VA - Allen Toussaint: Artist, Producer, Songwriter (2019)

A tremendous tribute to the genius of Allen Toussaint – the man who almost single-handedly shaped the sound of New Orleans soul in the 60s! As the title implies, Toussaint is featured here as an artist, producer, and songwriter – and most tracks were issued on his Sansu Records label, and recorded in his Sea Saint studios – a spot that was as important to New Orleans as Chess was to Chicago, and Stax was to Memphis! The singers vary here, but the songs and instrumentation have a very unified vibe – plenty of Nola funk at the bottom, and some killer lyrics that often have a lot of sharpness and wit. Tracks include "So Good" by Ernie K Doe, "Sneakin Sally From The Alley" by Lee Dorsey, "Hercules" by Aaron Neville, "Gone Gone Gone" by Eldridge Holmes, "Don't Pity Me" by Curly Moore, "Bad Luck" by Betty Harris, "All I Want Is You" by Zilla Mayes, "Wheel Of Fire" by Etta Jones, "If You Love Her" by Benny Spellman, "Omar Khayyam" by The Rubiyats, "Here Come The Girls" by Ernie K Doe, "How To Pick A Winner" by Maurice Williams, "Star Revue" by Warren Lee, "Greatest Love" by Willie West, "The Book" by Eldridge Holmes, "Wait A Minute Baby" by Diamond Joe, and "We Are The People" and "Working In A Coal Mine" by Toussaint himself.