Name: Songbook [CD/DVD Combo][Deluxe Edition]
Brand: Rounder
SKU: 29976990
Availability: OutOfStock

Songbook [CD/DVD Combo][Deluxe Edition]

Rating

Album: Songbook [CD/DVD Combo][Deluxe Edition]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Introduction	More Info...
2)	It's Raining	More Info...
3)	Lipstick Traces	More Info...
4)	Introduction to Brickyard Blues	More Info...
5)	Brickyard Blues	More Info...
6)	With You In Mind	More Info...
7)	Who s Gonna Help Brother Get Further	More Info...
8)	Sweet Touch of Love	More Info...
9)	Holy Cow	More Info...
10)	Introduction to Get Out Of My Life, Woman	More Info...
11)	Get Out Of My Life, Woman	More Info...
12)	Freedom for the Stallion	More Info...
13)	St. James Infirmary	More Info...
14)	Introduction to Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed	More Info...
15)	Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed	More Info...
16)	Soul Sister	More Info...
17)	All These Things	More Info...
18)	We Are America/Yes We Can	More Info...
19)	The Optimism Blues	More Info...
20)	Old Records	More Info...
21)	Certain Girl Medley: Certain Girl/Mother-in-Law/Fortune Teller/Working In The Coal Mine	More Info...
22)	It s A New Orleans Thing	More Info...
23)	I Could Eat Crawfish Everyday	More Info...
24)	There s No Place Like New York	More Info...
25)	Southern Nights	More Info...

Album: Songbook [CD/DVD Combo][Deluxe Edition]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Introduction	More Info...
2)	It's Raining	More Info...
3)	Lipstick Traces	More Info...
4)	Introduction to Brickyard Blues	More Info...
5)	Brickyard Blues	More Info...
6)	With You In Mind	More Info...
7)	Who s Gonna Help Brother Get Further	More Info...
8)	Sweet Touch of Love	More Info...
9)	Holy Cow	More Info...
10)	Introduction to Get Out Of My Life, Woman	More Info...
11)	Get Out Of My Life, Woman	More Info...
12)	Freedom for the Stallion	More Info...
13)	St. James Infirmary	More Info...
14)	Introduction to Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed	More Info...
15)	Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed	More Info...
16)	Soul Sister	More Info...
17)	All These Things	More Info...
18)	We Are America/Yes We Can	More Info...
19)	The Optimism Blues	More Info...
20)	Old Records	More Info...
21)	Certain Girl Medley: Certain Girl/Mother-in-Law/Fortune Teller/Working In The Coal Mine	More Info...
22)	It s A New Orleans Thing	More Info...
23)	I Could Eat Crawfish Everyday	More Info...
24)	There s No Place Like New York	More Info...
25)	Southern Nights	More Info...

Performer Notes

Audio Mixer: Sean McClintock.
Recording information: Joe's Pub At The Public, NYC (03/01/2009/09/30/2009).
Photographers: Michael P. Smith; Glade Bilby II.
Allen Toussaint experienced a late-career revival sparked, ironically enough, by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He had to leave his hometown New Orleans after the hurricane, relocating to New York City where he started to play regular gigs at Joe's Pub and, soon enough, he cut The River in Reverse with Elvis Costello. That 2006 album propelled Toussaint toward a greater audience, leading to more headlining concerts, two of which are chronicled on Rounder's 2013 release Songbook. Recorded in 2009 at Joe's Pub, Songbook features nothing more than Toussaint alone at a piano running through songs he's written over the decades. He sprinkles in a New Orleans standard here and there -- there's an excellent rendition of "St. James Infirmary" -- but the spotlight is on his peerless originals, songs that are standards in their own right: "Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)," "Holy Cow," "Get Out of My Life, Woman," "Yes We Can," a medley of "A Certain Girl/Mother-in-Law/Fortune Teller," "Southern Nights." Toussaint's voice sounds smooth and silky -- he in no way seems as if he's in his seventies -- and his piano is similarly nimble as it glides from signature New Orleans stride and boogie to sophisticated, elegiac chords. Perhaps this album packs no revelations -- there are no rearrangements, nothing unexpected in the songs -- but as an elegant summation of strengths, this Songbook is mighty attractive. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine