Allen Toussaint @ North Sea Jazz Club – Amsterdam (NL) – 26.06.2015

The North Sea Jazz Club is the No. 1 music club in continental Europe presenting the fine style of legendary U.S. Clubs like Buddy Guy’s Legends or B.B. King’s Blues Club offering the combination of a fine dinner and a musical soirée. On this Friday Night they managed to perform on their stage the one and only piano-legend mister Allen Toussaint from New Orleans to celebrate his Amsterdam Night 2015!

When maestro Toussaint entered the stage and played the first chords of ”Happiness” as opening title there were immediately these very special positive voodoo-vibes between him and his fans. He had such a debonaire charisma. His voice was so sinewy and his piano-solos from sensitive to boogieing were just magical. Key-wizard Allen was wearing a shiny sequined suit the “Mardi Gras” (Nawlinz Carnival) Style. There was hell of a party started by “It’s A New Orleans Thing” and the theme “Laissez Les bons Temps Roulez”! By “Old School” Mister Toussaint was playing his appraisal to the glorious jazz times of the “Big Easy” as Nola is entitled. He played some wonderful vaudeville piano solos of the time when Storyville with its clubs and burlesque theaters was still in full glamour and existence. First acclaimed highlight was his interpretation of “St. James Infirmary” featuring Roland Guerin as rhythm master on bass. By the funky-rockin’ “Big Chief”, the song dedicated to the Mardi Gras Indians, phenomenal guitar virtuoso Renard Poché had his grand-stand by his solos. He played already with The Meters and The Neville Brothers. “Tipitina” was the appraisal by AT to the immortal Professor Longhair as his piano ancestor. The songs by Toussaint got covered and made famous by many artists, like Irma Thomas or Glenn Campbell, but there was no song covered so much than “Get Out Of my Live, Woman”. Not quite comprehensive for the protagonist as he explained, but he performed it to the joyousness of the spell bound fans. Mr.Boogie Woogie, aka. Eric-Jan Overbeek was overwhelmed when he was invited on stage to boogie-jam with one of his idols and even finger to finger on the same piano. Allen could have played by p assion and fascination of the devotees – From Dusk Till Dawn! But all good things have to come to an end, and so “Southern Nights” was the grand final conclusion title. Allen Toussaint made his fans dream a last time live with these beautiful melodies describing the flair of a beautiful hot summer night in the U.S. South along the legendary Mississippi River. The ever so gentle and affectionate grand seigneur was shaking hands to the fans that applauded so heavily by standing ovations and sent them happily homewards or into the night life of the ”Venice of the Lowlands”. No further encores, very American show-habit like, although the fans applauded heavily by standing ovations.