SACD Dr. John – Gris Gris

A new identity in borrowed studio time

Released in 1968, Gris-Gris introduces Dr. John. Behind that identity is experienced New Orleans musician Mac Rebennack, although the recording takes place in Los Angeles. Harold Battiste secures time at Gold Star Studios originally intended for Sonny & Cher. The opportunity produces an album that fits uneasily into the usual shape of a pop debut.

Seven tracks combine voices, percussion, wind and string instruments into a world of their own. “Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya” establishes the opening setting; “Mama Roux”, “Croker Courtbullion” and “Jump Sturdy” lead in different directions. The character is more than a costume outside the music. It is part of the way these performances tell their stories.

Harold Battiste on both sides of the microphone

Battiste produces and arranges, while also contributing as a player. Plas Johnson on tenor saxophone, Lonnie Boulden on flute and guitarists including Ernest McLean are part of the ensemble. Numerous vocal and percussion contributions reshape the balance between a soloist and accompaniment. The setting around a voice can matter as much as the voice itself.

Listen to the way several instruments carry a rhythm together. A detail does not have to be prominent to change the movement. Reverberation and spatial relationships are part of the studio construction, connecting the instruments with the voices.

The long afterlife of “Guilded Splinters”

“I Walk on Guilded Splinters” closes the album with an extended form. The piece developed a life beyond the record: Cher recorded it, with Johnny Jenkins and Humble Pie among those who subsequently explored it. Comparing such interpretations reveals how much musical material the structure can accommodate.

For a first listen, let the conclusion emerge from the album as a whole. The shorter preceding tracks direct attention towards voices, repeated figures and changing instrumental colours. Gris-Gris rewards following those connections rather than waiting for one familiar chorus to arrive.

This SACD edition

CAPA 046 SA belongs to the Atlantic 75 Series and presents the seven-track stereo programme on hybrid SACD. The CD layer is accessible to conventional CD players; the SACD layer requires compatible hardware. Retailer Elusive Disc credits Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and a transfer from the original analog tape to DSD; the publisher’s own page does not supply those technical details. No multichannel programme is specified.

You order from Michael 45 in Germany. We arrange the US import and dispatch from Hilden.

Also in another edition: Gris Gris

More by Dr. John: In The Right Place · Dr. John’s Gumbo

Customer question: Buying Analogue Productions records in Europe

Musicians

Documented selection of participating musicians. Personnel may vary by track; this list does not claim to be complete.