Dr. John - Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya: Singles 1968-1974

by Kevin Wierzbicki

If there were such a thing as a soundtrack to a midnight visit to a practitioner of voodoo it would sound exactly like opening cut "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya." A sort of introduction to the funky, often ominous music of the "Night Tripper," the cut is slow boiling and although it is only of the sonic kind, does indeed cast a spell on the listener. Two versions of "I Walk on Guilded Splinters," one of Dr. John's early successes, are included; they too are hypnotic and hint at what was to come from the Night Tripper. There's a lighter touch to "Mama Roux" where the good doctor's background singers coo over the rhythmic cut; "Jump Sturdy" is (of course!) about a woman and is celebratory in nature while "Loop Garoo" is a "voodoo dream" that floats out of the bayou, quite possibly pushed along by crazed alligators. Twenty-six cuts in all are presented here and they are all exercises in good fun; included are a cover of James Crawford's beloved sing-along "Iko Iko," a three song Huey Smith medley, an awesome take on Willie Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle," "A Man of Many Words" with Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton and yes, the big hit "Right Place Wrong Time." A true treasure for Dr. John fans, this compilation can be thought of as a "best of" album and it is a real hoot built for repeated listening.

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