PROFESSOR LONGHAIR "Fess" The Professor Longhair Anthology

The rhumba-rocking rhythms of Roy "Professor Longhair" Byrd live on throughout Rhino's 40-track retrospective of the New Orleans icon's amazing legacy. Most of the seminal stuff arrives early on: "Bald Head," the rollicking ode cut for Mercury in 1950, is followed by a raft of classics from his 1949 and 1953 Atlantic dates ("Tipitina," "Ball the Wall," "Who's Been Fooling You"), the storming 1957 "No Buts, No Maybes," and "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" for Ebb, and his beloved "Go to the Mardi Gras" as waxed for Ron in 1959. The second disc is material from the Professor's '70s comeback, all of it wonderful in its own way. (Bill Dahl, Allmusic)Crescent City singer Ernie K-Doe — Number One in 1961 with "Mother-in-Law" — once said, "I'm not sure, but I'm almost positive, that all music came from New Orleans." He's probably right. And all of that music — blues, traditional jazz, R&B and early rock & roll — came together best in the robust hands of Henry Roeland Byrd, a.k.a. Professor Longhair (1918-1980). The nickname was a club owner's idea — Byrd had unusually long hair for 1949 — and a perfect fit. Even in a city so rich in piano magicians, Longhair had few peers (Archibald, Tuts Washington) but many students, including Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint and Dr. John. And while Longhair had only one national hit ("Bald Head," a Top Five R&B single in 1950), he recorded prolifically to the end of his life. 'Fess is a perfect two-CD introduction to his genius, featuring defining performances of his trademark songs. Longhair's rare fusion of boogie-woogie, calypso and the rhythms of second-line parades and Mardi Gras Indian chants was already in place when he made the seminal 1949 and 1953 Atlantic recordings here (anthologized in full on 1972's New Orleans Piano). His signature blues "Tipitina" captured the lazy tempo of life in New Orleans' steaming humidity, while the volcanic tangle of funeral-march drums and Longhair's piano became the blueprint for later classics such as "Go to the Mardi Gras" and "Big Chief — Part 2." By the time of the galloping Seventies sessions on Disc Two, with bands of both old friends (Snooks Eaglin, Dr. John) and young bucks, Longhair's explosive originality was a tradition in itself, a fundamental strain of local R&B joy. He remains a constant spirit in the city today. Whenever and wherever a pianist sits down to play, class is in session, and he is the Professor. (DAVID FRICKE, Rolling Stone)

trax CD 1:

1. Bald Head - Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers 2. Hadacol Bounce - Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers 3. Tipitina - Professor Longhair 4. In The Night - Professor Longhair & His Blues Scholars 5. Ball The Wall - Professor Longhair 6. Who's Been Fooling You - Professor Longhair 7. Hey Now Baby - Professor Longhair 8. Hey Little Girl - Roland Byrd 9. Walk Your Blues Away - Professor Longhair & His Blues Scholars 10. She Walks Right In - Roy "Baldhead" Byrd 11. Willie Mae - Roland Byrd 12. Professor Longhair Blues - Professor Longhair & His Blues Scholars 13. Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand - Professor Longhair 14. No Buts, No Maybes - Professor Longhair 15. Misery - Professor Longhair 16. Looka, No Hair - Professor Longhair 17. Cuttin' Out - Professor Longhair 18. Go To The Mardi Gras - Professor Longhair 19. There Is Something On Your Mind - Professor Longhair 20. Big Chief, Pt. 2 - Professor Longhair 21. Hey Little Girl [Live] - Professor Longhair 22. Hey Now Baby [Live] - Professor Longhair & His Blues Scholars

trax CD 2:

01. Mardi Gras In New Orleans 02. Junco Partner 03. How Long Has That Train Been Gone 04. Stag-O-Lee 05. Meet Me Tomorrow Night 06. Dr. Professor Longhair (They Call Me) 07. Mess Around 08. Cry To Me 09. Whole Lotta Loving 10. Everyday (I Have The Blues) 11. Got My Mojo Working 12. Thank You Pretty Baby 13. Sick And Tired 14. Mean Old World 15. Tipitina [Live] 16. Big Chief [Live] 17. Rum & Coca-Cola [Version 2] 18. Boogie Woogie

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