Mercernary (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Dr. John (vocals, piano, organ); Dr. John; John Fohl (guitar, guitars, background vocals); Eric Truab, Herbert Hardisty, James Rivers, Eric Traub (tenor saxophone); Alonzo Bowen (baritone saxophone); Charlie Miller (trumpet); David Barard (bass guitar, background vocals); Kenyatta Simon, Kenyatta Simon (percussion); Herman V. Ernest III (drums, percussion, background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Ray Bardani.

Recording information: Piety Street Studios, New Orleans, LA.

For as much as Dr. John is associated with New Orleans R&B, he's logged plenty of miles roaming through the Great American Songbook. On MERCERNARY, he manages to bring the two worlds together. On this tribute to the great songwriter Johnny Mercer, the old Night Tripper takes Mercer-penned standards like "Blues in the Night" and "That Old Black Magic" and comes dangerously close to redefining them. By adding his patented serpentine Big Easy groove to these well worn tunes, he comes up with a new sound that blows a breath of fresh air into the Mercer catalog--a feat few other interpreters could manage. minimize