History Music / AllenToussaint

As well as helping invent the sound of New Orleanian funk, Al had also re-instated his solo recording career with in the 70s eponymous album, ''Toussaint'' (sometimes known as ''From A Whisper To A Scream'') and The Meters-backed, ''Life, Love And Faith'' for the Scepter label before leaving for Creator/{{Warner|BrosRecords}}/Creator/{{Reprise|Records}} in 1972. His three albums for the label included ''Southern Nights'', which would yield a hit record for Glen Campbell with a cover of its TitleTrack. He would also continue songwriting for artists such as Music/{{Labelle}}, for whom Toussaint co-wrote and produced the massive 1975 No.1 R&B classic, "Lady Marmalade", of which was one of many records he would write and produce as he would be enlisted to assist with records by Music/BonnieRaitt, Music/TheBand, and ''The Wild Tchoupitoulas'' (a record comprised of the performance of [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras_Indians Mardi Gras Indian]] music by the tribe of the same name, with instrumentation from the Meters and future members of the Neville Brothers band).

* NomDeMom: On some of the songs, he used the full maiden name of his mother, Naomi Neville, as a pseudonym for legal reasons.

Lyricist, producer, session pianist and solo artist, Allen Toussaint (January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) ranked among [[UsefulNotes/NewOrleans Crescent City]] R&B's greatest and most enduring musical ambassadors. Thanks to his work with various artists both inside and outside of the Big Easy, he became a key figure in the curation of the sound of R&B in New Orleans in the '60s and '70s.

Learning piano as a teenager, Toussaint began his professional life in the mid-50s as a keyboardist for Crescent City music chief and producer Dave Bartholomew. If Bartholomew had defined the sound of New Orleans in the '50s, then Toussaint updated and remade it for the new decade with a rolling and rollicking piano and horn-led sound. In 1958, Toussaint (under the pseudonym, "Al Tousan"), released his ''The Wild Sound Of New Orleans'' for RCA Victor, an album that helped establish his reputation and, furnished a hit for American trumpeter and bandleader, Al Hirt in the early-60s with "Java". Although the record was a relative success, Toussaint really began making his mark on the scene after becoming A&R man for the Minit label at the dawn of the '60s, in which with his ability as a writer, producer, arranger and musician, he would be the man behind a string of hits including Chris Kenner's "I Like It Like That", Jessie Hill's "Ooh Poo Pah Doo", Music/IrmaThomas' "Ruler Of My Heart" and Barbara George's "I Know", among several others.

As well as helping invent the sound of New Orleanian funk, Al had also re-instated his solo recording career with in the 70s eponymous album, ''Toussaint'' (sometimes known as ''From A Whisper To A Scream'') and The Meters-backed, ''Life, Love And Faith'' for the Scepter label before leaving for Warner Bros. in 1975. For which he would record ''Southern Nights'', which would yield a hit record for Glen Campbell with a cover of its eponymous track. He would also continue songwriting for artists such as Music/{{Labelle}}, for whom Toussaint co-wrote and produced the massive 1975 No.1 R&B classic, "Lady Marmalade", of which was one of many records he would write and produce as he would be enlisted to assist with records by Music/BonnieRaitt, Music/TheBand, and ''The Wild Tchoupitoulas'' (a record comprised of the performance of [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras_Indians Mardi Gras Indian]] music by the tribe of the same name, with instrumentation from the Meters and future members of the Neville Brothers band).

However unfortunately, the most notable about his 90s-00s period was aftermath of Hurricane Katrina which would destroy his home and recording studio. Causing Toussaint had to uproot from his homeland, relocating to New York City. He would still record during this time-frame releasing ''Going Places'' with a backing band called the Jazzity Project, appearing on Solomon Burke producer, Joe Henry's soul artist assembly ''I Believe to My Soul'' and releasing a collaborative album with Music/ElvisCostello, titled ''The River in Reverse'' all within the three years after the tragedy. In 2009 and 2013, for Nonesuch and Rounder Records respectively, Toussaint would ''The Bright Mississippi'' and ''Songbook'', the latter recorded live at Joe’s Pub in NYC in 2009.

Sadly, Toussaint died while on tour in Madrid, Spain, on November 10, 2015. The distinguished artist was paid tribute by producer Joe Henry, who pieced together several of Toussaint’s ''Bright Mississippi'' outtakes for the posthumous ''American Tunes'' (2016).

* ''Southern Nights'' (1975)

Lyricist, producer, session pianist and solo artist, Allen Toussaint (January 14, 1938 – November 10, 2015) ranked among [[UsefulNotes/NewOrleans Crescent City]] R&B's greatest and most enduring musical ambassadors. Thanks to his work with various both inside and outside of the Big Easy, he became a key figure in the curation of the sound of R&B in New Orleans in the '60s and '70s.

Lyricist, producer, session pianist and solo artist, Allen Toussaint ranked among [[UsefulNotes/NewOrleans Crescent City]] R&B's greatest and most enduring musical ambassadors. Thanks to his work with various both inside and outside of the Big Easy, he became a key figure in the curation of the sound of R&B in New Orleans in the '60s and '70s.

Sadly, Allen Toussaint died while on tour in Madrid, Spain, on November 10, 2015. The distinguished artist was paid tribute by producer Joe Henry, who pieced together several of Toussaint’s ''Bright Mississippi'' outtakes for the posthumous ''American Tunes'' (2016).

Lyricist, producer, session pianist and solo artist. Allen Toussaint ranked among Crescent City R&B's greatest and most enduring musical ambassadors. Thanks to his work with various both inside and outside of the Big Easy, he became a key figure in the curation of the sound of R&B in New Orleans in the '60s and '70s.