Consumer Guide Album

Dr. John: The Brightest Smile in Town [Clean Cuts, 1983]
By playing the preserver of New Orleans piano tradition, the Dr. does an injustice to his equally fertile heritage as a music-biz sharpie, and too often on his second unaccompanied mostly-instrumental album he's as pleasant and boring as any other session man doing his thing. The new Pomus-Rebennack tune that kicks off side two raises hopes of a half save--until he stops singing again. B−