cheap. With an MSRP of $ 125, this might be the most you spend for a new copy of an inprint domestic LP. For audiophiles who count Bella Donna among their favorite records and want the definitive vinyl experience, though, this reissue can ' t be topped.
– Jeff Elbel
9
DR. JOHN Live at the Village Gate( Omnivore)
The late Mac " Dr. John " Rebennack and his Louisiana Luminoids raised the spirit of New Orleans in New York City ' s Greenwich Village on March 5, 1988. This previously unreleased 12-song set stretches beyond 90 minutes, giving ample opportunity to revel in the sound of Rebennack ' s sparkling piano and ace band featuring a hot brass trio and a rhythm section that cracks like a whip. The mix gets dialed in as the opening number " Renegade " progresses, with Joe Caro ' s sharp chime gradually sitting into the ensemble. Tenor saxophonist " Blue " Lou Marini of Blues Brothers fame takes his first of several thrilling solos before Dr. John does some " jaw-jerkin '" during the song ' s breakdown to make a NOLA hipster rap about the pursuit of filthy lucre. Newcomers may want to know that Dr. John ' s biggest hits,“ Right Place, Wrong Time” and“ Such A Night” from 1972 ' s In the Right Place album, are not included in this set list. The band visits the album for the Crescent City funk of " Qualified." " Your Cadillac ain ' t no hipper than my bus stop," sings Rebennack, expressing the song ' s sentiment of selfworth regardless of means. The band also plays a spellbinding version of the album ' s " I ' ve Been Hoodood." Propelled by drummer Richard Crooks ' second-line rhythms, the band casts a mysterious spell and proves to be equally adept at jazz-informed improvisation as they are at R & B, funk, and soul. The song boasts an extended baritone saxophone solo from Ronnie Cuber. " I Walk on Guilded Splinters " from 1968 ' s Gris-Gris is also absent, but Rebennack honors a fan ' s request for a deeper cut, " Mama Roux," as the set nears its thrilling conclusion. " Ain ' t play it in a long time, so ' scuse me if I lame out on it, but here it is," hedges Rebennack
before diving in. Although his voice shows a bit of extra rasp and wear by this time of the show, the mid-tempo New Orleans rambler is a crowd pleaser. Lew Soloff ' s trumpet reinforces the high notes in the chorus. The show includes an early performance of " Life ' s a One Way Ticket," which was eventually captured on 2004 ' s N ' Awlinz: Dis Dat or d ' Udda. " There ain ' t no second time around," sings Rebennack in a smoky blues rambler about making the most of the time one has. Alongside leads by Marini and Caro, Soloff ' s trumpet takes flight for a soulful melody. " This here is our motto," says Rebennack when introducing the low funk of " Keep That Music Simple " from 1979 ' s Tango Palace. As the lyric suggests, the band keeps the groove right in the pocket and leaves room for the horn section to stretch out. Like " Mama Roux," " One Dirty Woman " is a non-standard inclusion in the set list. The song proves to be a highlight as a rolling blues with an urbane rumble. The brass players trade leads before Caro uncorks a hot Larry Carlton-styled guitar solo reminiscent of Steely Dan. Following a dramatic piano intro, Rebennack calls down natural disasters if he can ' t have his love on the slowburning jazz-blues of " Rain." " Let The Good Times Roll " unfolds with an irresistible swing. In addition to Rebennack ' s exhortation to suck the marrow from life, the song features lively blues-rock solos from Caro and Marini. The band fuses a lively blues with the 1953 Ray Charles hit " Mess Around " as heard on the 1972 album Dr. John ' s Gumbo. " Ah, I got it, son," says Rebennack as he takes the first solo section in his irresistible style. The tempo slows for an expressive, sentimental run through Hoagy Carmichael ' s Great American Songbook standard, " Georgia on My Mind." The Dr. John arrangement includes another hat tip to Charles and his indelible 1960 version, expanded with big-band and Big Easy flourishes from the brass. Wrapping the evening is a 17-minute setclosing version of party stoker " Mardi Gras Day." The latter begins as Dr. John ' s piano quotes the gospel hymn " Just a Closer Walk with Thee," accompanied by Crooks ' mournful parade rhythm. Soon, the song erupts into a joyful rhythm with an extra measure of Cajun spice in Dr. John ' s patois. He calls for freewheeling solos around the bandstand. " Soul in the bowl," says Dr. John fondly after Marini ' s final fling. Despite the omission of Dr. John ' s most familiar singles(" Iko Iko " is another favorite gone AWOL), fans will be thrilled by a set that is perhaps more adventurous than the fan-pleasing fare Rebennack was performing in front of festival crowds toward the end of his career. The mix here is imminently listenable but imperfect; it ' s most likely sourced from a soundboard mix collected by manager Barbara " BB " Becker. As a result, Crooks ' rhythms are often tucked away in the background. Caro ' s guitar and Trazi Williams ' congas occasionally dominate the mix. Nonetheless, this is the closest thing to being in the room with a front row seat. Pour a mint julep and enjoy.
– Jeff Elbel
7
18 illinoisentertainer. com january 2026