# CD review: Dr. John and The WDR Big Band – Big Band Voodoo 2019: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/11/09/cd-review-dr-john-and-the-wdr-big-band-big-band-voodoo-2019-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2019-11-09T13:31:30+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**The late New Orleans great Dr. John will be featured on a new, posthumously released
album, Big Band Voodoo, out Nov. 1 on Orange Music. Recorded in 1995 with Germany’s
WDR Big Band, the upcoming album features 16 tracks.**

Stanley Chaisson, who managed the artist, comments in a press release, “I appreciate
the way Mac translated his voodoo syncopation and vocal phrasing and merged them
with the WDR Big Band. To me, it’s one of the best pairings of jazz, blues and swing
on a recording that was ever done. It shows his ability to adapt, perform and interpret
music and deliver his part, with one of the best big bands in the world. I am just
so grateful to be a part of such an excellent piece of music.”

Big Band Voodoo is described in the release as “a unique take on the music of Dr.
John, as he’d never released a big band record quite like this one during his lifetime/
career. What we have now is the chance to hear an important piece of music history.”

Highlights include “I’m Just a Lucky So and So,” “Blue Skies,” “New York City Blues,”“
Tell Me You’ll Wait For Me” and more.

Chaisson recalls a chat with Dr. John that set things in motion: “Big Band Voodoo
comes from an evening of discussing new projects with Mac [Rebennack] at his brownstone
in New York. He and I were discussing the possibility of making a jazz record. He
says, ‘Ya know, dis would be dat thing I was always using my head for…a big band
thing with my New Orleans riffs.’”

Mike Donohue of Amplified Distribution adds, “Dr. John and the WDR Big Band’s Big
Band Voodoo album comes from his 1995 visit to Germany, during an international 
tour thru the U.K., Germany, Japan, etc. During this tour, numerous important musicians
approached Dr. John for a session. Many of these professionals had never seen Mac
perform live but were huge fans. While in Germany, Dr. John was offered the opportunity
to play and record at the WDR Band’s Cologne studio. What transpired in that studio
is one of the most interesting yet unreleased sessions from Dr. John’s repertoire.

Dr. John passed away on June 6, 2019, at the age of 77.

**Tracks**

01. My Indian Red
 02. I’m Just A Lucky So And So 03. Blue Skies 04. Tell Me You
Will Wait For Me 05. Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You 06. Stagger Lee 07. New York City
Blues 08. I Know What I Got 09. I Still Think About You 10. I’m Confessin’ 11. Mess
Around 12. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere 13. So Long 14. Going Back To 
New Orleans 15. JC’s Blues

![Картинки по запросу Dr. John & The WDR Big Band – Big Band Voodoo](https://i0.
wp.com/radioimg.s3.amazonaws.com/wwlam/styles/hero_tall__1170x515/s3/dr-john.jpg?
w=640&ssl=1)

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