Locked Down

Submitted by nonesuch on
Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

Storied musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John—Mac Rebennack—releases Locked Down, a startling album that marks a significant departure from his recent efforts. The new album, produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, is an entirely new approach for the iconic Dr. John, featuring as it does his collaboration with Auerbach and a band of young musicians Auerbach hand-picked to make Locked Down at his Nashville studio. "Full of muscled, vintage R&B grooves, fevered soloing, psychedelic arrangements and oracular mumbo jumbo," says Rolling Stone, "it's the wildest record he's made in many years." Dr. John, says NPR, "proves that now, as always, he's the ruler of American roots music." Grammy Award winner for Best Blues Album.

Description

2012 Grammy Award Winner: Best Blues Album

Storied musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John—Mac Rebennack—releases Locked Down, a startling album that marks a significant departure from his recent efforts, on April 3, 2012. The new album, produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, is Dr. John's first for Nonesuch Records. The vinyl album is out on Record Store Day, April 21.

It’s an entirely new approach for the iconic Dr. John, featuring as it does his collaboration with Auerbach and a band of young musicians Auerbach hand-picked to make Locked Down at his studio Easy Eye Sound in Nashville. "It was way cool cutting this record with Dan and the crew he put together for it," says Rebennack. "It's reel HIP."

For his part, Auerbach says about the collaboration: "Mac inspired me every single day we were in the studio together: musically, spiritually, cosmically ... something special seemed to be happening and everyone involved could sense it. For my money, Mac's one of the greatest who ever was and who ever will be ... I'm so honored to have had this opportunity to work with him."

Auerbach, a long-time fan of the influential musician, dubbed “the Night Tripper” in the late 60s, visited Dr. John late in 2010 in his hometown New Orleans, announcing his ambition to produce "the best record you've made in a long time." Rebennack replied that he had done his research—his children had told him good things about The Black Keys—and the conversation led to an agreement to collaborate on the 2011 Bonnaroo Jam being curated by Auerbach.

That performance—called by New York Times critic Ben Ratliff in his best-of-the-year list “deep and oozy, close-to-the-vest, low-frequency funk”—confirmed that something unusual was taking place and led to September recording sessions in Nashville. Dr. John returned to Nashville at Thanksgiving to complete the vocals and Locked Down was mixed by Auerbach and completed in early 2012.

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Dan Auerbach
Recorded at Easy Eye Sound, Nashville, TN
Engineered by Collin Dupuis
Mixed by Dan Auerbach and Collin Dupuis
Studio assistance by Danny Tomczak
Mastered by Brian Lucey at Magic Garden Mastering

All songs written by Dr. John, Daniel Auerbach, Maximilian Weissenfeldt, Leon Michels, Nick Movshon and Brian Olive

Art Direction and Photo Coloring by Michael Carney
Dr. John Photographs by Joshua Black Wilkins
Studio Photographs by Alysse Gafkjen
Album Notes by Gabe Soria

Nonesuch Selection Number

530395

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
Album Status
Artist Name
Dr. John
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Dr. John, keyboards, lead vocals
Dan Auerbach, guitar, percussion, background vocals
Max Weissenfeldt, drums, percussion, background vocals
Leon Michels, keyboards, percussion, woodwinds, background vocals
Nick Movshon, electric and upright bass, percussion, background vocals
Brian Olive, guitar, percussion, woodwinds, background vocals
The McCrary Sisters (Regina, Ann & Alfreda), background vocals

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597962369BUN
Label
MP3
Price
10.00
UPC
075597961652
Label
LP+CD+MP3
Price
0.00
UPC
075597962338BUN
Label
FLAC
Price
11.00
UPC
075597949704
Label
LP+MP3
UPC
075597962338BUN
  • 530395

Track Listing

News & Reviews

  • Dan Auerbach will make his directorial debut in a documentary feature about Dr. John, aka Mac Rebennack. RadicalMedia has announced its partnership with Auerbach for the project, which will tell a story about the storied musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who died in 2019, and his impact in music and on the culture. Auerbach, who produced Dr. John's 2012 Grammy-winning Nonesuch album, Locked Down, says: "I’m still learning bits about him that I never knew, and I hope the movie provides a lens into the story of the life of Dr. John."

  • A remastered, expanded edition of the 2005 benefit album Our New Orleans is available for the first time on vinyl and digitally now. The new version includes five previously unreleased tracks by Davell Crawford, Buckwheat Zydeco and Ry Cooder, Dr. Michael White, Dr. John, and The Wardell Quezergue Orchestra featuring Donald Harrison. To date, $1.5 million has been raised from the 2005 release to benefit the New Orleans Habitat Musicians’ Village.

  • About This Album

    2012 Grammy Award Winner: Best Blues Album

    Storied musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John—Mac Rebennack—releases Locked Down, a startling album that marks a significant departure from his recent efforts, on April 3, 2012. The new album, produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, is Dr. John's first for Nonesuch Records. The vinyl album is out on Record Store Day, April 21.

    It’s an entirely new approach for the iconic Dr. John, featuring as it does his collaboration with Auerbach and a band of young musicians Auerbach hand-picked to make Locked Down at his studio Easy Eye Sound in Nashville. "It was way cool cutting this record with Dan and the crew he put together for it," says Rebennack. "It's reel HIP."

    For his part, Auerbach says about the collaboration: "Mac inspired me every single day we were in the studio together: musically, spiritually, cosmically ... something special seemed to be happening and everyone involved could sense it. For my money, Mac's one of the greatest who ever was and who ever will be ... I'm so honored to have had this opportunity to work with him."

    Auerbach, a long-time fan of the influential musician, dubbed “the Night Tripper” in the late 60s, visited Dr. John late in 2010 in his hometown New Orleans, announcing his ambition to produce "the best record you've made in a long time." Rebennack replied that he had done his research—his children had told him good things about The Black Keys—and the conversation led to an agreement to collaborate on the 2011 Bonnaroo Jam being curated by Auerbach.

    That performance—called by New York Times critic Ben Ratliff in his best-of-the-year list “deep and oozy, close-to-the-vest, low-frequency funk”—confirmed that something unusual was taking place and led to September recording sessions in Nashville. Dr. John returned to Nashville at Thanksgiving to complete the vocals and Locked Down was mixed by Auerbach and completed in early 2012.

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Dr. John, keyboards, lead vocals
    Dan Auerbach, guitar, percussion, background vocals
    Max Weissenfeldt, drums, percussion, background vocals
    Leon Michels, keyboards, percussion, woodwinds, background vocals
    Nick Movshon, electric and upright bass, percussion, background vocals
    Brian Olive, guitar, percussion, woodwinds, background vocals
    The McCrary Sisters (Regina, Ann & Alfreda), background vocals

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Dan Auerbach
    Recorded at Easy Eye Sound, Nashville, TN
    Engineered by Collin Dupuis
    Mixed by Dan Auerbach and Collin Dupuis
    Studio assistance by Danny Tomczak
    Mastered by Brian Lucey at Magic Garden Mastering

    All songs written by Dr. John, Daniel Auerbach, Maximilian Weissenfeldt, Leon Michels, Nick Movshon and Brian Olive

    Art Direction and Photo Coloring by Michael Carney
    Dr. John Photographs by Joshua Black Wilkins
    Studio Photographs by Alysse Gafkjen
    Album Notes by Gabe Soria

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