Estrada , George ’ s former bandmate in the Mothers of Invention . George had performed “ Willin ’” for head Mother Frank Zappa , who responded by recommending that George form his own band ( possibly due to personal distaste for the song ’ s drug references ). Luckily for 50 + years of fans , George took the advice . Sailin ’ Shoes earned George a percentage of the acclaim he sought as a songwriter as well as a player . He would join New Orleans legends the Meters to record another version of “ Sailin ’ Shoes ” for Robert Palmer ’ s debut solo album Sneakin ’ Sally Through the Alley . The outtakes disc includes a previously unreleased demo of “ Sailin ’ Shoes ” and exclusive alternates of key tracks “ Cold , Cold , Cold ,” “ A Apolitical Blues ,” and “ Willin ’.” Album-closer “ Texas Rose Café ” is included as a demo that was presented to the Doobie Brothers . The song ’ s character inhabits a fleabag hotel and dreams of love and adventure , only to wind up where he started . “ Doriville ” is another road-weary and rustic beauty that could have made the cut if the vinyl format could have held another few minutes of music . The hometown show recorded on August 28 , 1971 at the Los Angeles Palladium represents the only known multi-track live recording of Little Feat ’ s original lineup . The live album was recorded at the Palladium six months prior to release of Sailin ’ Shoes . The set collects ten songs from Sailin ’ Shoes and debut Little Feat . The show launches a swaggering “ Tripe Face Boogie ” and wraps with a ferocious “ Teenage Nervous Breakdown .”
Newcomers to Little Feat are often pointed toward live album Waiting for Columbus . With the wealth of extra material and two album ’ s worth of the band ’ s finest studio performances , you couldn ’ t go wrong starting here , either .
– Jeff Elbel
10 Dixie Chicken Sailin ’ Shoes
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DR . JOHN The Montreux Years
( BMG )
Over the span of several years , the late Mac Rebennack brought the music of New Orleans to the influential Montreux Jazz Festival under his guise as Dr . John . Now , Montreux brings the music of Dr . John back to us . The 14-song 2xLP collection opens with Dr . John alone at the piano playing the rollicking tribute “ Professor Longhair Boogie .” The song was performed in 1986 at the Casino Montreux , where Dr . John has no trouble conjuring the energy of a full band and a rowdy party at the local speakeasy all by himself . His thundering left hand creates the driving rhythm section during “ Sick and Tired ” to accompany a howling vocal and sparkling solos . Other songs from the same set include the kiss-off “ You Ain ’ t Such a
Much ,” the villainous tale of “ Stack-a-Lee ” ( and the hapless Billy Lyons ), and more . Leadbelly ’ s emotive blues classic “ Good Night Irene ” is reinvented as a massive stomper under the power of Rebennack ’ s own two hands . More recent sets were captured in the Auditorium Stravinski during returns to Montreux in 1993 , 1995 , 2004 , and 2007 . “ Big Chief ” and a closing medley of “ In a Sentimental Mood / Mississippi Mud / Happy Hard Times ” were recorded in 2011 and 2012 at Miles Davis Hall . These venues find Dr . John accompanied by various band lineups . The lone constant band member is bassist David Barard , who leads the rhythm section and takes dazzling solos on fretted and fretless instruments . Trombone Shorty joins the fray for spirited and spine-tingling playing with the secondline groove of Longhair ’ s “ Big Chief .” Ronnie Cuber makes several appearances , including a featured position in 2007 for the easygoing stroll of Johnny Mercer ’ s “ Accentuate the Positive .” A streamlined rock-style lineup featuring guitarist John Fohl performs Dr . John ’ s signature Top Ten hit “ Right Place , Wrong Time ” in 2004 . The jazzy torch ballad “ Rain ” laments lost love with elegant saxophone solos from Cuber and sensitive piano work by Dr . John . The bristling “ Going Back to New Orleans ” features an eight-piece band and is propelled by drummer Fred Staehle ’ s tango-infused rhythm . The band stretches beyond ten minutes into a freewheeling and celebratory jam . This ensemble brings big-band energy and flair to “ Makin ’ Whoopee .” At the end of a blissful sonic rearrangement of “ Love For Sale ,” Dr . John says , “ That ain ’ t the way Cole Porter composed it , but that ’ s damn sure the way we de-compose ‘ Love For Sale ,’ and there it is .” There ’ s no doubting Rebennack knew the original inside and out . Flickers of Ray Charles ’ “ What ’ d I Say ” flash through Earl King ’ s “ Let the Good Times Roll .” These aren ’ t the styles that cemented Dr . John ’ s reputation as a marquee act , but he proves that he ’ s no one-trick pony and reveals why he was so in demand
as a studio musician .
The album is a fine document to demonstrate Dr . John ’ s charisma as an entertainer and acumen as a bandleader . It ’ s also a decent overview of the pianist ’ s expansive repertoire and a fine jumping-on point for newcomers . The Montreux Years is a varied portrait of Dr . John at his best in the latter half of his career and a fond farewell to a singular artist .
– Jeff Elbel
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