Dr. John plays 'The Mess Around'

[dldl43b]

He's at SXSW 2012



[EuniceCardinals]

Dr. John is truly a master of American music. Too bad there are six folks out there who don't understand.

[tpmancil]

3:24 "ummm...."

[zeppidy]

I can picture John Candy playing this on the dashboard!

[Lampodikt]

Would this be worth a nickel as an audition at Got Talent or Idol? Problably not. Would be want to see Dr. John as an Idol participant? No! Because? Hello... :-)

[joplinz]

i watched this to learn it and ended up listening to it instead of his albums

[tospicy4ya]

Brilliant... Does anyone have sheet music for ray Charles mess around??

[Tonio020589]

One of the best pianists ever seen o_O

[chreuneubeul]

WWWOOOOWWOWOWOWWWWW

C. Noris n'est pas de taille

[LeafytheGreat]

I used to live about an hour out of New Orleans... Dr. John always makes me think of Carnival and Mardi Gras... awesome times :)

[xXKromeumXx]

This man creates something from nothing, groove from soul, and everything from anything. Thank god there are people like this on the planet. Without them, we wouldn't have what life truly is at all.

[rodeoer]

Fantastic!

[Barrelhousekjell]

Great version. Dr. John, such a talented guy. I think I will study this note by note!

:-D

[sodimite]

Dr.John is king of the honky tonk...........I love it!

[bradleyplaymeasong]

5 people missed their doctors appointment

[iggych1512]

Just makes me mad how people have to dislike just for the hell of it. This is amazing.

[Ilovetheplatypus]

Lucky bastard with his big ass hands... Curse you Dr John!!!

[Ilovetheplatypus]

Lucky bastard with his big ass hands... Curse you Dr John!!!

[Ilovetheplatypus]

Lucky bastard with his big ass hands... Curse you Dr John!!!

[saynototrolling]

5 people were looking for justin bieber's terrible music

[alcatrakz]

5 people are using more heroine than doc has ever used. HOW can you NOT LOVE this????

[jodust75]

Does he make house calls?

[coolhandlukeer]

The man is incredible,he plays with such feeling.something a transcription could never show. he just kicks those licks all over the place.The Doctor is in the house.........

[MelissaArmpit]

Is there no book with transcripts - I'd really love to try. My god he is sooo good!

[bluesmanguate]

@MelissaArmpit actually this is from a video that comes with a transcription book so you can learn along dr john, you should look it up if you haven´t, I´m sure you will like it

[Youknowme523]

5 PPL are deaf!

[TheLeastDiseased]

my God...his hands are all over the keyboard...it's like 2 different people playing.what a brilliant and gifted man.

[johnrobertsbooking]

really the whole thing is sick, but 2:18 i yelled to myself on repeat a few times, the way he chops the beat with his left ahhh

[clarkbell]

I think he inspired Popeyes... they started the same year he crated his gumbo

[cochuckles33]

I WANT HIS LEFT HAND!!!!!!!!

[migletoskas]

he is so fantastic, his piano skills so unbelievable

[Camelwoman13]

I love finding these old or new Dr. John's music videos! They are fantastic!

[bach2117]

What a great left hand!!

[tpmancil]

i've got the last note down

[shinotora1X]

Piece of piss

[usinalaska]

We saw the Dr in Tampa in 73 or 74 with Ike and Tina Turner,Leon Russell and  it seems like Emerson Lake and Palmer and some local bands.Dr John stole the show.That was best concert I ever attended and it was an all day and into the night concert at the old Fla State fairgrounds.

[Pinbalwizard9292]

just had the chills for about 3 minutes and 26 seconds.

[GregEnemy]

i read somewhere that Dr. John doesnt even consider himself that good of a piano player. pssshh

[a7xdude87]

I'd give my right hand to be able to play as well as that.

[shouldermove]

WHEWWW....breath...this knocked me out.

[NOLAfunkNYC]

Nolafunk is really excited to have Dr. John & the Lower 911 perform 2 rare intimate shows in NYC.... March 4th and 5th. DONT MISS IT!

[jbones61]

Mardi Gras time folks. Lets get it together. Thanks Dr. John! ! !

[denselydone]

We have to bear in mind that this is the simplified version, played straight and slow so we can figure out what he's doing. In performance this would be faster, more syncopated, and more expressive.

[crunkaholic81]

@denselydone i thought he played just fine i mean of course it could be all that you listed but i think it sounds pretty killer

[schapenmaag]

this man,

is a beast

[HoboGus]

Didn't John Candy play this on the dashboard of his rental car in Planes, Trains and Automobiles???

[donnyab]

@HoboGus

lol yes and a very good job he did too...less musical but almost as entertaining

[roddoggolf]

@HoboGus yes! and it was easily one of the best scenes in easily the best comedies of all time!

"you're going the wrong way!"

"How do they know where we're going?"

[CaptainUnpredictable]

interesting vertion

[saullouis]

Good God the man is the Doctor!

I'd also like to hear Horowitz take a shot at this. Twood be interesting.

[funkleupagus]

Where did this clip come from? Is this a dvd that I can buy? What's the name?

[whatsmylogin]

@funkleupagus 2 dvds called 'Dr. John teaches New Orleans Piano'. Company: Homespun tapes. (He plays a slower version of many songs so you can see what he's doing (though he usually doesn't do the same thing as in the actual performance.) There are other instruction dvds by the Doc, but not as good as these.

[Hotice770]

How in the HELL does one learn how to play like THAT?!?

[donnyab]

@Hotice770

he is good but listen to someone like McCoy Tyner.....he is so gigantically good it even makes this look average

[SupportAZ]

Gotta kinda blues mix up with mess around. LOL

[fairportfan2]

...and if you *really* want to see some incredible New Orleans piano - do a search for "Piano Players rarely Play Together" - Longhair, Tuts Washington and Alan Toussaint, three generations of New Orleans piano history.

[fairportfan2]

Ah. I didn't see how it could be a direct reply to what i said.

[ralphcraddock]

brilliant artist.

theres a lifetime of hard work playing there.

[mtkn2010]

I wanna know his footmoving.



[CitricAcid13]

I tried to learn this either transcribed to G or C and it is damn near impossible enough with Ray's sparse voicing. Listening to the original Eb with the flair that Dr. John uses is a very humbling experience.

[LynneGo]

His style is the richest, deepest, fullest, strongest, most comprehensive, coherent, gut-clenching, dig down to the core piano playing I have EVER heard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Moogies74]

One amazing dude who know how to play it.

[ani8D]

Does anyone know any more artists that play music like this?

Or Bluesy Pianists?

[MoeElliot]

this guy is just nasty!

[whatanightmare1]

Love this!! Man, that is amazing, I have watched it 3 times in a row. Now I gotta go practice....this is going to be tough, if not impossible to imitate.

[jonpowells]

What video are all of these taken from?

[Burkemaster]

Talk about a good inspiration!!

[pattenorr]

Oh my good you are one of the best piano player i've ever heard execpt maybe ray charles

[velvcurtshow1]

What a wonderful clip! I linked to this from my Facebook page.  Thanks for sharing it.

[teenagewasteland88]

How could anyone dislike this?

[aspirenow]

Whoever thumbs down on this needs to delete their post, try to play piano for a while - this style. Then re-vote.

[Hoffie17]

skills :D

[dannypg2]

jeez. like it's nothing. i don't even know how to describe that kind of talent.

[Hoffie17]

:D.

[Harryhoodz]

Holy Mutherfucking shit

[shinotora1X]

You watchin' Jools?

[CharlieReddog]

Dr John carries the tradition of New Orleans piano as did Professor Longhair. Outstanding stylist!

[fstop101]

You gotta understand,Professor Longhair was his"Yoda"

[hiperDOTAdo]

O_O'

[MosesReyes1]

Dr. John is the Doctor of Boogie Down Music. Incredible pace.

I feel like burning my piano, too, cause I will never be this good.

[JDurden33]

another thread, another lady gaga jibe, man she could kill this guy just by flashing her tits.

[HueyLewisRocks]

Sounded like there was some 'Great Northern stomp' in there too? The one by Otis Span?

[cafexito]

hello...my name is robert...you can play umbrella of the baseballs..

[omwhite83]

i like how he comes in perfectly at 0:55 .. also its funny that this video is meant to teach, lol ..Now you Try!

[cpchehaibar]

The Doctor is In!!

[TehKashmir]

at 0:31 idk what u call that but its amazing

[ahioud]

Dr John is amazing. he carries the entire tune just by himself.

NB: who are the 4 losers who down-rated this video?

[fredface23456]

@ahioud Probably looking for Justin bieber videos

[bobnegro1]

see white people have rhythm.lol.

[SUNNYRHOADES9]

Dr.John,Smokes Johan Bohom...

[boskabouter12]

he plays it like

it's the simplest thing

WTF this is awesome

[yayosick89]

fuuuuuuck D:

that was amazing.

[jakemathias]

i Agree with Scott!

[scottcampbell1958]

Man, Dr. John is so devastatingly good. Makes me want to burn my piano. Why do I even try?

[SlightlyOffTrackProd]

@scottcampbell1958 well if u do try (this is really corny) but u may well be as good as this guy.

Just a thought.

[scottcampbell1958]

@SlightlyOffTrackProd Oh I try, believe me. For over 20 years now. I'm decent but he's playing a completely different sport than hacks like myself. He's simply a brilliant pianist.

[samo314159]

@scottcampbell1958 "Psshhh...Car 27, what is your emergency?" "Pssshh: Ahhhh, another house fire near the Manhattan Institute of Music. Apparently they saw Dr. John on youtube and-" "Pssh: OH GODDAMNIT, not again...!"

[geezzerboy]

@scottcampbell1958 Practice, practice, practice.

[maddermofo]

@scottcampbell1958 If anything this stuff is a reason to make you want to try harder man!!!

[SkateTS808]

@maddermofo that's right

[MrBluetriggz]

@maddermofo Tried really hard and finally got my version goin, check it out in the video response section :-)

[misterdsen]

@scottcampbell1958 .....practice,practice,practic­e!!!

[fairportfan2]

@scottcampbell1958 See if you can find Professor Longhair's version, you want to be impressed.

[GARYTEXAS]

@fairportfan2 copy - paste -click - click I was there copyed off your post took 3 seconds

[fairportfan2]

@GARYTEXAS

[fairportfan2]

@GARYTEXAS ???

[GARYTEXAS]

@fairportfan2 My comment was a general thing to every one -people ask how can I find things and I just wanted to say, by highlighting "Professor Longhair" copying it and pasting in the search box at the top of the page, I was able to find his version of the Mess Around in 3 seconds.

Thank You,

Gary

[awkpidgin]

@scottcampbell1958

pianos make very expensive firewood.

[rotolo]

@scottcampbell1958 YOU GOTTA PRATICE 4-6 TO HOURS A DAY.. if you wanna be any good at an instrument.

[ryanmartin37075]

@rotolo There's only so much practice can do. My brother can shoot a .22 though a lifesaver without breaking it. One could say an aspiring rifleman that he should practice, but in the end, genetics plays a large factor in it. Only 1/500,000 have a gene that allows for brain functions to be alloted in the appropriate way for someone to shoot like that. I feel it is the same for many thing, like playing th piano. Genes in addition to practice is how someone gets so good.

[Kakarot21591]

@scottcampbell1958 You do that, but only after tearing it up Jerry Lee Lewis style!

[Satchmoeddie]

@scottcampbell1958 My aunt is great with this style, but she has a Master of arts in music is a concert piano accompanist and was married to a little guy from New Orleans for 30 years. They owned a music store in Colorado. He played clarinet or sax (basically any woodwind) and she can still tear it up with a piano. Its not as easy as it looks or sounds. 12 years of JS Bach, Mozar, etc I am sure had a hand in Betty's ability to do this music genre so well. Thanks for the post./ good times past!

[Wintermute36]

@scottcampbell1958 Should make you want to try harder. What's amazing is the doesn't have classic piano hands yet he's so frickin' good.

[MrDavezRulez]

This split screen allows the viewer to appreciate the extent of this man's talent. I just got into Dr. John this year, looking forward to more videos and expanding my music collection. He truly is a legendary player!

[iamoneilly]

WHO?

DR JOHN!

fuck yes

[KITERlDER]

What an agility for those chubby fingers of his.

[debris54]

yeah Mac is the epitemy of New Orleans... the album I used to have was called 'Otis Spann is the blues'... I can remember that, but can't remember what he called his take on this tune :-) ... I'm never good with names... anyway, if u can find it, u'll enjoy it i think... only (almost)solo album of him I know of... like Mac, it's the 'feel' that defines the player... all these Happy Traum videos on youtube r great...never seen them before...

[debris54]

this is actually an Otis Span song... used to listen to it almost every day... not "the mess around" I don't think, but that's probably why he calls it a 'mix up' .... great playing.. been listening to you for 35 years Mac... thanks for the smiles...!

[notraep]

well its called cow cow blues, but this is the alternate version to the origonal cow cow blues by changing key and adding some movements in and mixing it up with the mess aroud, sounds fantastic

[squanto2]

This makes my dick hard.

[9114111]

fuck ur gay

[DebrisYat]

Mac wows me every time!  God it's good to be a New Orleanian!

[smilezrific]

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!!!! It's been a great day in New Orleans...now to bring on jazz fest :)

[bassbob42]

Our band backed him up in a local club in 82, OMG this guys the thebest!

[fesstarou]

歌みじか！

まーそれはそれで、エエんやけど。

[chrisnolemusic]

Mac's got a touch like no one else - we are very lucky to have musicians like him to inspire us - great video!

[CONCRETE13]

Awesome!!!!!

[mooreentstudios]

Is this some sort of an instructional video?

[ToshdogII]

If you want it to be

[blackslick73]

so is that a no then, akimaru1000?

[akimaru1000]

blackslick73' "this guy" just happens to be Dr. John, man. The day you call god "that on guy" can you refer to this man in such a way.

[jasongogal]

It's amazing to watch the overhead view of his hands.

[blackslick73]

Can this guy teach me how to play?

[avril2]

No, but he can help you to learn for yourself.

[blackslick73]

very true, very true!

[ZiggyStardust35]

Great post!!! Fantastic video!

[dannybellis]

his timing is spot on! sure is tickling those ivories on this one!!

[MarkyMarc10]

How could any human be this good?????

[ReggaeRockandRoll]

Cool before the singing.

[polysmart]

And during.

[tschoolitz]

Thanks for the suggestion Nom. This is cool DaddyO.

[XVLaHireXV]

oh yé!!!!!!

fabulous

[jimwalsh2001]

Yow! The dude is a One-Man Mardi Gras...

[placesigopeopleimeet]

oooooooooooooh boy

[PorkChopDick]

Man This Is A Player That Has Certainly Mastered His Instrument!!! Rocks You Right Outta Your Seat!!!He's sure Captured my eardrumns audio chromaticlly.

[novatocreek]

that's one great Dr John album, Gumbo, that this off of.

[harrietmcleod]

who's the other keyboard?art neville?

[123daydream321]

dr john, just different camera angle

[pyannaguy]

Jesus! He's playing this super-busy piece in Eb!! What a cumbersome key, with fingers squeezing in skinny spaces up high on the white keys and lots of black ones. Crazy and amazing!

[jawoj48]

you're right, really cool, seemingly without any effort

[malcomtrakz]

Vadersarion, you must be missing your soul to say this man's timing 'ain't that great'...

The Dr. is amazing.

[stillavril]

Vadersarion, The 'piano the piano' playing here is truly masterful.

Timing not great?

Just go outside, and play nicely with the other children.

[wholtone]

jammin!

[TheNeuroGenesis]

love the fills he throws in left right and centre. I find it very hard just trying to play the standard mess around as per ray charles spec, dr john just takes it to an insane level here, and makes it look so easy! his timing is just so spot on for this style of playing, the very definition of tickling the ivories!

[vadersarion]

well, he just mastered playing the piano the piano. his timing aint that great ya know.

very cool song though this one

[AccordionTheif]

@TheNeuroGenesis Absolutely. The man can really play. He really lets it flow straight from the heart, and everything he plays has so much soul to it. He is one of my favorite pianists of any genre.

[gingervytis]

Interesting to note how relaxed and quiet the hand motion is, for so much boisterous output.

[sourapple39]

what?

[awkpidgin]

@gingervytis

If you don't play with relaxed hand's you'll find that you get wrist cramps during Minute 5 of pounding octaves out during ragtime or these split octaves. Much fun though. It helps to get your fingers in shape :D

[JakeyTboy]

betabenja, you can pick up books bundled with dvds. This video is taken from that series it's called Dr John teaches New Orleans Piano.

[Bi1ch1]

WOW!! totally amazing!!!

[danoinreno]

dad is bumping !!!

[trane818]

this song is easy but lol i play games rearly but i just post up vids when i play

[gingervytis]

you think it's easy, huh? after you learn just the notes, you'll spend a lifetime trying to gain the feel.

[betabenja]

is this available in HD? I really want to learn from this

[mazafreno]

A Dr. John FI PAEEER.... Traduco: Fai Paura... n.1

[adanalimuzisyen]

güzel