By Curtis P. Ferree
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 28, 1997

Dr. John cures what ails you

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat Blues musicians (from left to right) Dr. John, Charlie Musselwhite and Keb 'Mo' take a bow after their encore performance Wednesday night at Centennial Hall. The show was part of an ongoing concert series sponsored by House of Blues.

If you know what it means to miss New Orleans, you should have been at the House of Blues concert at Centennial Hall Wednesday night. The show was an all-star blues extravaganza, featuring Charlie Musselwhite, Kevin "Keb'Mo'" Moore and the legendary Dr. John and His Band.

Musselwhite opened the show to a mostly full house. Although a well-known harmonica player, Musselwhite had only a guitar as he opened with "Stinger."

He alternated back and forth between acoustic and electric guitar throughout his set, playing songs that were more rooted in traditional blues than the songs of Keb'Mo' and Dr. John would be. When, halfway through his short set, he finally did pull out his harmonica, the crowd roared, prompting him to point out, "You ain't heard it yet."

Musselwhite played only a few more songs, including "In Your Darkest Hour." To the crowd's delight, he brought Dr. John out to join him on the piano for his last song. Then Musselwhite graciously handed over the stage to rising blues star Keb'Mo'.

Keb'Mo' came onto the stage decked out in a suit that was reminiscent of what the old-time blues men wore, complete with hat and suspenders. The winner of the 1997 Grammy for best contemporary blues album, he was well received by the crowd.

Keb' Mo' is a natural showman, immediately playing up to the crowd, joking with them and asking the house manager to turn down the stage lights so that he might see who he was playing for. When picking up his electric guitar produced high-pitched feedback, Moore just let it ring, joking that, "It reminds me of the '60s."

Moore played a rousing set of contemporary blues that combined the sounds of R&B, pop and gospel. He alternated between acoustic and electric guitar, occasionally adding harmonica to the mix.

He got the audience involved in the show, having them clap along to songs like "You Can Love Yourself." He joked with the audience in between songs, telling everyone that he started playing guitar when he was young because he ". . . couldn't do nothing else."

For his last song, Moore invited both Musselwhite and Dr. John onto stage to perform a soulful, gospel-like version of the Hank Williams classic "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" that ended in a standing ovation from the crowd.

After a short break, Mac "Dr. John" Rebbenack and his band took the stage. Dr. John's band featured noted session musician Bobby Broom on guitar, David Barard on bass and Herman Ernest on drums. The band came out and started playing to the cheers and applause of the crowd.

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat

Then Barard introduced Dr. John, who then danced his way to the piano, wearing a flashy, gray silk suit. Without stopping the music the band had started, Dr. John jumped into a New Orleans-brand funk version of "Iko Iko."

From then on, the music almost never stopped in Dr. John's rousing, though all-too-short, set, which included "How Come My Dog Don't Bark When You Come Around?" A funk bass sound and cabaret-style backing vocals marked his classic hits, such as "Goin' Back To New Orleans," one of many songs that featured brilliant solos by Broom, Barard and Ernest. Dr. John was his usual, stylish self as he ripped through one funky, bluesy piano riff after another. To close his set, Dr. John brought Musselwhite and Moore onto the stage for a rendition of "Ain't Done Loving You, and I Don't Even Know Your Name." The trio then left the stage to a standing ovation and returned to do an inspiring version of the gospel classic "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," which caused several people to run to the front of the stage and dance.

Although the show was short, the crowd was pleased and gave its applause enthusiastically. Even though it is a clichéeacute;, the show really did offer something for everyone and is an example of the kind of entertainment that we need to see more of at the University.