Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Allen Toussaint experienced a late-career revival sparked, ironically enough, by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He had to leave his hometown New Orleans after the hurricane, relocating to New York City where he started to play regular gigs at Joe's Pub and, soon enough, he cut The River in Reverse with Elvis Costello. That 2006 album propelled Toussaint toward a greater audience, leading to more headlining concerts, two of which are chronicled on Rounder's 2013 release Songbook. Recorded in 2009 at Joe's Pub, Songbook features nothing more than Toussaint alone at a piano running through songs he's written over the decades. He sprinkles in a New Orleans standard here and there -- there's an excellent rendition of "St. James Infirmary" -- but the spotlight is on his peerless originals, songs that are standards in their own right: "Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)," "Holy Cow," "Get Out of My Life, Woman," "Yes We Can," a medley of "A Certain Girl/Mother-in-Law/Fortune Teller," "Southern Nights." Toussaint's voice sounds smooth and silky -- he in no way seems as if he's in his seventies -- and his piano is similarly nimble as it glides from signature New Orleans stride and boogie to sophisticated, elegiac chords. Perhaps this album packs no revelations -- there are no rearrangements, nothing unexpected in the songs -- but as an elegant summation of strengths, this Songbook is mighty attractive.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Traditional, ComposerLyricist - Allen Toussaint, MainArtist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Allen Toussaint, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Album review
Allen Toussaint experienced a late-career revival sparked, ironically enough, by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He had to leave his hometown New Orleans after the hurricane, relocating to New York City where he started to play regular gigs at Joe's Pub and, soon enough, he cut The River in Reverse with Elvis Costello. That 2006 album propelled Toussaint toward a greater audience, leading to more headlining concerts, two of which are chronicled on Rounder's 2013 release Songbook. Recorded in 2009 at Joe's Pub, Songbook features nothing more than Toussaint alone at a piano running through songs he's written over the decades. He sprinkles in a New Orleans standard here and there -- there's an excellent rendition of "St. James Infirmary" -- but the spotlight is on his peerless originals, songs that are standards in their own right: "Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)," "Holy Cow," "Get Out of My Life, Woman," "Yes We Can," a medley of "A Certain Girl/Mother-in-Law/Fortune Teller," "Southern Nights." Toussaint's voice sounds smooth and silky -- he in no way seems as if he's in his seventies -- and his piano is similarly nimble as it glides from signature New Orleans stride and boogie to sophisticated, elegiac chords. Perhaps this album packs no revelations -- there are no rearrangements, nothing unexpected in the songs -- but as an elegant summation of strengths, this Songbook is mighty attractive.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 25 track(s)
- Total length: 01:18:17
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Allen Toussaint
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rounder Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc. ℗ 2013 Rounder Records. Manufactured and distributed by Concord Music Group, Inc.
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.