As Dr. John gears up for his April 29 performance at New Orleans' Jazz Fest, a festival in many ways synonymous with "the Night Tripper," the iconic performer continues to earn some of the best reviews of his 50+ year career for 'Locked Down,' his otherworldly collaboration with The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach. Excitement for 'Locked Down' in the US, where it's been lauded everywhere from
SPIN and
Pitchfork to
Rolling Stone and
NPR, has been matched by critics worldwide, with many echoing the sentiment that the album is "one of the best of [Dr. John's] career" (LA Times).
Dr. John (a.k.a. Mac Rebennack) just wrapped up a three-week residency at Brooklyn Academy of Music in which he debuted 'Locked Down' in full with Auerbach. The album was the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's highest-ever US chart debut and also landed high in Holland, Norway, UK, Ireland, and New Zealand.
Here's what critics have been saying about 'Locked Down' worldwide:
*
U.S."Dr. John has made his best album in four decades...a savory, rolling blend of 'Gris Gris'' Afro-acid menace and the rubbery swagger of the 1974 cult classic 'Desitively Bonnaroo'" - Rolling Stone, David Fricke
"A wonderfully spicy, intoxicating and timeless gumbo that is as brilliant and thoroughly otherworldly as anything this musical treasure ever has given us." – WBEZ, Jim DeRogatis (of Chicago Sun-Times)
"The closest he has come to making a masterpiece in a very long time...[Dr. John] is in full splendor." – The Boston Globe, James Reed
*
England"This is Dr. John's voodoo blues turned up to 11...an album fizzling with youthful energy and quirky detail." - Sunday Express, Martin Townsend
"Inspired, with the younger garage-bluesman placing the 71-year-old's blues and fire in a perfectly retro-modern frame...No one makes music like this." -The Guardian, Dave Simpson
"A terrific collaborative album which has already begun to reinvigorate the legendary piano-player's career." - The Daily Telegraph, Andrew Perry
*
Ireland"His best work in years." - The Irish Times, Joe Breen
"Here is a man who's a long way from being put out to pasture." - Irish Independent, John Meagher
*
Denmark"Dr. John is irresistible on this super funky new album." - Ekstra Bladet, Thomas Treo
"Dr. John, assisted by Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach, created a career highlight with the new album 'Locked Down'" - Information, Klaus Lynggaard
http://www.nitetripper.com/http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=3972 http://shorefire.com/clients/drjohn/ 
