Track Listing

1. Blues in the Night
2. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
3. Personality
4. Hit the Road to Dreamland
5. I�m an Old Cowhand
6. Dream
7. Lazy Bones
8. That Old Black Magic
9. Come Rain or Come Shine
10. Moon River
11. Tangerine
12. I Ain�t No Johnny Mercer
13. Save the Bones for Henry Jones

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99699 in Music
• Released on: 2006-05-23
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Though Dr. John is by no means the first musician from the rock era to take a stab at the classic American songbook, the results have rarely been as satisfying as this. While all of the material was written by, inspired by, or associated with Johnny Mercer, this is very much a Dr. John album, with Mac Rebennack and his ace New Orleans rhythm section giving selections from "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" to "Moon River" a funky, Crescent City spin. With the good doctor applying piano syncopation to an instrumental expansion of "I'm an Old Cow Hand" and giving his sly, playful rasp to a jaunty "Dream" and a bluesy "Come Rain or Come Shine," this tribute not only attests to the range, craftsmanship, and enduring appeal of Mercer's all-American music, it reflects the New Orleans master's interpretive depth. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews

New 'Awlins Fonk (Funk)
Dr John has done is again. He has taken the funk or "fonk " as he calls it of New 'Awlins and mixed it up with Johnny Mercer's songs, that old southern boy," that Dr John can relate to. As he says, "That's why I think of Johnny Mercer as a mercenary,"he was a hustler; he knew how to survive out there. He always wanted to write Broadway shows, but because he wasn't from New York, they wouldn't let him get in the clique. So the next best thing he could make a hustle out of doing was to go to Hollywood and write songs for movies; he had some success doing that.

Dr John fills this CD with joyfull grit. It does not in any way sound like the old regulation VFW tunes that we may have come to expect with Johnny Mercer. Each song, has been made for Mac Rebennack, Dr John's birth name. The project came to fruition from a suggestion of his daughter Tina, who pointed out that "Personality," would be a perfect fit for her dad's down-home style. In fact, Tina suggested, why not do a whole album of songs written or popularized this giant of American popular music? Dr John agreed and set his band up. That old magic came to life with each and every recording. They were so in tune that each song was done in one or two takes.

Dr John had a handful of songs in mind from the start, including "Blues in the Night," "Lazy Bones," "That Old Black Magic," "Save the Bones for Henry Jones" and "Tangerine," and each one bears no resemblance to any of the old tunes. Even "Moon River" is Dr Johns. You can savor the tune, but your feet are tapping-tapping to Moon River? Yes, suh,BK. "Dream" and "Old Cowhand" are played like you have never heard them before. Mercernary honors not only Johnny Mercer, but New Orleans. Every note played by Dr. John and his fellow musicians is the sound of living New Orleans.

"What is the secret to musical longevity?" the legendary New Orleans artist had a ready answer. "Living," he replied. Through more than half a century of music making, Mac Rebennack Jr. has been doing just that as he's rolled with the highs and lows that come with being a working musician, and these days he finds himself in an extended stretch of being in the right place at the right time. Now 65, this American icon, whom fellow legend Jerry Wexler once described as "the blackest white man I know, is at his peak."
And we are the lucky recipients of this artist. Highly Recommended. prisrob 5-28-06

A Very Funky Affair.
Dr John has been a reliable force in music for years. Although never renewing he has a stable quality that al lot of performers lack. His material may not be surprising you never feel cheated. The Night Tripper always delivers the goods. He may not sound as fresh as he did when he recorded Gris-Gris some thirty five years ago, he's still having fun. Something must have died inside if some of that fun doesn't rub of.

On his latest release we find the Doctor paying homage to one of the most rewarding songwriters of the American Songbook, Johnny Mercer. As the title rightly suggests this man was a Killer! This is not the Doctors' first stab at the American songbook. A few years back he successfully attempted a Duke Ellington tribute. Anyone who enjoyed that release won't be disappointed by this one.

Any attempt on the songbook by rock or pop stars are tricky endeavors. I only have to point out Rod Stewards frightful releases of recent years to prove my case. Not so with John Gumbo, he manages to put his personal stamp on each of the songs here. Mercernary is a very Funky love affair.

This is a gotta have.
Mercernary turned out to be much better than I had anticipated.
This is a Dr. John "gotta have it".