The hitmaker of New Orleans following Dave Bartholomew of the '50s was Allen Toussaint. He succeeds rolling touches which were the favorites with pianists of the land, however, he was active in the front line since in the early '60s through the '70s as a producer and song-writer who didn't always stick to his piano but acutely kept up with the times. On "The Instant & Minit Story", which collects tunes under his production at Instant=Minit until he was drafted, Chris Kenner or Ernie K-Doe or Irma Thomas sings joyful or relaxing songs. On "Get Low Down !", which contains ones at Amy=Sansu after his return, Curly Moore or Betty Harris had rhythm-hooking funky tunes or honest ballads. In the '70s he rept the label restriction and showed his own various aspects in the way of producing Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, the Rolling Stones, Labelle or the Band. The man who kept on under the production of Toussaint for nearly 20 years was Lee Dorsey I pick up here. His slightly nasal voice, with a familiar vibration, is soulful and smart and loose at the same time. After he fought with Japanese troops during the World War II and boxed in the lightweight class, he mainly did body and fender repair works. He didn't think, it seems to me, singing was his life work, but I found something charming in him different from that of many strong soul singers.
The cheerful and easily accessible compilations called "Gumbo Ya-Ya" and its "vol.2", I have talked repeatedly, are the reason why I found myself drowned in New Orleans R&B and soul. Under the influence of the Coasters and the rooty brightness of the land found in Fats Domino or Huey Smith, there seems to be many novelty hits from New Orleans in the early '60s. They often stand against the test of time, however, because they have musical and rhythmic roots harder than contemporary novelties of the white one-hit wonders. Ernie K-Doe's Mother-in-Law features Allen Toussaint's moderately rolling piano in the interlude, which always makes me feel enchanted. Lee Dorsey's Ya-Ya cut from Hury label was said to be made with the Mother-in-Law-styled piano of Marcel Robinson taught by Toussaint, who couldn't produce Dorsey directly since he was then under the contract of Instant=Minit. Its kind of the second blew Do Re Mi was also sold well, however, he moved from label to label and his career got stagnated.
Toussaint and Dorsey were regularly teamed up at Amy label. The best "Golden Classics", which also contains Hury sides, let us have joyful ones in his prime. The interesting rhythms devised on Ride Your Pony or Walking in the Coalmine, the carefree and easy-going Holy Cow or My Old Car cannot exist without Lee Dorsey. And you should not miss that there is Get Out of My Life, Woman : a tense tune of low tones and less sounds seems to be soothed by Dorsey. Although I think these tunes of Toussaint=Dorsey in this years are sometimes under-appreciated because they are novelties, novelty is the best ambassador extraordinary of cheerfulness appeared on Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and it was the time until the mid-'60s when folks naturally showed their own identity. And then the Meters appeared with the times, and became the backing band who hit the hooking rhythm and played the rather honest funk. Dorsey's Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (from Now on) features the coolest Meters and shows his fresh, funky and blusy aspect. And I find myself feel sad with it.
It went into the '70s and Dorsey moved to Polydor and had a masterpiece "Yes We Can" with Toussaint and the Meters. His own versions didn't become any hit, however, his funkiness attracted many people like the Pointer Sisters who made their reading of Yes We can or Robert Palmer with his Sneaking Sally Through the Alley. This album cannot be outstanding without the cool Meters who follow the traditional second line of New Orleans and chop and chop the rhythm, and without the production of Toussaint who boils and boils it down. And Dorsey sings superbly to the sound while it is already made and overdubbed by him in fact. I think his relaxed delivery is best on On Your Way Down which was released at the time and was covered by Little Feat. I feel thrilled when I hear his loose and mature phrasing. Even in the disco era his "Night People" give us his charm, aside from the backing sounds. In the same New Orleans, Allen Toussaint was so smart that he got often hasty and Lee Dorsey played the role of easing his tension. They not only had many hits but they should be good partners. (2007/11/18)