''American Tunes '' is the final recording from New Orleans jazz and R&B pianist

Allen Toussaint Allen Richard Toussaint (; January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, descri ...

, released on

Nonesuch Records Nonesuch Records is an American record company and label owned by Warner Music Group, distributed by Warner Records (formerly called Warner Bros. Records), and based in New York City. Founded by Jac Holzman in 1964 as a budget classical label, Non ...

on June 10, 2016. It was produced by

Joe Henry Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums. Early life H ...

and includes music from a 2013 solo session at the pianist's home studio in New Orleans and an October 2015 session featuring musicians

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

, Charles Lloyd,

Greg Leisz Gregory Brian Leisz ( ; born September 18, 1949) is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar. Biography Leisz grew up in the garage band cu ...

Jay Bellerose Jay Bellerose is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session and live performance work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists. Biography Bellerose was born in Maine. A jazz enthusiast, he attended ...

, and

David Piltch David Piltch (born January 29, 1960) is a Canadian bassist and session musician. Biography Piltch grew up in an artistic family. His father Bernie Piltch was a noted studio and stage saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist in Toronto from the ...

, with special guest vocalist

Rhiannon Giddens Rhiannon Giddens (born February 21, 1977) is an American musician. She is a founding member of the country, blues and old-time music band the Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she is the lead singer, fiddle player, and banjo player. Giddens i ...

and pianist

Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle (album), Song Cycle'' and for his ...

, recorded in Los Angeles the month before Toussaint died. The album title is taken from the 1973

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

song "American Tune," which Toussaint performs on the album. Also included are songs written or recorded by Toussaint, Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd),

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

, and

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

. Allen Toussaint was due to play with Paul Simon in a New Orleans benefit concert to celebrate the 30th anniversary of New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, an organization Toussaint co-founded, on December 8, 2015; instead, Simon played the concert without Toussaint in tribute to the late musician. "Allen Toussaint brought New Orleans to the world," Simon has said, "and he left before he could bless us with the complete genius of his music."

Track listing

# "Delores' Boyfriend" (

) – 3:35 # "Viper's Drag" (

Thomas "Fats" Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

) – 3:18 # "Confessin' (That I Love You)" (Doc Daugherty, Ellis Reynolds &

Al Neiburg Allen J. Neiburg (November 22, 1902—July 12, 1978) was an American lyricist. He was born on 22 November 1902 in St. Albans, Vermont and received his education at Boston University. He is known for writing lyrics for such songs as " I'm Confessi ...

) – 2:52 # "Mardis Gras in New Orleans" ( Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd) – 3:15 # "Lotus Blossom" (

Billy Strayhorn William Thomas Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, who collaborated with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington for nearly three decades. His compositions include "Take ...

) – 4:20 # "Waltz for Debby" (

) – 3:17 # "Big Chief" (

Earl King Earl Silas Johnson IV (February 7, 1934 – April 17, 2003),
known as Earl King, was an American singer, guit ...

) – 2:15 # "Rocks in My Bed" (

) – 4:40 # "Danza, Op. 33" (

Louis Moreau Gottschalk Louis Moreau Gottschalk (May 8, 1829 – December 18, 1869) was an American composer and pianist, best known as a virtuoso performer of his own romantic piano works. He spent most of his working career outside the United States. Life and car ...

) – 3:27 # "Hey Little Girl" ( Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd) – 2:38 # "Rosetta" (

Earl "Fatha" Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, "o ...

) – 4:10 # "Come Sunday" (

) – 5:12 # "Southern Nights" (

) – 3:33 # "American Tune" (

) – 4:59

Personnel

– piano and vocals *

– drums and percussion *

– electric guitar *

– weissenborn * Charles Lloyd – tenor saxophone *

– upright bass *

Adam Levy Adam Levy is a jazz guitarist who was a member of Norah Jones's band. Career Levy was born in Encino, California. Two of his uncles and one cousin played guitar, and his mother briefly took lessons. His grandfather, George Wyle, worked for '' ...

– gut-string guitar *Cameron Stone – cello *Amy Shulman – harp *

– vocals *

– second piano and orchestral arrangement *Ryan Freeland - recording engineer, mixer

References

{{Authority control Allen Toussaint albums 2016 albums Albums produced by Joe Henry Nonesuch Records albums