264 keys and an infinite amount of NOLA soul

March 26, 2015 5:55 AM

Stevenson J. Palfi’s 1982 documentary Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together (58:19) is a remarkable look at three generations of New Orleans keyboard masters, Isidore “Tuts” Washington, Henry “Professor Longhair” Byrd, and Allen Toussaint.
posted by flapjax at midnite (5 comments total)

NOTE: There are some glitchy little blips of noise here and there throughout the video, which are slightly annoying, of course, but… that's life on the YouTubes.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:02 AM on March 26, 2015

I haven't seen this wonderful thing in years . . . Thanks flapjax!
posted by pt68 at 6:14 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]

During the film there is a brief excerpt from one particular concert which you can see in its entirety at you Tube as well: DR. JOHN: NEW ORLEANS SWAMP 1974. Recommended!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:19 AM on March 26, 2015 [4 favorites]

There is a documentary in progress called Professor Longhair: Making a Gumbo.

Also, the James Booker documentary Bayou Maharajah is quite good.

And Les Blank's Always for Pleasure has recently been given the Criterion treatment.
posted by larrybob at 11:20 AM on March 26, 2015

I haven't seen this since sometime in the mid-1980s, but I remember enjoying it very much back then and am looking forward to a re-watch. Thanks for the post, flapjax at midnite!
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 12:06 PM on March 26, 2015