http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/10/entertainment/allen-toussaint-obit-feat/



Not sure why the actual vid did not come up in this post ... anyway, I think it would be interesting to hear if any of our members have played with Mr. Toussaint ...

( Nigel ... It was because it was youtu.be not youtube.com ... when I clicked on it the actual youtube.com link came up so I edited your link for you )

Tony, when I first started back playing again in 2001, I made a trip to New Orleans. My old friend that I started my first band with around 1955 maybe Billy Fayard, then owned "The Caddy Shack" in Gretna near where we grew up. We gigged with some old musicians we had worked with years ago for my family and friends etc.. Billy was still active playing with his band in his club.
Years ago, we all at some time gigged with Dr John (Mac Rebenack) and others who all worked with Allen. I personally never had the opportunity to play with Allen, but Ernie Kado of "Mother in Law" fame was a guest on Thursday nights when I played at the Club Sands" on St Charles Avenue in the 60's. Allen wrote that tune For Ernie. Billy Fayard met and worked with Allen when they were stationed together in the early 60's during a stint in the Army. Also Art Neville, Aaron's brother used to frequent a club we played in Chalmet and would sing with us around the time they were becoming famous nationally. They were already famous around New Orleans. They also collaborated with Allen Toussaint.

Used to ride my Cushman Eagle from Biloxi to New Orleans and stand outside the clubs listening (too young-14 to get in).

A real part of American music history.


Russ

Russ, you were probably listening to Boo and didn't know it!

R.I.P.

Ha ha! Thanks Don. When having Ernie Kado and Art Neville as guest on the gigs, I was 22 - 24 or so in 1962 to 1965 maybe. Am I that much older than Russ? Also Dr John used to come play piano here and there as Mac Rebenack. He was a real good guitar player first. I remember him improvising on Blues Waltz with us and he was really swinging. Then a few years later in a bar he got a couple fingers shot off on his left hand and that was the end of that. He used to hang with Professor Long Hair and all the recording artist around the studio in those days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wAMr3V5lN4

I graduated from High School in 1962 at 16.


Russ

Russ,
you're one of the kids here. Ha ha!

I got married in 1962, a month before my 22nd birthday.

Gary

I got married in 1963. . . and in 1973. . . and in 1980.