Remind me again why the pianos and saxophones were made to surrender their seat at rock 'n roll's round table? I know, I know. In the 1960s, as amplification technology improved, most bands deep-sixed their keyboardists and horn sections thinking they might sound too retro. "Electric guitars are the future," they thought, not realizing it was a self-fulfilling prophecy as they knocked down the pillars of rockabilly in the name of renovation. What they didn't grasp was that the piano and the horns hadn't just added volume. They added a robust, full-bodied wholeness to the mixture, the presence of which makes the entire ensemble sound richer. Dr. John got his start as a musician in the 1950s and on Dr. John's Gumbo you can hear his memories of that era come alive. To be sure, he had a psychedelic phase like everyone else in the late 60s. But you wouldn't be able to tell that here. For this album, he's largely jettisoned those influences, preferring instead to return to a classic rock 'n' roll sound by way of his favorite New Orleans r&b and jazz musicians like Huey "Piano" Smith and Professor Longhair. This is joyful, Saturday night music, the type of tunes that draw customers into Bourbon Street bars. Listening to the organ intro to "Big Chief," backed by that buoyant bass line and those shuffling drums, I thought, "Wow, someone should sample that!" Then I realized someone already had as Lily Allen's "Knock 'Em Out" started playing in my head. If you like "feel-good" music, I recommend Dr. John's Gumbo, with gusto. It'll stick to your ribs. Grade: B+
