The Bright Mississippi

It’s difficult to overstate the contributions of legendary New Orleans pianist, songwriter, arranger, and producer Allen Toussaint to American music. And he’s not finished, as recent albums such as the 2007 collaboration with Elvis Costello, The River in Reverse, attest. Clearly the man, who is 71 years old, is not living in the past. Toussaint and his cohorts’ vivacious interpretations of songs by such giants as Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk demonstrate exactly why these tunes are timeless. Partnering with an adventurous, A-list band (of course) that includes Don Byron (clarinet), Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Marc Ribot (acoustic guitar), David Piltch (upright bass), and Jay Bellerose (drums), with guest appearances by Joshua Redman (tenor sax) and Brad Mehldau (piano), the musicianship is simply superb throughout, with Toussaint confidently displaying his unique style of piano virtuosity — swinging, supple, and irrepressibly soulful. The Bright Mississippi offers further evidence of why Toussaint is rightfully considered a cultural treasure.