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Allen Toussaint and New Orleans R&B

Producer, arranger, songwriter and artist in his own right, Allen Toussaint is probably one of the most important and revered figure in the history of New Orleans Rhythm ’n’ Blues, if not the key architect of the ebullient Crescent City soul and funk scene that blossomed from the early Sixties onwards into the mid-Seventies. The consistency of his hit records and the excellence of his superior songwriting make him one of the city's musical giants, close to Fats Domino, Professor Longhair and Dave Bartholomew. Indeed, all these musicians inspired him to work his way up across the city’s vibrant night scene and its only recording facility, Cossimo Matassas’ famed studio. 

Lee Dorsey & Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint was born January 14, 1938 in the Gerttown area where he spent all his youth. Naturally gifted as a piano player, he was taught by his mother, Naomi Neville from the age of seven while he developed a sharp ear for horns, listening to his father’s amateur trumpet playing. As a teenager he sneaked into various local clubs, especially the Dew Drop Inn, where he was frequently invited onstage to display his wide range of talents, learning from the cult and obscure local musician Ernest Penn. He then played in the Flamingoes along with guitarist Snooks Eaglin. At the age of seventeen, he filled in for Huey "Piano" Smith at a live gig, being recommended by Earl King. He soon found himself on the road with Shirley & Lee, before being hired by Dave Bartholomew, playing piano for a Fats Domino session in 1957. Toussaint contributed to more sessions by Smiley Lewis, Fats Domino and Lee Allen, before finding himself in the limelight. His piano talents were showcased on the rare RCA album The Wild Sound Of New Orleans, credited to “Alen Tousan” and featuring his first instrumental hit, "Java". 

In 1960, at age 22, he became an A&R man for Joe Banashak’s Minit label, replacing Harold Batiste who had moved to the West Coast and scoring big with his first production Jessie Hill‘s "Ooh Poo Pah Doo". This was followed soon after by Ernie K- Doe’s "Mother In Law", New Orleans’ first Billboard Number One record. Aaron Neville, The Showmen, Irma Thomas, Benny Spellman and virtually every other Minit artists benefited from his amazing producing, songwriting and arranging skills. The artists generally rehearsed during the day and recorded in the studio at night. He also produced Clarence Henry, Bobby Marchan and most notably Lee Dorsey’s "Ya Ya" for New York’s Fury label, paving the way for the New Orleans R&B Sound of the Sixties as Dave Bartholomew had done in the Fifties. 

Toussaint also cut a few solo singles for Seville, while recording artists for the Instant label and ALON, his own label for which he recorded Eldridge Holmes & Joe Harper. His musical activity was then ubiquitous, making him New Orleans’ pride, when he was drafted in January 1963. Stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, he played along with the The Stokes, scoring with the instrumental "Whipped Cream", credited to his mother’s maiden name Naomi Neville. 

When he got discharged he came back to work on sessions for Instant and ALON but the euphoric feeling of the early Sixties had somehow vanished. In the wake of the success of Lee Dorsey’s "Ride Your Pony", leased to Amy/Bell, Allen Toussaint teamed up with producer Marshall Sehorn in order to start a record label and a production company, breaking up with his agreement with Joe Banashak. Sansu Enterprises was born. Along the years, Kansus, Tou-Sea, or Deesu would be others labels associated with Sansu. Cutting successful hit records with Dorsey, probably the singer mostly associated with him, Allen Toussaint started using a house band that would turn into The Meters. Within a few years the combo would become America’s top funk band along with the JBs, helped by Toussaint’s straightforward and purposely raw production for labels such as Josie and Reprise. Countless artists were also being recorded by Allen Toussaint and backed up by The Meters at Cosimo Matassas’ relocated Jazz City Studio, which gained only local success, except for Betty Harris' "Near To You". Toussaint also produced Wilbert Harrison and Aaron Neville for bigger labels such as Buddah & Mercury. 

Playbill for a show  Toussaint did in 1995 with virtually every  artist on his NYNO  Records label roster.

1971 was one of Toussaint’s most prolific years. He produced three perfect albums by the likes of Lee Dorsey (and his infectious "Yes We Can", one of the grittiest funk album of all time), Ernie K-Doe and Lou Johnson. He also recorded his first vocal album, known as "Whisper To a Scream", for Scepter. His intense activity brought him wider attention and recognition from the top pop and rock artists. In the ensuing years, The Band, Robert Palmer, Paul McCartney, Little Feat, Paul Simon, Boz Scaggs and Sandy Denny started traveling to New Orleans, in order to catch a glimpse of Toussaint’s Midas touch. 

In August 1973, the Sea-Saint studio facility opened its doors on Gentilly Avenue, becoming New Orleans first state of the art modern studio. Toussaint's career as a solo artist also hit a peak with the releases of three albums, "Life, Love And Faith", "Southern Nights" (his masterpiece as a solo artist) and "Motion" released on Reprise. These LPs showcased his natural elegance and great piano playing. His continued work with The Meters was moving him into contemporary funk with a harder edge than his own albums. Dr John’s "Right Place, Wrong Time" became a staple of New Orleans funk, as did the extraordinary eponymous album by the The Wild Tchoupitoulas in 1976, where The Meters cooked an incredible funk gumbo supporting the Indian chants of Chief Jolly and his cohort. This record was to be one of the last collaborations between Toussaint and The Meters, their relationship ending up in bittersweet disillusion for both parties. This somehow prompted Toussaint to reduce the pace of his productions, cutting short in the same time at his solo career. However, Elvis Costello, Etta James, The Mighty Diamonds, Joe Cocker and Albert King benefited from his talents while his extensive catalog of outstanding songs such "Get Out Of My Life Woman" or "Freedom For The Stallion" always attracted faithful admirers to do cover versions. He spent most of the 80’s as a born-again Christian, considering cutting a gospel album that never materialized.

In 1996, Allen Toussaint formed a new label, NYNO, and recorded a full album of new material at his Sea-Saint studio, titled, "Connected". He also began recording newer Crescent City artists in hopes of preserving the classic New Orleans sound. Performing on a regular basis at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Allen Toussaint has been inducted into Rock ’n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1998. Worldwide fans are waiting for an album where he would simply be backed up by a piano and his voice. He’s not been the most visible figure of New Orleans, but his contribution to New Orleans music and to popular music in general is immense, making him one of the true living legends of R&B. 

Copyright Florent Mazzoleni © 2003 ~ Based in Bordeaux, France, Florent Mazzoleni is a young freelance writer primarily interested in music coming from the American South, from New Orleans to Muscle Shoals, Alex Chilton to Charles Brimmer, Geater Davis to Townes Van Zandt. He is currently working on his sixth book, dealing indeed with Southern ghosts, while preparing a ten-volumes serie of Southern Soul compilations. His writings have been published in Vibrations, Les Inrockuptibles, Rock & Folk, Soulbag, MOJO and Teknikart among others. Recent stories include a meeting with Willie Mitchell, an interview with Jonathan Richman, a Cramps overview and a close look at the new wave of Argentine cinema. Michael Hurley, Nino Ferrer, Japanese hip hop, and the Stax opening will be next.

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