Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

Pretty self-explanatory
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sweetest punch
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Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =112183772

While host Marian McPartland is out, singer-songwriter Elvis Costello sits down with music legend Allen Toussaint in this installment of Piano Jazz. Like Toussaint, Costello has crossed many genres in his career, working with the likes of producer/composer Nick Lowe, trumpet great Chet Baker, legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach and his own wife, jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall.

Toussaint is one of New Orleans' most revered musicians, working since the late 1950s as an arranger-producer while writing songs like "Working in a Coal Mine," "Southern Nights" and "Ride Your Pony." These days, he performs his music around the world, and even joined Costello to record the 2006 album The River in Reverse. In this session, Costello introduces Toussaint as "a living embodiment of the rich musical heritage of the Crescent City."

Here, Toussaint performs "Mother-in-Law," "Fortune Teller" and a very personal version of "Southern Nights," a hit single for country/pop great Glen Campbell. Toussaint takes the song back to its roots, recalling the nights when his father took him to the country to visit "the old Creole people." Then he brings his New Orleans-born rhythmic and harmonic sensibilities to the standards "Singin' the Blues," a song closely associated with Marian McPartland and her late husband, cornetist Jimmy McPartland.

The lively conversation covers early influences on Toussaint's music: jazz, blues, boogie-woogie, church music and "hillbilly music." Talk changes to the great storm Toussaint calls "the booking agent Katrina." It actually helped him move into a rewarding new phase in his career.

In the final selection, the duo plays a medley of piano legend Professor Longhair's "Tipitina" and the Toussaint-Costello song "Ascension Day." Over Toussaint's rolling, bluesy piano, Costello's lyrics paint an anguished picture of the empty streets they found shortly after Katrina, when they came to New Orleans to finish The River in Reverse. There is hope in the song's ending, though: "But I know they will return / Like they've never gone away / Come Ascension Day."

Originally recorded April 17, 2009. Originally aired Aug. 26, 2009.

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Setlist:
"Southern Nights" (Allen Toussaint)
"Mother-in-Law" (Allen Toussaint)
"Fortune Teller" (Allen Toussaint)
"Solitude" (Duke Ellington/Eddie DeLange/Irving Mills)
"Singing the Blues" (Con Conrad/Sam M. Lewis/J. Russel Robinson/Joe Young)
Medley: "Tipitina/Ascension Day" (Henry Roeland Byrd/Allen Toussaint/Elvis Costello)
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johnfoyle
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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I'm listening now ; Elvis' interview technique gets better 'n better.

'Recorded April 17 '09' , the same day of the 'A Prairie Home Companion dress rehearsal ' ; a busy day for Elvis!
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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c. 27 minutes in - Elvis sings part of Fortune Teller.
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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

Post by Jack of All Parades »

This is a fun interview so far- intelligent conversation about good music-EC is definitely a good ambassador for all music-I have always liked his polymath ability to move among many genres and talk smartly about all of them.
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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c.50 minutes - Elvis gets emotional ( faltering voice etc.) talking about recording RIR in New Orleans.
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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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Having had a chance to digest the whole program now- very happy with the discussion-clearly these are two men who live for music and can express that life in intelligent sentences-the discussion of the importance of having a piano in the household and the influence it had for both of them as children in musical households is touching- I love the fact that my wife has been classicly trained and can just sit at the piano in our front room and play-it has provided so much enjoyment in our home- that my daughters can play as well is gratifying-she grew up in a jazz household and is now trying to learn how to improvise-EC's clear affiniity with the piano and the various musical styles that can be played on it is evident as you listen to his questions posed to Allen Tousaaint.
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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Ypsilanti
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

Post by Ypsilanti »

That was just great! Riveting. Something about it--I don't know---maybe because it was the magic of radio or maybe because those 2 guys are great together--it was (for me) way better even than Spectacle. I loved Elvis' questions about Catholic vs. Baptist church music in New Orleans. And perhaps it's no small thing that Elvis mentioned how Allen had shown him the value of choosing his words carefully even when he was filled with anger.

Also...Allen's playing...it's so seductive and mesmerizing. It almost sounds like 1 guy with 4 hands or 2 guys on 2 different pianos. Clearly, I need to give River in Reverse more love. Got to put it back in the regular rotation.
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

Post by jmm »

Thanks for posting this - wasn't aware of it until the post

As usual their mutual respect and admiration comes through loud and clear

Allen has told many versions of these stories at his periodic shows at Joe's Pub in NYC. He has 3 more coming up starting on Aug 30. If you have the chance check it out!!
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sabreman
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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Great! Great! Great!

Thank you for posting!
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BlueChair
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

Post by BlueChair »

Very enjoyable listen. I especially liked hearing "Southern Nights" without that effect on Allen's voice.
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Re: Elvis and Allen Toussaint on Piano Jazz

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johnfoyle
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johnfoyle
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