Allen Toussaint, the pianist, songwriter, arranger and record producer whose whimsical, funk-laced songs influenced the New Orleans R&B scene, died Nov. 10 while on tour in Madrid.
He suffered a heart attack at his hotel room after appearing in a concert, as confirmed by his daughter Alison Toussaint-LeBeaux. He was 77.
A long string of Toussaint’s R&B compositions became international hits. Over his illustrious career he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2011, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, and two years later, President Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of Arts at the White House.
After the terrible devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Toussaint relocated to New York City. With a reputation that preceded him, he made regular appearances at Joe’s Pub in the East Village. In response to the hurricane’s destruction, he and Elvis Costello collaborated on the recording “The River in Reverse,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album.
Toussaint was born Jan. 14, 1938, in Gert Town, a working-class neighborhood of New Orleans, to Naomi Neville and Clarence Toussaint, a railway worker, where he lived throughout his life with the exception of his brief relocation to New York City. He was self-taught on the piano. As a teenager he played in a band called the Flamingoes with the blues guitarist Snooks Eaglin, one of his early inspirations.
Often in interviews, Toussaint credited Professor Longhair as being a great influence on his playing style, which later included the trimmings of Fats Domino and Huey “Piano” Smith.
At age 17, Toussaint was given his first gig when he sat in for Smith. He later met Domino’s producer Dave Bartholomew, who was also a noted New Orleans R&B songwriter during the 1950s. He hired Toussaint to lay down piano parts for a few Domino recording sessions.
The young pianist later arranged the hit “Walkin’ With Mr. Lee” for saxophonist Lee Allen. In 1958, Toussaint recorded an instrumental album, “The Wild Sound of New Orleans” (RCA), under the alias Tousan. His original composition “Java,” co-written with Alvin Tyler and Freddy Friday, became a No. 4 pop hit for the jazz trumpeter Al Hirt in 1964.
In 1960, Toussaint was hired by Joe Banashak for the Minit Record label, where he became the house producer, arranger and songwriter. It was at this label that Toussaint built his successful house of soul.
His first national success as a producer came with Jessie Hill’s R&B No. 5 hit “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” in 1960, followed by Ernie K-Doe’s pop and R&B No. 1 “Mother-in-Law” (Toussaint’s original), Benny Spellman’s “Fortune Teller” and “Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)”—both Toussaint tunes written as Naomi Neville, the maiden name of his mother. The latter was covered by the Rolling Stones. He also produced Chris Kenner’s original version of “Land of 1000 Dances,” Lee Dorsey’s “Ya Ya” and many cuts with New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas.
“Allen Toussaint galvanized the history of New Orleans music into a sound that was palatable to the public,” stated New Orleans saxophonist and composer Donald Harrison. “He innovated the sound of funk, soul and R&B music from a New Orleans perspective.”
While Toussaint was basically in the background, many of the artists he produced or who sang his penned songs, such as Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe and Lee Dorsey, became stars, who toured the “Chitlin’ Circuit” from the Sunset in West Palm Beach to the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C., and Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater.
Toussaint later became a freelancer working primarily on recordings for the Fury label. In 1963, Toussaint was drafted into the military. While on leave, one of his recordings, “Whipped Cream,” was covered by Herb Alpert in 1965 and was later adopted as the theme for the television show “The Dating Game.”
After being discharged in 1965, Toussaint joined forces with fellow producer Marshall Sehorn to form a production company and record label Sansu Enterprises. They recorded Betty Harris, Earl King and Chris Kenner. Lee Dorsey was their most profitable association, who returned to the top of the R&B charts with Toussaint-penned tunes such as “Working in a Coalmine,” “Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky” and “Get Out of My Life Woman.”
In 1966, Sansu signed the Meters as the studio house band. As the Meters began recording their own records produced by Toussaint, they developed into one of the top instrumental funk bands.
In 1971, Toussaint recorded his first solo album (self-titled) in over a decade for Scepter. The following year, he and Sehorn opened a state-of-the-art recording studio in New Orleans called Sea-Saint, which became the home for many of his projects.
He did horn arrangements for the Band, Paul Simon and Sandy Denny. His continued work with the Meters moved him into a deeper pocket of contemporary funk. He produced two of New Orleans’ greatest funk records: Dr. John’s top 10 hit “Right Place, Wrong Time” and LaBelle’s No. 1 funk hit “Lady Marmalade.”
In 1975, Toussaint released what many regarded as his most acclaimed solo album, “Southern Nights” (Reprise Records). The title track became No. 1 on Billboard’s country, pop and adult contemporary charts for country singer Glen Campbell, and “What Do You Want the Girl to Do?” was covered by Boz Scaggs, Lowell George and Bonnie Raitt.
During his later years, Toussaint continued to play his brand of R&B funk but added a taste of jazz that only those from the “Crescent City” could make swing with a whole lot of soul. He was a regular guest at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
In addition to his daughter Alison, Toussaint’s survivors include another daughter, Naomi Rios; a son, Clarence Reginald; a brother, Vincent; and six grandchildren.