A while back we posted on the sweet soulful sounds of Loozyana's (Louisiana for the uninitiated) pony ridin' singer Lee Dorsey. While Dorsey is a classick in his own right, his career, and many others in the Bayou, wouldn't have amounted to much without the help of Mr. Allen Toussaint. Toussaint is widely regarded as the king of Nawlin's R&B, a title he earned through years of hard work as producer, songwriter, arranger, session pianist, solo artist and general Nawlin's Soul ambassador and impresario. For proof of Toussaint's uncanny knack for funky sweet horn arrangements, check out "Baby Don't You Do It" from The Band's Rock of Ages. Also, get down on the King of the Crescent City's solo work; "Am I Expecting too Much?" a bouncy bayou rhythm and blues number and "Night People," which cranks the FUNK with a rhythmicly irresistible organ riff capable of making the whitest white people dance. Toussaint has the Bayou version of the Midas touch: whatever he touches turns to hot sticky soulful rhythm and blues, and boy is it sweet. For a good intro to Toussaint's classick American music check out Allen Toussaint The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings.
Allen Toussaint- Night People
Allen Toussaint- Am I Expecting Too Much?
The Band- Baby Don't You Do It
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