Like a ball of lightning and a ball of heat
November 10, 2015 11:37 AM Subscribe
Allen Toussaint, the legendary songwriter and pianist, has died.
Considered by many to be the dean of the New Orleans music scene, having influenced the careers of countless musicians and performers, Mr. Toussaint gave his last performance on Monday at Madrid's Teatro Lara. Madrid emergency services spokesman Javier Ayuso said rescue workers were called to Mr. Toussaint's hotel early Tuesday morning and managed to revive him after he suffered a heart attack. But Ayuso said Mr. Toussaint stopped breathing during the ambulance ride to a hospital and efforts to revive him again were unsuccessful.
In case it's not clear, the title comes from my favorite song of his, the way I was introduced to him — specifically, the Betty Wright version of "Shoorah! Shoorah!".
Interestingly, the article doesn't mention the song. And neither does his Wikipedia article, nor does Betty Wright's article mention Toussaint. (And there's nothing on the song itself). That makes this old The Lingering Mystery Of Shoo-Rah blogspot article feel even more apropos.
posted by cardioid at 11:44 AM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Interestingly, the article doesn't mention the song. And neither does his Wikipedia article, nor does Betty Wright's article mention Toussaint. (And there's nothing on the song itself). That makes this old The Lingering Mystery Of Shoo-Rah blogspot article feel even more apropos.
posted by cardioid at 11:44 AM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, Card Cheat, that is what I was going to post, too! So lovely.
posted by wenestvedt at 11:48 AM on November 10, 2015
posted by wenestvedt at 11:48 AM on November 10, 2015
A direct conduit to one of the deepest wellsprings of American musical culture - for anyone new to him, I recommend starting with "Life, Love and Faith" (1972).
posted by ryanshepard at 11:51 AM on November 10, 2015
posted by ryanshepard at 11:51 AM on November 10, 2015
Just thought of him last month when I came across this AV Club article. I've been following the links in it for weeks.
posted by yerfatma at 11:54 AM on November 10, 2015
posted by yerfatma at 11:54 AM on November 10, 2015
Lee Dorsey - Working In The Coal Mine, written and produced by Toussaint.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:55 AM on November 10, 2015
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:55 AM on November 10, 2015
I remember seeing him at Jazz Fest a couple years ago. What a treat.
Time to call my buddy Mark who worked the tent at a stage manager. His wife's about to die, and probably his favorite musician has now also passed. Terribly sad.
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posted by deezil at 11:57 AM on November 10, 2015
Time to call my buddy Mark who worked the tent at a stage manager. His wife's about to die, and probably his favorite musician has now also passed. Terribly sad.
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posted by deezil at 11:57 AM on November 10, 2015
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posted by ogooglebar at 11:58 AM on November 10, 2015
posted by ogooglebar at 11:58 AM on November 10, 2015
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posted by oceanjesse at 12:01 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 12:01 PM on November 10, 2015
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 12:02 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by JoeXIII007 at 12:02 PM on November 10, 2015
I was lucky to see him play at SF Jazz in September of 2013, when he did a performance where he played and talked about the songs he'd written. I think it was pretty similar to the performance on the DVD disc of the Songbook CD/DVD set.
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posted by larrybob at 12:04 PM on November 10, 2015
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posted by larrybob at 12:04 PM on November 10, 2015
David Simon remembers Toussaint
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:06 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:06 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Allen Toussaint Touch documentary
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:07 PM on November 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:07 PM on November 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Who Gonna Help Brother Get Further?
Written and produced by Allen Toussaint, performed by Lee Dorsey and The Meters. Look at that little fool, too cool to go to school...
posted by rocketman at 12:10 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Written and produced by Allen Toussaint, performed by Lee Dorsey and The Meters. Look at that little fool, too cool to go to school...
posted by rocketman at 12:10 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
George Porter Jr. of the Meters remembers Allen Toussaint
posted by larrybob at 12:10 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by larrybob at 12:10 PM on November 10, 2015
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posted by oneswellfoop at 12:11 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:11 PM on November 10, 2015
His version of "Cast Your Fate To the Wind" is the standard IMHO.
Had a chance to see him at Berklee a few years ago but I was sick the day of the show. Heavy sigh.
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posted by Sheydem-tants at 12:17 PM on November 10, 2015
Had a chance to see him at Berklee a few years ago but I was sick the day of the show. Heavy sigh.
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posted by Sheydem-tants at 12:17 PM on November 10, 2015
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posted by Rustic Etruscan at 12:20 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 12:20 PM on November 10, 2015
Via NPR: Artists Remember Allen Toussaint
posted by larrybob at 12:25 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by larrybob at 12:25 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was going to see him in 5 days at the Barbican.......
Having just gone to the Elvis Costello book signing, AT was on my mind anyway this week. His Minit singles are legendary. From the book I gathered that he conducted most of his career without ever leaving NOLA, and only started travelling and playing late in life while learning to enjoy it.
His production of Irma Thomas's "Its Raining" may be the most perfect 7" ever.
I love the pictures of him in his two Rolls Royce, one with the custom plate SONGS and the other one the custom plate PIANO. He earned those.
Songs
Piano
A legend and a gent...
posted by C.A.S. at 12:29 PM on November 10, 2015
Having just gone to the Elvis Costello book signing, AT was on my mind anyway this week. His Minit singles are legendary. From the book I gathered that he conducted most of his career without ever leaving NOLA, and only started travelling and playing late in life while learning to enjoy it.
His production of Irma Thomas's "Its Raining" may be the most perfect 7" ever.
I love the pictures of him in his two Rolls Royce, one with the custom plate SONGS and the other one the custom plate PIANO. He earned those.
Songs
Piano
A legend and a gent...
posted by C.A.S. at 12:29 PM on November 10, 2015
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allen touusaint's music has been a constant companion to me for going on 30 years. i had the good fortune to hear him perform a few times, but this is the occasion i want to share now: i saw him play a tune with friends of friends at nyc's the bitter end a few years back. as it was midway through the set when he came onstage, and since the piano hadn't been used yet, it needed to be soundchecked. so the bassist (will lee) said "allen, play something" - whereupon allen simply let his right hand fall mindlessly on the keys. and i swear, that one gesture, which really could not have amounted to more than 2 or 3 notes, had more authenticity, funk, groove, and style than any of the other notes played that night by the other incredibly talented musicians on that stage.
as the man said, everything he do gonna be funky.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 1:05 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
allen touusaint's music has been a constant companion to me for going on 30 years. i had the good fortune to hear him perform a few times, but this is the occasion i want to share now: i saw him play a tune with friends of friends at nyc's the bitter end a few years back. as it was midway through the set when he came onstage, and since the piano hadn't been used yet, it needed to be soundchecked. so the bassist (will lee) said "allen, play something" - whereupon allen simply let his right hand fall mindlessly on the keys. and i swear, that one gesture, which really could not have amounted to more than 2 or 3 notes, had more authenticity, funk, groove, and style than any of the other notes played that night by the other incredibly talented musicians on that stage.
as the man said, everything he do gonna be funky.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 1:05 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
when the day world is sleepin night people start creepin
posted by bukvich at 1:10 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by bukvich at 1:10 PM on November 10, 2015
I covered Devo's version of Working in a Coal Mine in one band and Lee Dorsey's in another.
posted by Trochanter at 1:18 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by Trochanter at 1:18 PM on November 10, 2015
The Optimism Blues was on endless repeat in my New Orleans home for about year after Katrina. It felt like the perfect metaphor for the exhilaration and exhaustion that came with helping to put a city back together.
Another must-hear is Soul Sister, which I've always loved for its subtle poignancy and the way it acknowledges the melancholy that comes with having a crush.
Despite his acclaimed decade-spanning career, I always felt like Toussaint was a just a bit...hmm, not underrated, exactly, but maybe under-appreciated. He was beloved and successful, but I still feel like he never really got his due...the depth of his discography, particularly during the 70s, is so great that he should have been household name among even casual music fans. The guy was a stone-cold genius in like five different genres, but I think he was fitted with a "New Orleans music" label that, never mind how wide-ranging and diverse his output actually was, he couldn't entirely shake.
The title track was linked up above, but the whole Southern Nights LP (full album YT link) is a great place to start.
posted by Ian A.T. at 1:26 PM on November 10, 2015 [6 favorites]
Another must-hear is Soul Sister, which I've always loved for its subtle poignancy and the way it acknowledges the melancholy that comes with having a crush.
Despite his acclaimed decade-spanning career, I always felt like Toussaint was a just a bit...hmm, not underrated, exactly, but maybe under-appreciated. He was beloved and successful, but I still feel like he never really got his due...the depth of his discography, particularly during the 70s, is so great that he should have been household name among even casual music fans. The guy was a stone-cold genius in like five different genres, but I think he was fitted with a "New Orleans music" label that, never mind how wide-ranging and diverse his output actually was, he couldn't entirely shake.
The title track was linked up above, but the whole Southern Nights LP (full album YT link) is a great place to start.
posted by Ian A.T. at 1:26 PM on November 10, 2015 [6 favorites]
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Growing up in Louisiana, to me he was a hero, a legend and an old-school gentleman. And he was a fact of music like wet is a fact of water, you know?
posted by pt68 at 2:07 PM on November 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Growing up in Louisiana, to me he was a hero, a legend and an old-school gentleman. And he was a fact of music like wet is a fact of water, you know?
posted by pt68 at 2:07 PM on November 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
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posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:38 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:38 PM on November 10, 2015
Here's a great mix and tribute by Funky16Corners.
I think was impresses me the most about all of his music is that it manages to feel polished, funky, and genuine all at once.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 2:58 PM on November 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think was impresses me the most about all of his music is that it manages to feel polished, funky, and genuine all at once.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 2:58 PM on November 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you can't dig on "On Your Way Down," you've got no soul.
Rest in Peace, maestro.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:22 PM on November 10, 2015
Rest in Peace, maestro.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:22 PM on November 10, 2015
Oh, and his River in Reverse album with Elvis Costello remains potent and powerful, both the original songs and the covers.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:23 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:23 PM on November 10, 2015
Last Train (also on the Southern Nights album) is also an amazing (and amazingly produced) track.
posted by The Card Cheat at 3:46 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by The Card Cheat at 3:46 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by dogstoevski at 3:48 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by dogstoevski at 3:48 PM on November 10, 2015
Seconding "Soul Sister" and "Shoorah Shoorah."
Two of the best jams ever.
RIP, Great One.
posted by jonmc at 5:13 PM on November 10, 2015
Two of the best jams ever.
RIP, Great One.
posted by jonmc at 5:13 PM on November 10, 2015
Great One, indeed. In a town that’s known countless musicial legends going way back to Buddy Bolden at the turn of the 19th century, Toussaint always will be awarded a place near the top of the heap. (Seemed like a good guy, too, when I met him five years ago at a jazz festival in Vermont.)
posted by LeLiLo at 5:31 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by LeLiLo at 5:31 PM on November 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by Token Meme at 5:56 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by Token Meme at 5:56 PM on November 10, 2015
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posted by teponaztli at 7:09 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by teponaztli at 7:09 PM on November 10, 2015
TuneIn Radio has a podcast worth checking out: Remembering Allen Toussaint.
posted by salix at 8:27 PM on November 10, 2015
posted by salix at 8:27 PM on November 10, 2015
Godspeed, good sir.
Many years ago, I worked with Clive Richardson in a London bookshop. He'd recently travelled to NOLA to interview Mr Toussaint for a soul music magazine, and I recall him saying what a gent the man was. As I can't trace that piece online, I'll settle for this, now rather poignant, interview just in from The Quietus: Born To Do This.
posted by On the Corner at 2:25 AM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Many years ago, I worked with Clive Richardson in a London bookshop. He'd recently travelled to NOLA to interview Mr Toussaint for a soul music magazine, and I recall him saying what a gent the man was. As I can't trace that piece online, I'll settle for this, now rather poignant, interview just in from The Quietus: Born To Do This.
posted by On the Corner at 2:25 AM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
An absolute great, lived for music. WAS music. RIP Allen Toussaint.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:49 AM on November 11, 2015
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:49 AM on November 11, 2015
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posted by El Brendano at 12:08 PM on November 13, 2015
posted by El Brendano at 12:08 PM on November 13, 2015
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