Dr. John - Gris Gris

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series)

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records!

From the king of the psychedelic bayou, Dr. John!

Hybrid Stereo SACD

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time rated No. 356 in the 2020 edition

The debut album from the king of the psychedelic bayou — the hypnotic, mystical and powerful sound of the swamp coming to life. As he became Dr. John (real name Mac Rebennack), it was his LA session work with musicians such as Sonny & Cher, Canned Heat, and Zappa that allowed him to start conjuring up his visions of guitar psych-pop to walk alongside his authentic New Orleans upbringing.

Gris-Gris was released on Atco Records, a sub label of Atlantic, in 1968. The musical style of Gris-Gris is a hybrid of New Orleans rhythm and blues and psychedelic rock. The album introduced Rebennack's Dr. John character, inspired by a reputed 19th century voodoo doctor.

The album was taken under the wing of a small percentage of the "underground" upon its release in 1968 and did not find a true following for years.

Allmusic gave the album five out of five stars, referring to it as "The most exploratory and psychedelic outing of Dr. John's career" and "that it "sounds like a post-midnight ceremony recorded in the bayou swamp," naming it "among the most enduring recordings of the psychedelic era; it sounds as mysterious and spooky in the 21st century as it did in 1968."

 

 

1. Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya

2. Danse Kalinda Ba Doom

3. Mama Roux

4. Danse Fambeaux

5. Croker Courtbullion

6. Jump Sturdy

7. I Walk On Guilded Splinters

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