James booker fats 2nd recording from his 100th session l5372 bside of everybodys got something to hide except me and my monkey on reprise 0810 45rpm release. Tell us why you would like to improve the james booker musician page. Find album credit information for fats is back fats domino on allmusic allmusic. Henry butler, quintessential new orleans pianist, is dead at. Domino was present in the audience of 2,200 people at elvis presleys first concert at the las vegas hilton on. James booker was one of the most influential musicians during the 1960s and has developed his style of combining blues with gospel, jazz, and classic which influenced succeeding musicians musical career. Sep 20, 2016 theres plenty to recommend here, especially the patented booker medleys of fats domino and dr. Rebennack belonged to the pantheon of new orleans keyboard wizards that includes professor longhair, james booker, huey piano smith and fats domino. Slick and splashy, fats is back made hay of the beatles love of domino with covers of both lady madonna and lovely rita, but producer richard perry made the bewildering decision to have new orleans great james booker play piano instead of the man himself, so it never felt like a fats domino record.
Besame mucho is spectacular, as is the final cut, bookers version of baby wont you please come home. Fats domino honest papas love their mamas better early. James booker was hands down the greatest new orleans piano. James carroll booker iii december 17, 1939 november 8, 1983 was a new orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist born in new orleans, louisiana, united states. My blue heaven the best of fats domino, emi imperial, 1990, is a good, thorough compilation of all the 1950s hits, on imperial, that made the pianoplaying domino famous. The album is the first in a series of six volumes of solo recordings done between 199820. For those who only know of the new orleans rhythm and blues piano tradition through the likes of fats domino and professor longhair, bookers playing may come as a revelation. Fats domino, pianoplaying prodigy and rock and roll. Oct 26, 2017 professor longhair, james booker and allen toussaint all were a bit more idiosyncratic than fats, playing with the measure and melody, but domino was solid as a rock, keeping his beat steady and. New orleans jazz fests 50 top headliners from 1970 to 2019. Fats domino forever, forever april 23, 1963 youtube.
John, of voodoo beads, feathers and new orleans sound. Oct 25, 2017 fats domino, the new orleans kid who became one of the seminal creators of what we know consider rock n roll, passed away earlier today. During the 1960s, booker was signed with chess records and performed with numerous artists, including fats domino and huey piano smith. Nor was he as adaptable as the decadeyounger studio whizzes huey smith and. What fats domino means to new orleans offbeat magazine. Bookers unique style combined rhythm and blues with jazz standards. Nov 20, 20 for those who only know of the new orleans rhythm and blues piano tradition through the likes of fats domino and professor longhair, booker s playing may come as a revelation. Fats is back barely updated his approach, but added terrific covers of two apropos beatles songs lady madonna and lovely rita and compositions by james booker and barbara george to his repertoire. So go back to your fats domino records and give the piano a careful listen. James booker biography, albums, streaming links allmusic.
Henry butler, quintessential new orleans pianist, is dead. A 1968 comeback album this is the legendary album upon which james booker actually plays all the piano. Fats domino my old friend album version mid may 1968. Charley mccoy this is fats first record with harmonica accompaniment. Fats domino so swell when youre well mid may 1968 youtube. Domino chose not to play piano on the album, so perry drafted in fellow new orleans pianist james booker along with fats disciple randy newman to play, and the results are close to fats himself they may not roll quite as easy and they certainly are slicker, but the songs are strong particularly booker s so swell when youre well and a. Behind the keys james booker, the clown prince of new orleans. One of the great blues albums of the early 80s, classified captures the legendary new orleans pianist james booker not long before his premature death at the age of 43 on november 8, 1983. Dokumentation bayou maharajah uber james booker bluesnews. Born in new orleans in 1928, his first language was louisiana creole, and at around 10 years old he learned the instrument on which he made his name from his jazz guitarist brotherinlaw. The record hear essential songs by the late architect of rock and roll, plus recordings by artists who influenced him, and those who covered. Again, because of james gift for sounding like other performers, he. S 1 in runouts denotes a columbia records pressing plant, santa maria pressing. Actually, what you thought was fats domino playing piano on a record might have been booker.
Lead vocals, piano fats domino piano james booker producer richard perry. Fats domino fats is back is a santa maria pressing mastered by customatrix. The new orleans jazz and heritage festival hits the halfcentury mark in 2019. The annual spring music extravaganza presents an array of jazz, gospel, blues, rock, pop, country, cajun, zydeco. Unlike fats dominos constant life on the road, huey piano smith did not like to travel at all.
Finally, the discs credits contain a nice surprise. The tipitinas foundation has spearheaded a new doublecd on the vanguard label, goin home. Booker was a great organist, but he is best known for his piano playing. Antoine domino v or james booker p with poss herb hardesty, boots randolphts, reggie hallorg, roy montrellg, clarence brownd, unks, tp, b producer. It was his sisters music teacher who taught him piano scales and to read music. Find james booker credit information on allmusic allmusic.
Fats is back my old friends im ready so swell when youre well. Booker was a balanced and versatile pianist and organist his repetitive right hand sparkles complemented his aweinspiring left hands foundation. Over 350 studio recordings by fats domino have been released in total. James booker ist auch als the pianoprince of new orleans. Among the local stars were fats domino, huey piano smith, smiley lewis, mac rebennackdr.
Fats domino kansas city, september 8, 1964 youtube. Fats domino, professor longhair, allen toussaint, champion jack. For most of his adult life, booker made his living as a sideman behind a wide range of musicians. Fats domino fats on fire getaway with fats domino fats domino the best. Aug 02, 2018 antoine domino v, king curtistssolo, james booker p, eric gale or mike deasyg, chuck rainyb, hal blaine or earl palmer or herb lovelled, producer. Antoine domino v, king curtistssolo, james booker p, eric gale or mike deasyg, chuck rainyb, hal blaine or earl palmer or herb lovelled, producer. In this grand procession across time james booker was the rare piano player, the outsiderasinsider, an extravagant bohemian adept in the music of fats and fess, and with a classicallytrained. John described booker as the best black, gay, oneeyed junkie piano genius new orleans has ever. Sheer genius at the keyboards and unrestrained, heartfelt vocals on such highlights as fats domino s all by myself, the fat man, and st. Apr 20, 2015 fats domino and the early new orleans rhythm and blues style influenced music in america and the world on a level and scale equal to that of new orleans jazz in the 1920s.
Today he lives in a gated suburb, a far cry from his beloved old turf. James carroll booker iii was born in new orleans on december 17, 1939, son of a minister, who played piano. There have been new orleans styles since then that have been recognized and imitated worldwidebounce, funk, modern brass bands, but nothing yet has had the influence of. Fats domino lloyd price session lawdy miss clawdyupspeededchorus overdubs march, 1952 duration.
Fats domino fats is back 1968, santa maria pressing. John described booker as the best black, gay, oneeyed junkie piano genius new orleans has ever produced. Apr, 2017 in this grand procession across time james booker was the rare piano player, the outsiderasinsider, an extravagant bohemian adept in the music of fats and fess, and with a classicallytrained. Im ready track 2 james booker of lloyd price fame plays on the others. Behind the keys james booker, the clown prince of new. The duos producer, dave bartholomew, began using toussaint on several recording sessions, including those of smiley lewis and, on a handful of occasions, fats domino. An introduction to james booker, the best black, gay, one. As a teen, booker was hired as a session player by dave bartholomew, who produced 50s superstar fats dominos records. Fats domino and the early new orleans rhythm and blues style influenced music in america and the world on a level and scale equal to that of new orleans jazz in the 1920s. Fats domino is a american singersongwriter, musician, pianist, who was born on 26 february, 1928 in birth place not known. Mar 16, 2011 booker was the best pianist out of new orleans in the 20th century. Versatile american pianist, born 17 december 1939 in new orleans, louisiana, usa, died 8 november 1983 in the same city. Attempt to assemble a complete list of james booker records.
Fats was too busy touring to spend much time in the studio, so booker would lay down the piano tracks and have them ready for fats to add the vocals to when he got back to town. James carroll booker iii, self proclaimed bronze liberace and the black prince of europe, was one of the greatest pianists ever to emerge from the new orleans musical scene. Recorded in a series of sometimes problematic sessions in 1982 producer scott billington details them in his terrific liner notes on the 20 reissue of the record, which is remixed and. Find fats domino similar, influenced by and follower information on allmusic. Remembering fats domino, a rocknroll pioneer too often. For those who only know of the new orleans rhythm and blues piano tradition through the likes of fats domino and professor longhair. See more ideas about new orleans, new orleans music and professor longhair.
Fats recorded another version another mule man thats all, version 2 on september 2, 1967 on dave bartholomews broodmoar label and released on fats on reprise rs6439. Diz watson musician, boogie woogie piano player, new. Some of them were the same recordings, but released under different titles, while some other recordings had the same title, but were in fact completely different songs. Fats domino the land of make believe january 9, 1964. This influential artist first came to prominence in the mid50s as the touring piano player with shirley and lee. He was acclaimed as a member of a distinctively new orleans piano pantheon alongside jelly roll morton, james booker, tuts washington, professor longhair, fats domino, allen toussaint and dr. Booker s unique style combined rhythm and blues with jazz standards. Antoine fats dominos flooded mansion in the lower 9th ward became a symbol of the broken city. Fats domino fats is back 1968, santa maria pressing, dct. Barcode and other identifiers matrix runout matrix side a, on label. For those who only know of the new orleans rhythm and blues piano tradition through the likes of fats domino and professor longhair, booker s playing may come as a revelation.
Bartholomew, now 85, recognized an early skill of bookers. For that matter, having seen van cliburn, fats domino, ramsey lewis, jerry lee lewis, elton john, ray charles and allen toussaint he may have been the best pianist from the 20th century. Fats domino, the man elvis called the real king of rock, is. Otis spann, dr john, james booker, pinetop perkins. However, booker s personal drug use caught up with him and he briefly served time at angola state penetentiary. James booker was a drug user whose addiction to various drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and even alcohol let to his untimely doom. James also played the piano parts on some fats domino sessions when fats was on the road. As a young boy, booker began appearing on wmry radio in new orleans his sister also performed on the station as a singer. Booker was the best pianist out of new orleans in the 20th century. Antoine dominov, king curtistssolo,james bookerp, eric gale or mike deasyg, chuck rainyb, hal blaine or earl palmer or herb lovelled, producer. May 1968 new york citylas vegas, nv fats domino fats domino vclpiano, eric gale gt, chuck rainey bass, earl palmerhal blaine drums, james booker piano, king curtis sax, mike deasy, herb lovelle, larry knectel. Some songs are repeated on the companion disc, but each treatment makes the songs new again, so that even his standards are always fresh and vital. A tribute to fats domino, featuring cuts from paul mccartney, neil diamond, norah jones. Joe tex, aretha franklin, fats domino, maria muldaur, ringo starr, the doobie brothers, and mac rebennackbetter known as dr.
James carroll booker, iii 19391983 find a grave memorial. Professor longhair, james booker and allen toussaint all were a bit more idiosyncratic than fats, playing with the measure and melody, but domino was solid as a rock, keeping his beat steady and. On november 8, 1983, he died from organ failure in new orleans, louisiana which was most likely caused by his heavy drug abuse. On the album crawford draws inspiration from the long lineage of new orleans piano players including jelly roll morton, fats domino, professor longhair, allen toussaint, and james booker. James bookers unrelenting piano style made him an important figure in new orleans music, acting as a major influence on harry connick jr. The lady who made the film did a tremendous job in raising the finance, digging out facts, new interviews, and new film of booker s life. Five of his records released before 1955 sold over a million copies and. Jul 04, 2018 he was acclaimed as a member of a distinctively new orleans piano pantheon alongside jelly roll morton, james booker, tuts washington, professor longhair, fats domino, allen toussaint and dr. That recording, as well as covers of two other songs by the beatles, appeared on his reprise album fats is back, produced by richard perry and with several hits recorded by a band that included the new orleans pianist james booker.
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