DR. JOHN IN CONCERT:
Jazz and funk bandleader Dr. John is known for bringing a medicine-show vibe to the stage as he stirs up a flamboyant witch’s brew for eager ticket buyers around the world. Bedecked in voodoo iconography as he sits behind his decorated pianos and keyboards, Dr. John summons a sound as mysterious and original as his native New Orleans. Fans can’t help grooving to bayou boogies and horn-heavy R&B numbers like “Right Place Wrong Time” and “Iko Iko” before the gravel-voiced singer slows it down for haunting ballads like “I Walk on Guilded Splinters” and “City Lights”. Still on a roll after 2012’s Locked Down, his Grammy-winning collaboration with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Dr. John’s stunning musicianship will keep fans spellbound long after the show is over.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Born and raised in New Orleans, Malcolm John Rebennack (AKA Dr. John) soaked up the rich musical history of his Louisiana French heritage. By the time he was in high school, he was already playing in nightclub bands and producing records for artists like James Booker and Earl King. The gifted young musician led several bands in the ‘50s and ‘60s but really hit his stride in 1968 with Gris-Gris, his debut album as Dr. John. His voodoo ritual-inspired live shows drew him out for extensive touring in the ‘60s and ‘70s and made dedicated fans out of influential artists like Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger. Dr. John scored his first Top 20 hit in 1973 with “Right Place Wrong Time”, which instantly established him as a leading ambassador of New Orleans funk. He went on to win six Grammys, starting with his 1989 win for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group for the song “Makin’ Whoopee”. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 thanks to decades of musical innovation and jaw-dropping performances. More than 50 years into his storied career, Dr. John still conjures serious magic and pulls out all the stops every time he takes the stage.