Early Career: Good Times

Before all the flamboyance, debatable genius and trippy-ness of Dr. quot;Night Tripperquot; John took off in the 1970s he was simply the young Mac Rebennack. Starting in the late '50s, Rebennack gained prominence in the New Orleans R&B scene as a session keyboardist and guitarist, contributing to records by Professor Longhair, Frankie Ford and Joe Tex. This collection is closer to quot;Gumboquot; than any of Dr. John's other albums featuring, as it does, many of the original 45s of New Orleans music. The first track is his co-write of quot;Lights Outquot;, which is one of the most frantic rockers of all time. If you like New Orleans R&B you can't resist this collection and if you're a Dr. John fan this is an interesting look at his early career of writing, arranging, producing and playing guitar.