Dr. John - City That Care Forgot
(Cooking Vinyl)
www.drjohn.org

Something that is (almost) always laudable about the careers of silver haired artists is their restlessness. If possible, most people will have retired by the time they reach their 60s. This, however, is another rule of society that many musicians steer clear from. The output is many times regrettable, but, sometimes, records are put forth that remind us that true talent is ageless. Such is the case with the latest from blues/funk/soul legend Dr. John, who has taken a swing at the Bush administration’s disastrous handling of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in his native New Orleans by making an album out of it. City That Care Forgot features the Doctor’s trademark fusion of New Orleans blues and seventies funk with lyrics at once denouncing, nostalgic and outright activist. He does this with some noteworthy help from, among others, Eric Clapton, Ani DiFranco and Willie Nelson.

The songs are heavy on horns and Dr. John’s piano, with opening track Keep On Goin’ offering a good taste of what the rest of the album will sound like. It opens on a hopeful note and its political tone is subtle and well disguised under its mellow trumpet-driven sound. Eric Clapton lends outbursts of his prototype blues guitar in Time For A Change before diving into a humble solo at the end with Dr. John drawling out the last lines. One of the highlights comes with the addition of Willie Nelson’s nasal country-folk vocals in Promises, Promises. The tune is a honky-tonky kind of improvisation during which the lack of vocal unison adds richness and spontaneity to the song. The political slant is obvious now with lines such as “The road to the White House / Is paved with lies,” and Nelson’s contribution is so fitting it’s almost predictable. Another strong point comes in My People Need A Second Line, thanks to excellent trumpet work from brothers James “12” Andrews and Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. Just as the song is fading out on a superb trumpet duet, Dr. John’s voice can be heard asking “What’s wrong with you politicians?” Subtly toned down on purpose? Perhaps.

The only sore thumb is Land Grab, which strays away from the Hurricane theme and goes all out mentioning everything from stealing land from the Indians to Cheney to even Halliburton to become an unnecessary and clichéd political overdose. The title track follows and makes up for it, however, with Clapton back again and Ani DiFranco providing backing vocals. Both his guitar and her cool voice are key in giving the song its sorrowful tone. The lyrics are probably most poignant of the album (“Better get used to that nasty, funky smell”).

The Bush administration’s incompetence in aiding New Orleans has been the subject of many pieces of work. Dr. John, a native of the city and a musical giant, has now offered his say on the matter and, in doing so, has put forth an album as sweeping as the storm that inspired it.

Nina Cromeyer Dieke