"Toussaint: The Real Thing 1970-1975" by ALLEN TOUSSAINT - Featuring Three LPs Remastered onto 2CDs Plus Two Bonus Tracks - "Toussaint" [aka "From A Whisper To A Scream"] (1970), "Life, Love And faith" (1972) and "Southern Nights" [1975] - Guests Include The Meters, Dr. John, Merry Clayton, Venetta Fields and more (August 2015 AUSTRALIA Raven Records 2CD Compilation) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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This Review And Many More Like It 

Available In my Kindle e-Book (June 2022 Version)

 

LOOKING AFTER NO. 1 

Volume 2 of 2 - M to Z...

 

Your All-Genres Guide To

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"...Soul Brother..." 

 

In November 2009, myself and 'she who must be paid on Fridays' went to see The Blind Boys Of Alabama do a one-off gig at the Barbican Theatre in London.

 

We plonked into our last minute cheap-as-a-politician's-election-promises seats and out came a lone Southern Gentleman who sat down at his beautiful Steinway piano and smiled warmly at the shuffling crowd. Most were there to hear The Blind Boys do The Wire theme song (their wickedly good cover of Tom Waits' "Down In The Hole") - but some in the know were more excited about their support act – ALLEN TOUSSAINT.

 

Toussaint started in on his staggering repertoire that goes back to his days in the Fifties with Fats Domino, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey and then as a writer with Minit Records from 1960 onwards. After several recognizable classics including the lovely "With You In Mind" which Art Neville made a feature of on his 1991 "Warm Your Heart" album – AT smiled and said - "...here's another song you might know..."

 

A slow buzz began going around the hall - born 1938 in Gert Town, New Orleans - not only does this exceptional dapper looking tune-smith go way back - but he's more than a little bit special (and funky too). Little did we know at the time, but Toussaint would in fact later receive The National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2013 for his contributions to music and community. And he was special. I couldn't believe my luck. Ten British quid for this double dose of genius! Chatty, humble, steeped in decades of musical history - it was magical really. The Blind Boys and him even signed CDs after the gig in the foyer - old school class professionalism. Toussaint sadly passed in November 2015 – one of the great backroom boys of Soul & New Orleans R&B. 

 

And that's where this fabulous Australian-issued Raven Records twofer digital compilation comes a shimmying in. Here are the gentleman-be-funky details...

 

AUSTRALIA released 14 August 2015 – "Toussaint: The Real Thing 1970-1975" by ALLEN TOUSSAINT on Raven Records RVCD-386 (Barcode 9398800038622) offers 3LPs from 1970, 1972 and 1975 Remastered onto 2CDs Plus Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 (44:17 minutes):

1. From A Whisper to A Scream – Side 1

2. Chokin' Kind

3. Sweet Touch Of Love

4. What Is Success

5. Working in A Coal Mine

6. Everything I Do Gonna' Be Funky – Side 2

7. Pickles

8. Louie

9. Either

10 Cast Your Fate To The Wind

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album "Toussaint" – released December 1970 in the USA on Scepter Records SPS 24003 in Stereo (reissued June 1971 with same tracks and title).

 

It is a misconception that DJM 22070 was its first issue in the UK – probably because of the 1970 copyright date on the label. I have original and rare DJM Records catalogues from late 1971 and January 1973 that don't mention the LP at all. I also have a Decca Catalogue for 1973 and a 1979 Music Master retailer's catalogue. Putting it all together you get the following - first issue UK was February 1972 as "Toussaint" on Wand Records WNS 14 in Stereo with ten tracks, reissued on DJM's budget line DJM 22070 in January 1977 with the same tracks (DJM was their Midline range, DJS was full-priced Lps).

 

Adding to all that was a later reissue as "From A Whisper To A Scream" in March 1985 by Ace Records of the UK on their Kent Records imprint - KENT 036 (LP) and CDKENM 036 (CD). That 1985 LP and CD had eleven tracks instead of the original 10 – the extra song on a rejiggered Side 2 being "Number Nine" – one of the two Bonus cuts on this 2CD set. His debut album was once again reissued in the USA, but this time as "Allen Toussaint" in July 2007 on Varese Sarabande 302 066 832 2 (Barcode 030206683226) with Two Previously Unissued Instrumental Tracks that follow next... 

 

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Number Nine

12. Poor Folks

Tracks 11 and 12 first issued in July 2007 on the American CD compilation "Allen Toussaint" on Varese Sarabande 302 066 832 2 (Barcode 030206683226). In 2007 the instrumental song "Number Nine" was Previously Unissued in the USA (it had turned up in 1985 on Ace's Kent reissue as a Bonus) - while the other near seven-minute instrumental "Poor Folks" was Previously Unreleased (recorded 19 and 20 March 1970).

 

Disc 2 (74:13 minutes):

1. Victims Of The Darkness – Side 1

2. Am I Expecting Too Much?

3. My Baby Is The Real Thing

4. Goin' Down

5. She Once Belonged To Me

6. Out Of The City (Into Country Life)

7. Soul Sister – Side 2

8. Fingers And Toes

9. I've Got To Convince Myself

10. On My Way Down

11. Gone Too Far

12. Electricity

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 2nd album "Life, Love And Faith" – released July 1972 in the USA on Reprise Records MS 2060 and in the UK on Reprise K 44202.

 

13. Last Train [Side 1]

14. World Wide World Wide

15. Back In Baby's Arms

16. Country John

17. Basic Lady

18. Southern Nights [Side 2]

19. You Will Not Lose

20. What Do You Want The Girl To Do?

21. What The Party's Over

22. Cruel Way To Go Down

Tracks 13 to 22 are his 3rd album "Southern Nights" – released May 1975 in the USA on Reprise MS 2186 and in the UK on Reprise K 54021

 

Fans will know that November 2015 saw a further Allen Toussaint compilation come out in Soul-mad England touching on two LPs in this period of time – Beat Goes On's "Life, Love And Faith/Southern Nights/Motion" on BGOCD 1211 (Barcode 5017261212115). That set offered 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs also – but while it dropped the debut – it did contain his fourth LP "Motion" from July 1978 on Reprise BSK 3142 (UK on Reprise K 56473). I actually own both because the Raven issue we're dealing with here has not only got the debut - but those two stunning Bonuses (talk later).

 

This August 2015 Raven Records 2CD set comes with a nicely laid-out 12-page booklet with new liner notes from TERRY REILLY and even a mention of his accolades by the US President in 2013. There are period photos – a label shot of the US Demo 45 to "From A Whisper To A Scream" – a Lee Dorsey sheet music for "Working in A Coal Mind" (which Toussaint wrote for him). There is also a smiling Allen on the rear inlay sheet that's a very cool shot. Reilly gives a potted history of the LPs, but the only pictures of the actual artwork is on the front page of the booklet – at least there are musician credits on Pages 10 and 11. All the material is licensed properly (Gusto for the debut and Warners for the other two) and the Remastered Audio BY WARREN BARNET is properly fantastic throughout.

 

A bit of history first. Toussaint has always been around; it's just that you probably didn't notice him. Others – especially in the industry - did. That knack for penning a melody/groove got his songs covered by a huge array of musical luminaries with New Orleans and R&B tingling in their souls. British vocalist Frankie Miller gave a whole album over to his songs in "High Life" from 1974 on Chrysalis. Robert Palmer did "Night People" on his "Double Fun" LP in 1974 – Bonnie Raitt covered "What Do You Want The Girl To Do?" on her "Home Plate" album in 1975 as did Lowell George for his March 1979 debut solo LP "Thanks I'll Eat It Here". Speaking of that funky band, one of the outtakes that turned up on the 2CD Rhino reissue of Little Feat's magnificent live album "Waiting For Columbus" was Toussaint's "On My Way Down" - and as recent as 2000, Mavis Staples did "Last Train" on her gorgeous "You Are Not Alone" album with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Smart kids chasing down Rare Grooves noticed too. The strutting Guitar-Funk-Fest that is "Goin' Down" has turned up on no less than three hip WEA compilations for Rare Groove track – "Right On! Volume 3" (2001), "Funk Drops 2" (2002) and the wickedly good "What It Is!" 4CD Rhino box set from 2006 (see my detailed review). To the music...the debut first...

 

December 1970 USA saw the first 45-single flourish from the album on the rare Tiffany Records label (distributed by Scepter in NYC). They issued "Sweet Touch Of Love" on the A-side of Tiffany TIF-9015 with a lethal pairing of the opening LP track "From A Whisper To A Scream" on the B-side. And when the album was repressed for June 1971 – they reversed the sides for Scepter SCE 12317 giving the popular "From A Whisper To A Scream" priority. Amazingly – and given the calibre of both songs – neither did any real chart action. A second 45-single in October 1971 trying the Lee Dorsey-Toussaint written classic "Working In A Goldmine" paired with a way cooler though then unknown "What Is Success" on Scepter 12334 suffered a similar fate. Even though Wand issued the LP in England in January 1972 – they didn't try any singles thus condemning his debut to a curiosity in chart shops.

 

Featuring a cast of known and not-so-well-known greats – the debut had Dr. John on Backing Vocals and Organ, Terry Kellman on Guitar with Eddie Hohner on Bass and super-session-ladies Merry Clayton and Venetta Fields on Backing Vocals (Clayton fresh from her duet vocals with Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter"). The Brass came in the shape of Earl Turbington of the New Orleans Funk Band The Gators (brother of Willie Tee) and Frederick Kemp who had been with Fats Domino for years.

 

The debut album is really a tale of two sides – Side 1 with lyric-tunes one and all – while Side 2 has one lyric song as a starter and then an odd run of four instrumentals in a row – like they were tagged on to flesh it out for a full LP.

 

But don't let that fool you for a second – take "Pickles" – the second cut on Side 2. It's a fantastic four-and-half minute Funky Brass and Harmonica instrumental that settles in the centre (and again later on) into an almost Rick Wakeman grand piano flourish (so pretty) – before returning to the groove. "Louie" is a mid-tempo two-stepper that again allows him to stretch out on the old Johanna and show his effortless feel for sexy playing. Even better is a very Crusaders/James Brown sexy groove created with the Brass boys on "Either" – Terry Kellman playing some tasty licks on the Guitar while Earl Turbington and Frederick Kemp solo on the Saxophones too. It's 1970 but sounds like Brown in 1972 or 1973 – ahead of its time.

 

There are two cover versions of the album – the sung Harland Howard song "Chokin' Kind" on Side 1 (the ladies back him on this) while the old Jazz chestnut "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" on Side 2 ends the LP on a more mellow instrumental note. But for me the total shocker is the utterly brilliant unreleased instrumental "Poor Folks" which at 6:51 minutes veers into Funk and Rock and feels like New Orleans meets Steely Dan as Toussaint gets all kinds of shades out of the fast bits that slink into the slow parts. What a discovery, and that's just the debut.

 

As is witnessed by the credits on the rear of the 1972 vinyl LP – "Life, Love And Faith" featured a huge ensemble of musicians – members of his family and most especially members of the New Orleans Funk band The Meters (George Porter, Jr., Joseph Modeliste and Leo Nocentelli). Toussaint sang, played keyboards, acoustic guitar, harmonica and wrote/arranged all the songs. Reprise tried the slinky 'bad boots' Side 2 opener "Soul Sister" b/w "She Once Belonged To Me" as a 7" single in September 1975 on both sides of the pond (Reprise REP 1109, USA – Reprise K 14200, UK) – but it didn't make too much of an impact (good but not memorable enough for either pallet). They made the big mistake of not choosing the relentless funk of "Goin' Down" as the lead off single (now a darling of Rare Groove CD compilations), but alas. Apparently "Am I Expecting Too Much" made promo-stage on 7" in the States (Reprise REP 1132) but despite the fantastic funk in the tune – it didn't take either.

 

His 3rd album 1975's "Southern Nights" is probably his most popular. The productions values certainly shot through the roof – "Last Train" feeling a little the Average White Band with a different vocalist - while the mid-tempo Sax strut of "Worldwide" has more than a shade of The Meters. "Back In My Baby's Arms" is properly lovely – a sweet lilt that soothes - Arthur Neville on Organ with Deborah Paul, Joan Harmon and Sharon Neborn tearing up the backing vocals with some Soulful harmonising. The title track has always been a barnstormer whenever he did it live – a very pretty melody – and I'd swear John Lennon nicked that treated vocal sound for "Beautiful Boy" on his "Double Fantasy" album in 1980. 

 

So you say to me, if Toussaint was so good - why wasn't he huge? Like Bill Withers or Al Green - Toussaint could pen the tunes and get those grooves, but unlike them - he arguably hadn't the greatest of voices (good rather than being memorable). Perhaps that's why he always seemed on the fringes...other people and their top voices making his great songs shine.

 

Whatever way you look at it - this is a fantastic release. So whichever 2CD reissue you buy (I say buy both) - you're quid's in – wonderful music and presentation in both instances. 

 

The great man deserved to be remembered this well and both Raven of Australia and Beat Goes On of the UK have done so. A seriously classy dude remembered beautifully...