Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint (IPA: /ˈtuːseɪnt/; born January 14, 1938) is an American musician, composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.

Many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Southern Nights," "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "I'll Take a Melody" and "Mother-in-Law".

Biography

Early life and career

Toussaint grew up in a shotgun house in the New Orleans neighborhood of Gert Town, where his mother welcomed and fed all manner of musicians as they practiced and recorded with her son. After a lucky break at age 17 in which he stood in for Huey Smith at a performance with Earl King's band in Prichard, Alabama, Toussaint was introduced to a group of local musicians who performed regularly at a night club on LaSalle street Uptown; they were known as the Dew Drop Set.

Initially, he recorded for RCA Victor as Al Tousan and recorded an album of instrumentals, including the song "Java", which years later became a big hit for Al Hirt (also on RCA).

Also, in his early years Toussaint worked mainly for Joe Banashak's Minit Records and Instant Records, but after Minit was sold to its distributor, he teamed up with Marshall Sehorn, starting their own record label variously known as Tou-Sea, Sansu, Deesu or Kansu. In 1973 Toussaint and Sehorn created the Sea-Saint recording studio in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans.

Success in the 1960s and 1970s

In the early 1960s he wrote and produced a string of hits for New Orleans R&B artists such as Ernie K-Doe, Irma Thomas, Art and Aaron Neville, The Showmen, and Lee Dorsey. Some of his songs from this period were published under the pseudonym "Naomi Neville". "Ruler of My Heart", recorded by Irma Thomas, is one example; the song would go on to be recorded by Otis Redding under the title "Pain in My Heart". In 1964 "A Certain Girl" (originally by Ernie K-Doe) was the B-side of the first single release by The Yardbirds and it was released again in 1980 by Warren Zevon. The two-sided 1962 hit by Benny Spellman, including "Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)," later covered by The O'Jays also had the simple but effective "Fortune Teller," covered by many 1960s rock groups including The Rolling Stones, The Nashville Teens, The Who, The Hollies, ex- Searchers founder member Tony Jackson and recently (2007) by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on Raising Sand. A significant early influence was the second-line piano style of Professor Longhair.

Toussaint's piano and arrangements show up on hundreds of records during the early 1960's on records by Lee Dorsey, Chris Kenner, and scores of other artists.

Starting in the 1970s, he switched gears to a funkier sound, writing and producing for The Meters, Dr John, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians tribe. He also began to work with non-New Orleans artists such as B.J. Thomas, Robert Palmer, Willy DeVille, Sandy Denny, Elkie Brooks, Solomon Burke, Scottish Soul singer Frankie Miller and southern rocker Mylon LeFevre. He arranged horn music for The Band's 1971 album Cahoots, plus Rock of Ages and The Last Waltz film, in conjunction with arranging horn parts for their concert repertoire. Boz Scaggs recorded a Toussaint masterpiece "What Do You Want the Girl to Do?" on his 1976 album Silk Degrees which reached #2 on the U.S. pop albums chart. In 1976 he also collaborated with John Mayall on the album Notice to Appear.

Toussaint also launched his own solo career, which peaked in the '70s with the albums From a Whisper to a Scream and Southern Nights. It was during this time that he teamed with Labelle, and produced their highly acclaimed Nightbirds album from 1975, that spawned the Number One Hit, "Lady Marmalade". The same year, Toussaint collaborated with Paul McCartney and Wings for their hit album Venus and Mars. Two years later, Glen Campbell covered Toussaint's "Southern Nights" and carried the song to Number One on the Pop, Country and Adult-Contemporary Charts. Along with many of his contemporaries, Toussaint found that interest in his compositions was rekindled when his work began to be sampled by hip hop artists in the 1980s and 1990s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and, in 2009, The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

2000s

File:Paulsandallent.jpg

Paul Shaffer and Allen Toussaint on the September 7, 2005 show of The Late Show with David Letterman

Contrary to rumors at the time, Toussaint did not take refuge at the Louisiana Superdome in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Instead, Toussaint weathered the storm in the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel. After the hurricane Toussaint left New Orleans for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and eventually settled in New York City, where he is currently living while his house is being rebuilt. His first television appearance after the hurricane was on the September 7, 2005 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, sitting in with Paul Shaffer and his CBS Orchestra. Toussaint performed regularly at Joe's Pub in New York City through 2009.

The River in Reverse, Toussaint's collaborative album with Elvis Costello, was released on 29 May 2006 in the UK on the Verve label, by Universal Classics and Jazz UCJ. It was recorded in Hollywood and, notably, in Toussaint's native New Orleans as the first major studio session to take place after Hurricane Katrina.

In 2007, Toussaint performed a duet with Paul McCartney of a song by fellow New Orleans musician and resident Fats Domino, "I Want to Walk You Home", as their contribution to Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard).

In 2008, Toussaint's song "Sweet Touch of Love" was used in a deodorant commercial for the Axe (Lynx) brand. The commercial won a Gold Lion at the 2008 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

During February 2008, Toussaint appeared on Le Show, the Harry Shearer show broadcast on NPR via KCRW.

Toussaint appeared in London in August 2008, where he performed a gig at The Roundhouse. In October 2008 he performed at Festival New Orleans at The O₂ alongside acts such as Dr. John and Buckwheat Zydeco. Sponsored by Quint Davis of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Philip Anschutz, the event was intended to promote New Orleans music and culture and to revive the once-lucrative tourist trade that had been almost completely lost following the flooding of Hurricane Katrina. After his second performance at the festival, Toussaint appeared alongside Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana Mitch Landrieu. A day later, 26 October, Toussaint performed again in London at the NFL Tailgate Party.

Toussaint performed a taping for the popular PBS series Austin City Limits on June 30, 2009 as part of the show's 35th anniversary season. He played instrumentals from his most recent CD "The Bright Mississippi", as well as many songs from his back catalog. The two hour performance by the 71 year old was described as masterful. He performed with the Levon Helm Band on the Imus in the Morning program viewed on Fox Business channel on October 9, 2009. In December 2009 he was featured on Elvis Costello's "Spectacle" program on Sundance channel, singing "A Certain Girl". The program also included performances by Levon Helm and Nick Lowe. Appeared in Eric Clapton's 2010 album, Clapton, in two Fats Waller covers. "My Very Good Friend the Milkman" and "When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful".

Discography

Albums

Solo

• The Wild Sound of New Orleans (1958)
• From a Whisper to a Scream (1970)
• Toussaint (1971)
• Life, Love And Faith (1972)
• Southern Nights (1975)
• Motion (1978)
• The Allen Toussaint Collection (1991)
• The Wild Sound of New Orleans: The Complete 'Tousan' Sessions (1994)
• Connected (1996)
• A New Orleans Christmas (1997)
• A Taste Of New Orleans (1999)
• Finger Poppin' & Stompin' Feet (2002)
• The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (2005)
• I Believe To My Soul (2005)
• The River in Reverse, with Elvis Costello (2006)
• The Bright Mississippi (2009)

Other Contributions

• Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard, 2007); duet, with Paul McCartney, of "I Want to Walk You Home"

Video

• Putting the River in Reverse (DVD) (2006)
• Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together (DVD) Stevenson Productions 001

Covers

• Iron Butterfly recorded "Get Out of My Life, Woman" in 1967 for their album Heavy.
• Jerry Garcia Band performed "Get Out of My Life, Woman" during the 1980s and 1990s and a live version of that song is on the Jerry Garcia Band live album of 1991.
• Jerry Garcia Band also recorded "I’ll Take a Melody" in 1976 for the album Reflections and performed it regularly during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. A live version of that song is on the Pure Jerry, After Midnight live album recorded in 1980.
• The Paul Butterfield Blues Band recorded "Get Out of My Life, Woman" in 1966 for their album East-West.
• The Band recorded "You See Me" on their Jubilation album in 1999.
• Van Dyke Parks recorded "Occapella" and "Riverboat" on his 2nd album Discover America in 1972.
• Little Feat performed "On Your Way Down" during their 1974 tour; it appears as a bonus track on the re-release of their live album, Waiting for Columbus.
• Little Feat recorded "On Your Way Down" on the album Dixie Chicken.
• Bonnie Raitt recorded "What is Success" in 1974 on her Streetlights LP, and "What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" in 1975, on Home Plate.
• Robert Palmer recorded "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" and "From A Whisper To A Scream" on the album Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley in 1974.
• Warren Zevon recorded A Certain Girl in 1980. The Best of Warren Zevon, Elektra 2002
• Devo recorded "Working In The Coal Mine" in 1980, which was released on the Heavy Metal soundtrack and as a bonus track for their album New Traditionalists, both in 1981.
• Bo Diddley recorded "Going Down" in 1974 on his album Big Bad Bo.
• Ringo Starr recorded "Occapella" in 1974 on his album Goodnight Vienna.
• Ringo Starr also recorded "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" in 1977 on his album Ringo the 4th.
• Boz Scaggs recorded "Hello My Lover" and "Freedom for the Stallion" on his 1972 album My Time, and "What Do You Want the Girl to Do?" for his 1976 album Silk Degrees.
• Lowell George recorded "What Do You Want the Girl to Do?" for his 1979 solo album Thanks, I'll Eat it Here.
• The Doors recorded "Get Out Of My Life Woman" in 1967 but was only released in 2008 on the Live at the Matrix CD.
• Phish has covered "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley" as well as "On Your Way Down" numerous times in concert, dating as far back as 1986.
• The Pointer Sisters recorded "Yes We Can Can" for their 1973 debut album The Pointer Sisters, "Going Down Slowly" for their 1975 album Steppin', and "Happiness" for their 1978 album Energy.
• The Derek Trucks Band played "Get Out Of My Life Woman" in their 2009 tour.
• Nils Landgren & Joe Sample covered "Get Out Of My Life Woman" and "With You In Mind" on the 2006 album Creole Love Song.
• Paul Weller covered "Hercules" on the 2004 album Studio 150.
• Maria Muldaur covered "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" on her 1974 album Waitress in the Donut Shop.
• Frankie Miller covered "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" on his 1974 album High Life and also released it as a single.
• Three Dog Night covered "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" on their 1974 album Hard Labor. It was also released as a highly successful single, surpassing that of Frankie Miller's version, released the same year.
• B.J. Thomas covered "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" on his 1974 album, Longhorns & Londonbridges.
• əkoostik hookah covered "A Certain Girl" at their Spring 2008 Hookahville festival.
• Widespread Panic covered "On Your Way Down" in 2009 and also at their 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Performance.
• Trombone Shorty covered "On Your Way Down" on his 2010 CD "Backatown", featuring Toussaint on piano.
• Tishamingo has covered "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley" several shows throughout their tenure

External links

• Le Show interviews & performances: Shearer, Harry (September 5, 2004). "le Show". HarryShearer.com. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
  Shearer, Harry (February 24, 2008). "le Show". HarryShearer.com. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
• September 7, 2005 performance and interview on WNYC's Soundcheck.
• http://www.nynorecords.com/allen.shtml
• Allen Toussaint at NPR Music
• Allen Toussaint at Discogs
• Allen Toussaint at allmusic
• Allen Toussaint NYNO Records Biography
• The Independent - Review - Roundhouse, London, 7 August 2008

Template:Persondata