ALLEN TOUSSAINT

ALLEN TOUSSAINT
THE BRIGHT MISSISSIPPI (2009)
320 KBPS

Through his work as producer, composer, arranger and consummate session man, New Orleans native Allen Toussaint has truly earned living-legend status. He's collaborated on landmark recordings for such artists as Ernie K. Doe, Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, the Meters, the Pointer Sisters and Labelle and released acclaimed albums of his own. The 70 year-old pianist, already a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, was the recipient, on the recent Grammy Awards telecast, of the Recording Academy s prestigious Trustee Award, honoring a lifetime in the studio, both behind the scenes and in front of the mic. On The Bright Mississippi, his Nonesuch debut, Toussaint continues to break new ground with his first jazz-oriented set, displaying the same effortless swing and relaxed charm he brought to his classic rock and roll sides. He salutes Big Easy stars of a previous generation, the jazz greats who, in the early 20th century, built the genre from the ground up and turned the ears of the world to New Orleans.

1. Egyptian Fantasy
2. A Dear Old Southland
3. St. James Infirmary
4. Singin' The Blues
5. Winin' Boy Blues
6. West End Blues
7. Blue Drag
8. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
9. Bright Mississippi
10. Day Dream
11. Long, Long Journey
12. Solitude