By hearing Right Place, Wrong Time as backing music in a TV crime film, I recently came across Dr. John, whom I remember well from the early seventies.

Now I read somewhere he played the keyboards on many Exile tracks. I wasn't aware of that. Can it be confirmed? And which ones are the tracks?

Then it is said on Dr. John's own website, that Mick Jagger had a cameo appearance on his 1971 album The Sun, Moon & Herbs. Which track(s) would that be?

Cheers

d.f

Melody Maker July 18, 1970



From Zentgraf:

710829A 29th August: DR. JOHN.
LP 'The Sun, Moon & Herbs' (Atlantic K 40250). Producers: Malcolm Rebenack
(alias Dr. John) and Charles Greene. Sound engineer: Roy Thomas Baker. Recorded
at Trident Studios, London on July 8 & 9, 1970.
- Black John The Conqueror (Malcolm Rebenack) -maybe with MJ
- Where Ya At Mule (Malcolm Rebenack) -with MJ
- Craney Crow (Malcolm Rebenack) -maybe with MJ
- Pots On Fiyo (Malcolm Rebenack) -maybe with MJ
- Zu Zu Mamou (Malcolm Rebenack) -maybe with MJ
- Familiar Reality - Reprise (Malcolm Rebenack/Jessie Hill) -probably with MJ
Line-up 'Where Ya At Mule': MJ (bvoc)/Dr. John (voc, p)/Eric Clapton (gtr)/Tommy
Ferrone (gtr)/Bobby Keys (tsax)/Chris Mercer (sax)/Carl Radle (bass)/Jim
Gordon (congas)/Bobby Whitlock, Doris Troy and P.P. Arnold (bvoc)/The
Memphis Horns (brass)/Fred Staehle (dr)/& others

He's only credited with singing back up vocals on "Loving Cup" on Exile.


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-02-28 18:57 by Deltics.

Thank you so much Sir.

d.f

Let It Loose is the only song he's credited to singing backing vocals on as far as I've ever seen.

Nobody knows who played the steel drums on Loving Cup.

soul giant



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-03-01 05:35 by hopkins.

I was a casual fan of Dr. John’s (I think I owned a greatest hits collection or something) and when I heard that Mick J appeared on his SUn, Moon & Herbs album I naturally had to have it.

Well, it’s just bunch of voodoo shit IMO and Mick’s vocals are so buried in the mix you’d have to go to China to hear them. I wrote to Mick asking him to reimburse me but since I forgot to mention that I was a 24 y/o supermodel he never replied. It was one of the few times where I really felt cheated after buying a record and it still stings after all these years…Can’t hear anyone sounding like Dr. John on Let It Loose either (not that I’d want to). Completely pointless guest appearances.

Brings up great memories of the Aragon Ballroom show...
Dr John opened and guested that night!

Years ago I got to see him at Tipitina's in New Orleans with a friend. His piano sat to where he didn't face the crowd, the band was the usual assortment of good New Orleans musicians that need a job.

He never looked at anyone, every song sounded the same and he appeared to just be going through the motions, with his eyes closed. After about 4 songs we came to the same conclusion - this sucks.

I like some of his records but live, he's one dimensional. Which is fine if that's what you're into, artists that don't really do anything live.

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Kurt
Brings up great memories of the Aragon Ballroom show...
Dr John opened and guested that night!

What a great night it was!

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Swayed1967
I was a casual fan of Dr. John’s (I think I owned a greatest hits collection or something) and when I heard that Mick J appeared on his SUn, Moon & Herbs album I naturally had to have it.

Well, it’s just bunch of voodoo shit IMO and Mick’s vocals are so buried in the mix you’d have to go to China to hear them. I wrote to Mick asking him to reimburse me but since I forgot to mention that I was a 24 y/o supermodel he never replied. It was one of the few times where I really felt cheated after buying a record and it still stings after all these years…Can’t hear anyone sounding like Dr. John on Let It Loose either (not that I’d want to). Completely pointless guest appearances.

really? you see it as pointless? seems they made good music at the end of the day. Jagger wasn't all about making sure he was front and center. Maybe that was part of the attraction for him; an absorbing and learning process for him. And from what I heard it wasn't about Dr John being heard loud in the choir, but that he was instrumental in making some of those inspired, spiritual sessions happened at all; that he provided the singers and musicians for the big choirs.

"Bunch of voodoo shit"!

That's hilarious.

His name on GRIS-GRIS doesn't say anything, eh?

One of my all time favourites:

Walk on guilded splinters from Gris-Gris

"Bunch of Voodoo-shit"...…

Well that's New Orleans for ya...
The good Dr learnt from Professor Longhair …
Now I wouldn't mind havin' that one on the ole resume …..



ROCKMAN

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Palace Revolution 2000

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Swayed1967
I was a casual fan of Dr. John’s (I think I owned a greatest hits collection or something) and when I heard that Mick J appeared on his SUn, Moon & Herbt’s just bunch of voodoo shit IMO and Mick’s vocals are so buried in the mix you’d have to go to China to hear them. I wrote to Mick asking him to reimburse me but since I forgot to mention that I was a 24 y/o supermodel he never replied. It was one of the few times where I really felt chly pointless guest appearances.

really? you see it as pointless? seems they made good music at the end of the day. Jagger wasn't all about making sure he was front and center. Maybe that was part of the attraction for him; an absorbing and learning process for him. And from what I heard it wasn't about Dr John being heard loud in the choir, but that he was instrumental in making some of those inspired, spiritual sessions happened at all; that he provided the singers and musicians for the big choirs.

Oh yeah. The Sun Moon& Herb is one of the greatest albums ever released...all the nore so because you can't hear Mick Jagger on it.

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mnewman505

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Kurt
Brings up great memories of the Aragon Ballroom show...
Dr John opened and guested that night!

What a great night it was!

Yes I was there to. What a great show! However, I can’t remember which
song he guested on - Maybe Honky Tonk Woman? Bono guested as well and I
think that was during “going to a go go”?

[iorr.org]

I was remember the Aragon show as being a special appearance by him opening, because Shamika (sp?) Copeland was actually the first opening act.

It was also the first time that the band had done I Just Want to Make Love to You since Urban Jungle, I believe. They went on to do it 8-10 more times the rest of the Licks tour.

Dr. John's show was wonderful, because he was trying. So many of his were not, because he was too smacked out or dialing it in for the ca$h.

However, I was blessed to have seen him at the New Orleans Fair Grounds for Jazz Fest 1993 when he followed an incredible show by the Meters. He did Walk on Guilded Splinters as a black sky drew close and magic filled the air. I was told that it was the first time he had played that song in quite a while (who knows?), but it was a moment in music I will never forget where goosebumps were in order even through a most delightful buzz from some sacrament or other.....

Dr. John - when you were in the right place at the right time - deep funky groove!!!

stonesstein

Kick me like you did before
I can't even feel the pain no more
Rocks Off, 1972

Where Ya At Mule?


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

I saw Dr. John a few times at the House of Blues in Los Angeles (now gone) in Los Angeles. He was fantastic. Wonderful musicians. He's probably a lot better live than on record.

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theo1954
One of my all time favourites:

Walk on guilded splinters from Gris-Gris

Yes, an amazing hypnotic track.

Saw him live at thr Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014.
Loved it ( and Buddy Guy, and Charlie Musselwhite, and Gregg Allman, and Gary Clark Jr, and War, and CW Stoneking ,great weekend!)

Saw him in 72 central park. We thought he was great! canned heat that nite also. Was a good yr.-also saw them other guys a few times that yr.-but thats another story. lol.

… Saw the Dr and Aaron Neville show back in 2014 …. Good show... legends



ROCKMAN

A friend of mine who's friends with Professor Longhair's daughter was at her house some years ago for dinner. While he was in the kitchen trying to learn how to cook a real gumbo, the door bell rang and she told my friend to see who it was. He opened the door and was amazed to see that Dr. John stopped by to have dinner with them.

Gris Gris Gumbo …… ^^^^^^^^^^ …. funky meal that'd be ...



ROCKMAN

Mick Jagger & Dr. John at The Rolling Stones "Exile on Main Street" re-release after party in 2010.



ROCKMAN

Now it seems that Empress Valley have released some of these sessions on a 2 CD set - Anyone in collectors circles heard these before - Can we finally hear Mick from the mix this time or is he debatable again?

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sandandglue
Now it seems that Empress Valley have released some of these sessions on a 2 CD set - Anyone in collectors circles heard these before - Can we finally hear Mick from the mix this time or is he debatable again?

i'd be interested in knowing this too

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Cristiano Radtke
A friend of mine who's friends with Professor Longhair's daughter was at her house some years ago for dinner. While he was in the kitchen trying to learn how to cook a real gumbo, the door bell rang and she told my friend to see who it was. He opened the door and was amazed to see that Dr. John stopped by to have dinner with them.

Wow! I would have been happy just to be the spoon the Doctor used to finish his gumbo with! A true legend with a sound he owned.

Saw him at the Nice Jazz Fest in 2003. Blew my mind despite havin seen The Stones in a theatre 4 days before. Happy Days!