Piano Lessons

The Mississippi Delta has produced some of the legendary figures in music history; W.C. Handy, Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis. You get the point. And that is, American music and its traditions, as well as rock and roll, were spawned from the culture of the South. Read more »

This week your irocku lesson takes you for a frolicking journey down the Mississippi River with a New Orleans legend, Mac Rebennack, a.k.a. Dr. John. From his best selling 1973 album, Right Place, Wrong Time, "Such a Night" is a funky, light and bouncy song that showcases the musical heritage of the Delta. Dr. John's piano playing is 150 years in the making, it is steeped in Southern culture, and when it accompanies his uniquely funky vocals, you have a fusion of soul, funk, blues and boogie that are all part of this great New Orleans sound that the Dr. has dedicated his life too. From the opening notes, "Such a Night" skips along at a moderate tempo, the melody is bright and airy, with funky breaks and pauses that are accented by the virtuosity of Dr. John's playing, his fingers running effortlessly down the keyboard. The song is about a man stealing his buddy’s girl; yet, as delivered by Dr. John it seems ok. The music transcends the message, as the good doctor himself says, "if I don't do it, somebody else will." With 50 years of playing to his credit, Dr. John epitomizes the musical traditions of the Mississippi Delta. He is New Orleans music, its roots, trunk and branches manifested in the coolest cat of them all. If you like this lesson, check out, "Right Place, Wrong Time" another Dr. John classic offered by your musical mentors at irocku.

irocku dedicates “Such a Night” to the memory of Dr. John’s long time drummer, Herman "Roscoe" Ernest III . irocku will forever be grateful for Roscoe’s help when we were first starting out.

The simplicity of this lesson is deceiving. Keeping a steady groove in your left hand is not easy. Work the left hand until it grooves smoothly and then add your right hand.

Written by Mac Rebennack
Administered by Warner/Chappell
All Rights Reserved   Used by Permission

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