City Lights

Although it slipped through the cracks in his catalog and has been out of print for years, 1978’s City Lights is one of Mac Rebennack’s most sophistted efforts. The project blends Dr. John’s feel for funk with an ensemble of top-tier jazz players, overseen by producer Tommy LiPuma (Miles Davis, George Benson, Al Jarreau). A classy rhythm section comprised of drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Will Lee (future member of David Letterman’s band) gives the music an understated percolation, while master instrumentalists Hugh McCracken and David Sanborn deepen the folds. City Lights succeeds in conjuring a hidden, late-night urban landscape. Even though there are strong traces of the Doctor’s native New Orleans, this feels more like the kind of music that comes from years of global traveling, of walking through unfamiliar streets in search of hot coffee on lonely nights. The music is almost introverted in its restraint, but once you lean in it’s easy to appreciate the fine detailing and depth of feeling. The feeling of the period is best captured by “Rain,” one of Dr. John’s most poignant ballads.