazz pianists list) are on target. This is more like Fats Domino or Professor Longhair does jazz classics, and judging it by those standards I think it's a fine album. There are nice touches throughout, like the big drum percussion on the Monk tune.

[Xavier]

I like the feel of the whole session. Both Nicholas Payton and Marc Ribot are in the groove. Like the mix of the acoustic guitar, keeping it front and center. Don Byron plays more mid to high range for my taste, kinda like a lower, funkier, bluesy New Orleans clarinet sound, but Byron's got something to say. Liked Joshua Redmond's tracks, he and Toussaint seem to hit it off well. It's not a heavy weight jazz album, and doesn't pretend to be, but I'm enjoying it.