Allen Toussaint on Vinyl – “New” From 1975

It does not sit well with a part of me that Record Store Day (which in Britain was on April 16) brings with it new vinyl that could be seen as exploitative. This year, for example, brought no less that three David Bowie offerings. In a similar vein, RSD 2016 brought forth Allen Toussaint’s Live in Philadelphia 1975. Given that Toussaint died in November last, this could be seen as a bit of cashing in by Warner Bros/Rhino, who brought out the LP.

That said, it is a pretty fine memorial to the man, including his most famous song, “Southern Nights” (which many know better from Glenn Campbell). It captures all the jazz, blues, honky tonk and R&B that seems to just gush from New Orleans and of which Toussaint is obviously a master.

Where the album really excels is in a four-song medley about three-quarters of the way through what must have been a magnificent concert. This would not have been on a studio as it is a classic live stuff. Launching in to a medley, Toussaint starts with “Pine Top Boogie Woogie”, morphs into “Java,” then “Girl of My Dreams,” and finally “Honky Tonk”. The hammering piano is redolent of Professor Longhair, who was said to be an early inspiration for Toussaint. The medley also contains cracking sax from Gary Brown.

This is N’awlins music as you want to hear it. Well worth it. And yes, the album did nearly double in price overnight from its Record Store Day release. And no, I did not put my copy on eBay. That would be truly exploitative.