Day 107: Dr John, the Night Tripper – Gris-Gris

Whatever flu I have or have had is still making me tired and much like yesterday, I still have no chat. I bought the shorts that I was thinking about buying yesterday, I’ve been watching Real Housewives of Potomac, I’ve got nothing interesting and you don’t care. Let’s get into it.

Album cover courtesy of Atco Records

I chose Dr. John’s Gris-Gris at half-random after reading a little bit about Dr. John: he was a singer, songwriter and pianist from New Orleans, whose full government name was Malcolm “Mac” Rebennack Jr. He used to play a bit of guitar, too, but someone shot him in the hand after a gig and his guitar-playing ended there. He lived in New Orleans and led a band, but unfortunately he also led a life of street crime and ended up in prison for two years. After that, he moved to Los Angeles.

In LA, he was an in-demand session musician who became a part of the Wrecking Crew and worked with acts like Sonny and Cher, Aretha Franklin and Frank Zappa. He decided to adopt the fictional personality of a New Orleans medicine man, Dr. John Creaux, the Night Tripper, and start recording psychedelic jazz-inspired New Orleans R&B. The character was based on a real person called Doctor John Montanee, the Voodoo King of New Orleans, who he says he felt a spiritual affinity with.

Gris-Gris was recorded on studio time borrowed from Sonny and Cher with a group of other New Orleans musicians. It was released in 1968 to relatively little attention from critics and the public, but it ended up becoming a bit of a sleeper hit later, frequently landing on lists of the best psychedelic albums of the ‘60s.

I wanted to listen to something a little bit challenging today, but unfortunately/fortunately this wasn’t particularly hard to enjoy. I had heard that it’s dark and menacing, but it wasn’t particularly dark. There’s maybe a slightly sinister air to it, but more of the fun-spooky and mysterious variety. Some songs, like “Mama Roux”, even sound fairly jolly, given how the album is spoken about. But all of it is atmospheric and enjoyable to listen to and it does shake the cobwebs off you a little bit, too.

Music made by people with various metaphysical interests is definitely up there as one of my favourite categories, and Dr. John seems qualified to practice in that area. Fun fact, he did actually become a doctor, as he got an honorary doctorate from Tulane University in 2013, along with the Dalai Lama. He also won three Grammy’s and played on some iconic albums, like “Exile on Main Street”.

Gris-gris was not a lifechanging record for me, but I liked it and saved a song or two. It’s an 8/10. One day, I’ll go to New Orleans for the live music. Not now, though — Jesus, with my online footprint, I’d never get past whatever immigration enforcement agency has to look through your phone.