Allen Toussaint

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Paul Shaffer (L) and Allen Toussaint on the September 7, 2005 show of The Late Show with David Letterman

Allen Toussaint (born January 14, 1938) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer and one of the most influential figures in New Orleans R&B. In the 1960s and 1970s, he wrote numerous hits for artists including Lee Dorsey, and Willie West, who sang the title track for Black Samson,Robert Palmer, The Showmen, The Meters and Solomon Burke and produced material for Dr John, Labelle, and Art and Aaron Neville amongst others. An accomplished pianist, lyricist and arranger, Toussaint wrote many songs which continue to be covered by artists to this day, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Brickyard Blues", "Get Out My Life Woman" and "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky". Some of his songs from the 1950s and 1960s were penned under the pseudonym Naomi Neville. These include "Ruler of My Heart", recorded by Irma Thomas, and "Pain in My Heart", recorded by Otis Redding.

Toussaint soon launched his own solo career, which peaked in the '70s with the albums From a Whisper to a Scream and Southern Nights. For much of his career he partnered with Marshall Sehorn. They co-owned and operated the Sea-Saint recording studio in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. They also partnered in a record label, that went under various names. Along with many of his contemporaries, Allen Toussaint found that interest in his compositions was rekindled when his work began to be heavily sampled by hip hop artists in the 1980s and 1990s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Despite rumours at the time, Toussaint did not take refuge at the Louisiana Superdome in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Instead, Toussaint weathered out the storm in the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel. After the hurricane Toussaint left New Orleans for New York City, where he is currently living while his house is rebuilt. His first television appearance after the hurricane was on the September 7, 2005 episode of The Late Show with David Letterman, sitting in with Paul Shaffer and his CBS Orchestra. Toussaint performs each month at Joe's Pub in New York City.

The River In Reverse, Toussaint's collaborative album with Elvis Costello, was released on 29 May 2006 in the UK on the Verve label, by Universal Classics and Jazz UCJ. The press release for the album says it was recorded in Toussaint's native New Orleans and Hollywood.

Discography

Albums:

Putting the River in Reverse (DVD) (2006)

The River in Reverse, with Elvis Costello (2006)
The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (2005)
Finger Poppin' & Stompin' Feet (2002)
A Taste Of New Orleans (1999)
A New Orleans Christmas (1997)
Connected (1996)
From a Whisper to a Scream (1995)
The Wild Sound of New Orleans: The Complete 'Tousan' Sessions (1994)
The Allen Toussaint Collection (1991)
Motion (1978)
Southern Nights (1975)
Life, Love And Faith (1972)
Toussaint (1971)
The Wild Sound of New Orleans (1958)

External links

September 2004 [Audio Interview] by Harry Shearer on Le Show
September 7, 2005 [performance and interview] on WNYC's Soundcheck.

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