Austin City Limits Season 46 Episode 13 Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend
- February 13, 2021
Allen Toussaint was one of the most influential musicians and songwriters of New Orleans. He has written or produced almost every New Orleans hit that you've ever heard, from "Working in the Coal Mine" to "Lady Marmalade". His work as a musician, singer, songwriter, and producer was so groundbreaking that it earned him a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
In this episode of Austin City Limits season 45, we get to hear the incredible music of Toussaint and his band as they perform some of his most famous songs. The group's performance provides a window into the genius of Toussaint as he blends jazz, blues, R&B, and pop into his signature sound which is uniquely his own.
At the beginning of the program, we hear the soft and inviting sounds of a jazz piano, quickly joined by a horn section and a steady beat. This musical arrangement opens the show with Toussaint's classic instrumental "Java", which originally appeared in 1960. This song is an excellent example of how Toussaint fused jazz and R&B to create a uniquely New Orleans sound that has spread across the world.
After this, Toussaint puts down his piano and takes center stage. His band steps back to let him explain the genesis of his signature sound. He talks about his influences, including Fats Domino who he worked with early in his career, and his desire to blend the music he loved into something that was innovative and fresh. He then launches into "Get Out of My Life, Woman," which has been covered by countless musicians over the years, and which cements his place in rock history.
The show continues to roll along with Toussaint's classic songs, including "Working in the Coal Mine," and "Southern Nights," which was famously covered by Glen Campbell. The song is a prime example of the versatility of Toussaint, as he created a country hit from his New Orleans sound.
The episode closes with the ever-popular "Lady Marmalade," which was a massive hit for the girl group Labelle in 1974. It has been covered many times, but Toussaint's version features his voice front and center and his piano work which is just as impressive now as it was 40 years ago.
Toussaint was born in New Orleans in 1938 and raised in the city's famed 7th Ward. He began playing piano at the age of seven, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already a professional musician. He began playing in local R&B bands, before becoming a staff producer and songwriter for the legendary Minit Records label. This was the beginning of a fruitful career that would see him working with the likes of Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney in later years.
Sadly, Toussaint passed away in 2015 while on tour in Madrid, Spain. This episode is a fitting tribute to his talent and his influence on music.
In conclusion, the episode Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend is an impressive showcase of one of the most influential musicians of all time. Toussaint's unique style of blending jazz, blues, R&B, and pop into his signature sound, is on full display in this performance, and serves as a reminder of his incredible contribution to the world of music. Fans of Toussaint will delight in this episode, and it serves as an introduction to those who are just discovering his music for the first time.
