Music review: Dr John, Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch

Album cover for Dr John, Ske-Dat-De-Dat.

Dr John
Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch

This is one of those rare "wow" albums that argues a good case for a six out of a five-star rating it's that good. The level of musicality is sublime, Dr John delivers his best Wolfman Jack-style vocals, and the contributions from his cohorts make this one heck of an album.

The tribute to Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong begins very strongly with What a Wonderful World, made special by Nicholas Payton's trumpet playing and the accompaniment of the sensational Blind Boys of Alabama. On Mack the Knife, trumpet again is to the fore, this time by Terence Blanchard, and with a very different take vocally by Mike Ladd.

Bonnie Raitt joins the party for I've Got the World on a String, with some tasty keyboard action from Ivan Neville. Nicholas Payton is back for Gut Bucket Blues, while Sarah Morrow brings a stunning arrangement to Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, with vocals by Anthony Hamilton.

The McCrary Sisters join Dr John and his stellar line-up of New Orleans' best for That's My Home and Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen, with a peerless combination of Terence Blanchard and the Blind Boys of Alabama delivering Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams. The album wraps up with a jaunty version of When You're Smiling the Whole World Smiles with You featuring the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Satchmo would be revelling in the achievement that Dr John and his crew have delivered on Ske-Dat-De-Dat.