ALLEN TOUSSAINT The “Southern Knight” Enters the Songwriters Hall of Fame

By Hedi Butler

Photo by Michael Wilson

The remarkable career of Allen Toussaint has now spanned half a century and embodies — like few others – the inimitable spirit, soul and rich traditions of New Orleans music. But he has consistently defied the limitations of genre with his chameleon-like ability to bring his creative genius to blues and rock, country and classical, musical theatre and movie scores, television themes and even award-winning commercials.

As one of the most prolific composers, producers and arrangers of our time, Toussaint had already written and recorded some of his most enduring hits while barely in his 20s. It was the beginning of an eventful journey that would take him from his home in the heart of the Crescent City to diverse national and worldwide venues. And it continues today.

Along the way, his influence transcended his deeply embedded roots as a seminal force in New Orleans R&B, as well as the indigenous music of the city, to encompass highly successful collaborations and covers of selections from his vast songbook, which includes more than 600 compositions, by artists throughout the spectrum of popular music. In fact, it has been noted that Toussaint’s songs were “crossing over” long before the term was coined.

The list of those who have worked with or performed Toussaint music is itself a veritable industry who’s who: Pop/Rock’s Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Boz Scaggs, Joe Cocker, Mac “Dr. John” Renneback, The Band, Little Feat, Devo, Johnny Winter; Country’s The Judds, Glen Campbell, Bonnie Raitt; R&B’s Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Esther Phillips, Etta James, Aaron and Art Neville, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey, The (original) Meters; Jazz artists Manhattan Transfer, Ramsey Lewis and Eric Gale; and Hip Hop’s Heavy D and the Boyz – among countless others.

When BRE talked to Toussaint shortly before his June 16^th induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with Garth Brooks, Leon Russell and others, the man who found a comfort zone behind the scenes for much of his career had just returned from the road. At 73, he shows no signs of slowing down, as long as there are audiences everywhere who want to experience a memorable performance by an authentic legend whose material is timeless.

Called the “Southern Knight,” a reference to his 1977 Grammy-nominated mega-hit “Southern Nights” recorded by Campbell, Toussaint clearly embodies many of the qualities associated with such courtly graciousness. Indeed, his modest, soft-spoken manner as he shared the backstory of his formidable musicianship belied his status as an industry giant.

“It was love at first touch,” he said, speaking of his initial encounter with the piano that entered his home as a gift from his aunt intended for his sister. “At that time, it was considered ‘dignified’ for a young lady to play piano or violin.”

While his sister lost interest, young Allen – only six at the time – was fascinated. “I loved the pleasant sound it made and that inspired my lifelong enthusiasm for the piano,” he recalled. “I understood the structure of the black and white keys and soon picked out innocent melodies on the keyboard. Then I tried to imitate everything I’d hear on the radio.” A budding songwriter was born.

His mother, a classical music buff, enrolled him in a junior music school, hoping he’d approach the study of piano in a more genteel way. “After about eight lessons, I was done,” he says. “By then the boogie woogie had me.”

With all of the various influences in New Orleans, always a great piano town, the aspiring artist was convinced he’d have to learn a repertoire of all kinds of music if he was going to compete. “I didn’t realize there were specialists in different genres. So I just tackled all of it because I loved it all and I still do.”

He was particularly impressed by the flamboyant playing style of the city’s reigning master, Professor Longhair, and is still considered one of his disciples. “He just floored me,” he says. “I wanted everything he had.” Toussaint shared scenes with his idol in a 1982 documentary, Piano Players Rarely Play Together.

In retrospect, Toussaint attributes the versatility for which he is so highly praised today to that “ill-thinking” early exposure. “I was wrong, but it put me on the road to the career I’ve had that has allowed me to work with so many artists in so many genres of music. And it’s been such a wonderful road.”

Toussaint has indeed crossed many paths since he got his first break as a teenager, standing in for Huey “Piano” Smith at a gig with Earl King’s band in Alabama. Toussaint later replaced Smith in local duo Shirley and Lee’s band and got his first taste of touring with memorable appearances at Harlem’s fabled Apollo Theatre and Washington’s Howard Theatre, among others.

Back home in New Orleans, he began to perform regularly in local nightclubs and with another young pianist, Dr. John, he starting playing studio sessions. Thanks to the two-sided 45-rpm vinyl format of that era, the need for B-side material created an outlet for developing his songwriting skills.

“Sometimes an artist would have one song to record, but they needed two,” he said in a recent interview. “Whoever was in charge would come to me and say, ‘Do you have any songs?’ So when we took a break from recording, I wrote a song, because I knew the general structure.”

“As time went on, I took writing more seriously,” he continued. “But it seemed so natural to do. A plot with a few good verses, a few good lines, and it worked.”

By the time he was recruited by Joe Banashak and his partner, local radio personality Larry McKinley, to join their newly formed Minit Records in 1960, Toussaint had acquired the skills to supervise the label’s recording activities. He became a virtual one-stop-shop for the company as writer, producer, arranger and A&R man. And the course of his future was set.

In the early ‘60s, he wrote and/or produced and arranged a string of hits for the label’s artists, including Ernie K-Doe (“Mother-In-Law”), Irma Thomas (“Ruler of My Heart”), later recorded by Otis Redding as “Pain in My Heart,” Jessie Hill (“Ooh Poo Pah Doo”), among others. Many of his songs from this period, including “Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)” and “Fortune Teller,” both initially recorded by Benny Spellman, were covered by many pop/rock stars.

Toussaint’s songwriting career was also bolstered when two of his earliest instrumental compositions were mega-hits for two trumpeters: “Java” became a signature for fellow New Orleanian Al Hirt and Herb Alpert soared with “Whipped Cream,” later used as the familiar theme for “The Dating Game.”

While the ‘70s found him more immersed in the funkier sounds of New Orleans – writing and producing for The Meters, Dr. John, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians – he also kept his chops in other genres through working with artists such as B.J. Thomas and Boz Scaggs, who recorded Toussaint’s “What Do You Want the Girl to Do?” on his chart-topping 1976 album Silk Degrees.

Returning to his New Orleans base, Toussaint’s collaboration with Lee Dorsey produced another powerhouse of hits: “Working in the Coal Mine” (later recorded by Devo and The Judds) “Holy Cow,” “Ride Your Pony” and “Yes We Can Can,” a signature hit for The Pointer Sisters.

In 1973, the New Orleans music man partnered with Marshall Sehorn to open Sea-Saint, the city’s first 24-track recording studio. With LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” and Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time” striking gold, Toussaint’s studio attracted other artists who wanted a touch of the Crescent City mojo – from Paul McCartney and Wings to New Edition, from Joe Cocker to Etta James, and lots of homegrown talent.

In the ensuing years, Toussaint’s decades of writing, producing, recording, arranging, performing and conducting were recognized with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Grammy Trustees Award, The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and a Grammy nomination (Pop/Vocal Album of the Year) for his collaboration with Elvis Costello, The River in Reverse.

It was, in fact, the life-altering impact of Hurricane Katrina that led the man for whom New Orleans was practically a part of his DNA to relocate to New York while his home was being rebuilt. Ironically, Toussaint lived in the shadow of the fairgrounds, the home of the annual Jazz and Heritage Fest in which he has been such a pivotal participant over the years.

With the lower level of his home flooded by seven feet of water at one point, he lost many irreplaceable items from his illustrious career. But with the post-Katrina loss of so many lives and livelihoods, he considered himself fortunate and joined other Crescent City musical expatriates in practically nonstop fundraising concerts and albums. He also forged new relationships with artists including Costello, with whom his creative synergy was magical.

Elton John has compared meeting him to “someone the equivalent of the Dalai Lama because for me, he influenced the way I played the piano….” When BRE asked about this cultural affinity with English musicians, Toussaint replied with typical modesty: “We take our music for granted here because it’s always been with us; not just the musicians, but the people,” he observed. “But when those from other places heard this special brand of music, they were delighted and it fit very well. That’s why the collaborations between our music and other musicians have been excellent.”

And that is also why Allen Toussaint music will continue to live on throughout the world.

REFLECTIONS ON ALLEN TOUSSAINT

“Allen Toussaint is simply one of the most talented musicians, songwriters and producers of all time. When I first met him playing piano in a club in New Orleans, I knew I wanted him on our team at Minit Records. He went on to write so many hits for us, including Ernie K-Doe’s classic ‘Mother- in-Law,’ and he was key to the success of our company. Despite the enormity of his talent, he was at one time underrated, but no longer. The world now recognizes this man for the true musical genius and creative force that he has always been. But don’t box him in to New Orleans music. He makes ‘Allen Toussaint music’ and that says it all.” –Larry McKinley, former New Orleans radio personality and co-owner of Minit Records

“It’s about time that Allen Toussaint’s great contributions as a songwriter are being honored. It is well deserved and long overdue. He is such a quiet, beautiful person who’s so easy to work with and fully qualified. At the beginning of his career, he played piano for me on recording sessions when Fats (Domino) was on the road. Allen is a master who can hold his own with anybody, anywhere. Congratulations, my friend!”–Dave Bartholemew, legendary New Orleans musician and longtime Fats Domino collaborator

“During the early ‘60s, I lived in New Orleans and hung out at the musicians’ hall on Claiborne to sit in with my trumpet. Whenever Allen Toussaint came to jam with us, he was always introducing new rhythmic sounds – a true genius! And few have shared those sounds with the world like he has!”–Sidney Miller, Founder, Black Radio Exclusive

“Allen Toussaint inspired all of us and it’s an honor to play his music in my shows. You mean to say he’s just going into the Songwriters Hall of Fame? Man, what took them so long!”–Trombone Shorty, New Orleans musician and bandleader

“It has been one of the true joys of my life to be able to work with my father. He has been a teacher for my life and I’ve learned so many things from the way he handles his career. I’ve admired the way he treats people and the way people speak of him in return, which is always so favorable and lovely. My dad has handled his accolades and success with such humility and is truly a spiritual model for me. The trust he has placed in both my brother Reginald and me is beyond measure and it has made us want to do our best to make sure his illustrious career continues in the manner – and even better – than when we were put at the helm of it all. He has been a constant on the music scene our entire lives and has maintained dignity, integrity and his sense of self along the way. Reginald and I are truly honored that he has put his faith in us to be a part of his professional life, while remaining such an outstanding father and friend. We are so proud to be his children. –Alison Toussaint-LeBeaux and Reginald Toussaint

Toussaint Productions

Chrisette Michele On How To Say Good-Bye ‘And It Comes To Me…Like An Epiphany’

 

The room is abuzz with industry chatter, as record label executives and staff, retailers, press and some other chosen few enjoy libations and each other’s company. They are patiently waiting for a rarity in today’s fickle music industry: an artist with a sophomore album. She is Chrisette Michele and her new Def Jam album is called Epiphany.
Debuting at #1 with her new album on Soundscan with first week sales of more than 83,000, the Grammy Award-winning songbird proves label head Antonio “L.A.” Reid right: she has staying power. She’s a keeper. Her single, “Epiphany,” had already been the precursor of this fact, topping both UAC and Urban playlists and charts.
Indeed, as she elegantly takes the stage, the room comes alive with the sudden realization that this is a star. There is something about this young lady and the way she wraps her rainy-day voice around a song, soaking it with a fresh yet old school flavor. Her live performance draws you into an intimacy with her that is compounded by her voice of experience that knows how to elevate each note into its own choir of recognition. That’s her magic: she compels you to listen and, inevitably, to enjoy.
The debut single, “Epiphany,” showcases her unique style inside a springy tune with precocious percussion and a compelling rhythm that allows her festive voice to shine in ‘spring forward’ sparkly colors. Star songman Ne-Yo produces and writes a variety of the album’s cuts, but Michele is without question the star of this show, as she takes cuts like “Playing My Song” and bounces them along with a sweetness while at the same time filling them with passion and fervor. Her style is different than the current crunch of lightweights driven by hip beats – it’s not ‘churchy’, it’s not urban… it’s very sexy and laid back. Sometimes scintillating, sometimes sad.
And she’s not afraid to take chances, as on “Blame It On Me,” where the story she so gracefully weaves takes a journey into heartbreak. That song is actually an amazing collaboration between Claude Kelly and Michele writing, with Chuck Harmony producing. A producer/songwriter who is part of Ne-Yo’s production collective Compound Entertainment, Harmony has worked on projects with Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson and Celine Dion.
Michele’s debut album, I Am, earned her a Grammy and was certified Gold. Despite its success, Michele felt she needed to step up more for her next LP. “I felt like I was a little too shy and laidback my first time out. On my new project, I wanted to raise the bar and step out of my comfort zone. I wanted to make songs that were more edgy, youthful and urban.”
Encouraging her to stretch her vocals as well as the topics in her lyrics, Ne-Yo and Harmony provided the right combination of keyboards and beats to set off the LP at a perky pace. “Ne-Yo took out time from his crazy schedule to talk about direction for some of the songs, including the pain of break-ups and the joys of new love,” she explains, adding the significance of the title track. “That word ‘epiphany’ just meant so much to me because it was during the time that I was preparing to record that something clicked in my spirit.”
Singing the praises of her collaborators, Michele identifies her favorite song on the album. “Another One,” also written by Ne-Yo and Harmony, opens with a lovely and languid acoustic guitar. “That is my favorite song on the album,” she admits. “Nobody captures New American music like Ne-Yo and the Compound crew.”
Epiphany continues where I Am left off, laying out the organic evolution of this artist whose talents promise much more depth and longevity.  Super producers Rodney Jerkins and Claude Kelly (Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis) started that evolution with I Am, and Ne-Yo and Harmony elevate Epiphany with new pop wizardry that further establishes Michele as a career artist.
On top of a media blitz on television in May that had her appearing on the top three networks from CBS’s “The Late Show with David Letterman” where she performed her single “Blame It On Me.” to NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” (5/22) and CBS’ “Early Show” (5/23), she was also featured in a first of its kind intimate concert on VH1-Soul And VH-1 Soulstages called “Chrisette Michele Presented by Infiniti,” which re-aired May 18 and May 21.
Having gained valuable experience touring with a live band and fellow singers Raheem DeVaughn and Solange Knowles, Michele says she loves performing live because it allows her to feel feedback from fans. “To me, nothing is more important than touring. Communicating with the audience through song can be magical. Singing in the studio is one thing, but you must be able to bring it to the stage, too.” And she kicks off a new tour with soulmates Anthony Hamilton and Musiq Soulchild on May 28th in Houston at the Reliant Arena that promises to feed that hunger for communicating directly with her audiences. At a recent two-evening special at the King of Prussia Mall outside Philadelphia, presented by leading beauty retailer Sephora, Michele proved she’s ready to bring her brand of beautiful music to soulstages across America.
Also interested in an acting career, Michele says she caught the bug after appearing on an episode of “Girlfriends.”  “That experience was amazing because they allowed me to have so much input and led me to write my own scenes.”
Fans, both old and new, are logging in with such declarations as “fan for life” (tpearson) and  “blown away!” (ChocLitFactory). “It’s this album that is getting me through my situations,” blogs ChynaBlack, “Keep doing it girl!” For the artist who initially turned down “Irreplaceable” that Beyoncé later blew off the charts, Michele is now espousing the new female empowerment anthems for 2009: “I think I’m just about over being your girlfriend.” Bringing both elegance and edge to her new ‘epiphany,’ she coos good-bye with the touch of an iron hand in a velvet glove.

Where to Find Chrisette Michele On Tour
With Anthony Hamilton and Musiq Soulchild

M a y 2 8    H o u s t o n ,   T X            Reliantt   A r e n a
2 9    Dallas ,   T X            Nokia Live   G r a n d   P r airie
3 0     S o u t h a v e n ,   M S         D e S o t o   C e n t e r
3 1    S t .   L o u i s ,   M O        F o x   T h e a t r e
J u n e 0 4    L o s   A n g e l e s ,   C A        Nokia  Live Theater
0 6      O a k l a n d ,   C A              P a r a m o u n t   Theater
11    C o l u m b u s ,   O H        Palace   T h e a t r e
1 2    Detroit ,   M I              O p e r a   H o u s e
1 3     Chicago ,   I L            Arie  C r o w n   T h e a t r e
1 6    Newark,  N J             N e w   J e r s e y   Performing   A r t s
1 8    N e w   Y o r k ,   N Y        W a M u   T h e a t r e   a t   M S G
1 9      Washington ,   D C        D A R   Constitution Hall
2 1    Baltimore ,   M D        Pier Six Pavilion
2 5     A t l a n t a ,   G A              F o x   T h e a t r e
2 6     A u g u s t a ,   G A             Ball Auditorium
2 7    Birmingham ,   A           B J CC Concert Hall
2 8      Charlotte ,   N C         O v e n s  Auditorium

A True Messenger

Heather Headley inspired millions with her performance of “Jesus Is Love,” her duet with Smokie Norful that appears on both artists’ new albums, in Washington, D.C. at the HBO live concert special during the presidential inauguration activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’d give you the moon

But you’d never know the warmth of the sunshine

I’d give you the world

But exactly what would that do

I’d promise you wings to fly

But how would you ever learn to run

So I wish you all you need

To be than I could be

This is what I wish for you

                                    –I Wish

 

            Heather Headley inspired millions with her performance of “Jesus Is Love,” her duet with Smokie Norful that appears on both artists’ new albums, in Washington, D.C. at the HBO live concert special during the presidential inauguration activities. Dubbed his “favorite singing partner” by classical star Andrea Bocelli whom she joined as a featured artist on his international tour, his “Live In Tuscany” PBS special, and his “Under The Desert Sky” live concert DVD, Headley reached millions more. The accomplished Tony-award winning Broadway star has also wowed audiences daily in her long runs in “Aida” and “Lions King.” But her performance at the Harvard Bible Chapel she attends in Chicago registered just as resoundingly when she sang from her new EMI Gospel album Audience of One. 

Joining songbird Heather Headley at the refurbished Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood where she had recently returned from a jazz cruise, I knew I was in the presence of a beautiful child of God.  BRE has interviewed the multiple Grammy nominated R&B songstress (This Is Who I Am, In My Mind) before, but this new incarnation of Headley on EMI Gospel was just another barometer of her many talents. Comfortable in any setting whether on the world stage or performing for presidents, Headley remains grounded and balanced, beautiful on both the outside and inside.  And what you hear in whatever form is really who she is.

Her performance at President Barack Obama’s inauguration weekend on the HBO special of her single “Jesus Is Love” touched many that day when so much hope was manifest. But she’s actually performed for four of our U.S. presidents. In addition to Obama, she had performed for both Bushes and Clinton. “It was probably the coldest I have ever been in a performance before,” she offered, still recovering from the effects. “The rehearsal day was 10 degrees. We had tents but they had not yet installed the heaters. After I got back to my hotel I had to jump into a hot shower to warm-up. My toes had actually turned purple. The actual day of the performance warmed up to a toasty 22 degrees, but whatever the weather, it was worth it to just be there for such a momentous occasion. It was quite uplifting for me as well.”

This uplifting song may seem a change in genre direction for Headley, but recording a gospel album is a natural transition for her. “I spent most of my life in and around the church,” she explains. “My father was a preacher at a one-room church in Trinidad, and I lived either next to the church or above it most of my life. In fact, it was there where I first began to sing. I used to go in the church when no one was there, close all of the doors and windows and sing to the empty pews,” she confided. “My mother always told me I should do a gospel album and I would say, ‘Maybe someday.’ Now I felt the time was right.”

 

 

Actually, the concept for a gospel CD became concrete after label executives heard her breathtaking performance of the spiritual “I Know The Lord Will Make A Way” from the EMI Gospel/Vector compilation album, Oh Happy Day. They were so impressed that they suggested she record an entire album of songs of faith. Her 2006 CD In My Mind also contained the inspirational song “Change,” co-written with producer Warryn Campbell and Eric Dawkins. “God is such a big part of who I am, who I want to be, and what’s in my mind,” she had declared then.

 

Joining with Grammy award-winning producer Keith Thomas (BeBe & CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, Whitney  Houston), Headley says it was time to give back some praise for all her blessings. “This is my gift to God,” she declares. “I want to make sure God is happy. This album is for Him.”

Whether it’s the song “Ordinary Me,” inspired by her pastor James MacDonald’s sermons, that starts out, “Looking for an answer, trying to turn the page/but always holding onto the past,” or when she asks “I am a Christian/do you know what that means?” on “Simply Redeemed,” Headley addresses faith concerns that are both personal and universal at the same time. And when she goes astray, she always finds solace and forgiveness in a cover of one of Commissioned’s songs “Running Back To You” or “I Know The Lord Will Make A Way.”  From traditional hymns like “Here I Am To Worship” to the orchestral heights of “Power of the Cross,” Headley gives her all.

 ”Today I still transform myself mentally back to my father’s church in Trinidad by closing the doors and windows to my bedroom and turning the lights out to recreate those conditions,” she confesses. “It makes it easier for me to go back to that little church, the place of creative comfort for me both physically and mentally.  That’s where I went to play, that’s where I learned to play the piano and would use my brush for a microphone. Today, when I record I always request they turn out all the lights.”

Both Gospel and Urban AC radio formats have welcomed the inspiring songs from Audience of One. “My colleagues and I agree,” says Alvin Stowe, Program Director of Radio One’s UAC WQNC-FM (92.7) and inspiration WPZS-FM (Praise 100.9) in Charlotte, NC: “This rendition of ‘Jesus Is Love’ is as good, if not better than the original.”

The accolades continue for this little girl from Trinidad with the angelic voice and full range. “I grew up in the church and that’s where my roots are,” she contends. “If the sincerity of my performance connects, then I have won a true new fan. And even though it would be an honor to be invited to perform in some of the mega churches around the country, that is not a part of my promotional campaign to sell product.”

Indeed not, this truly gifted artist finds her ministry most fulfilling when she is singing to God. When she was talking to her husband about how she used to turn the church into a sanctuary, she says he told her that she was not singing to the empty pews but to God. An audience of one.