Brightest Smile In Town

Description

Trying to define what makes Dr. John special is a bit like trying to define the word "soul" – you can circle around it. But pinning it down is a whole different story. You can highlight his sense of history, how he never forgot where he came from, how his music always returns to its roots, even honoring the proud heritage of his native New Orleans. You can dissect his technique, marveling at the skill of his right and left hands; admiring the strong second line; respecting the tributes to his inspiration, Professor Longhair, visible at every turn. And you can note how his peers consider his presence at a session to confer instant credibility to that particular project. "When The Brightest Smile in Town was released, the reviews were glowing. Chicago critic Bill Knight's comparisons to Fats Waller and James P. Johnson were indeed high praise. Jim Roberts from Downbeat called the playing 'graceful'; noting that the LP had a broader scope than its predecessor. Rhodes Spedale from Jazz Times summed it up: 'He has never been in better form than here.' We kept in touch over the years. Mac was always generous and encouraging. We had no idea when The Brightest Smile in Town was released what accolades awaited Mac Rebennack and Dr. John. From the innovative triumph of the guitar "Storm Warning" on the Rex label in 1959 to his Grammy-winning album Locked Down in 2012, Mac's musical light shone for seven decades. We were lucky he chose to play for us. I'm sure he would say he was lucky too." - Jack Heyrman, producer of Clean Cuts.