MERCERNARY: THE SONGS OF JOHNNY MERCER - DR. JOHN
Dr. John’s homage to Johnny Mercer is as much the triumph of an eminent song stylist as a celebration of one of America’s finest lyricist/songwriters. “Mercernary” teems with gut, gristle and grace as the doc puts his New Orleans-fired stamp on Mercer classics like “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby,” “Moon River” and “Lazy Bones.” Instead of playing it straight, Dr. John croons with a twist as he has on previous standards albums. He translates Mercer into his own funky vernacular by delivering down-home blues, voodoo grooves, brassy R&B and traces of pianistic rumba. He takes “Hit the Road to Dreamland” on a mid-tempo stroll with piano flourishes and renders “I’m an Old Cow Hand” as a syncopated soul-jazz instrumental. The only weak link is the original “I Ain’t No Johnny Mercer,” which might be expected, given its title.
