Dr. John playing 'Swanee River Boogie'

[GeneWallace42]

I loved roller skating to Dr. J's music.

[LBCDan]

Thanks for uploading. I love the boogie!

[sixkiller777]

I don't see how playing piano is even possible! lol I don't think I'm that coordinated haha.

[notyourdadskeyboards]

just do what i did, figure it out five seconds at a time until you can play it all =)

[paulallen34]

this is the best version on youtube love it.

dr john rules.

[steini283]

@paulallen34

I love this song and really enjoyed this version, but still i like the version of this 14 yo guy even more... look for "luca sestak swanee".

[paulallen34]

@steini283 yes ive seen his version but i myself prefer dr johns version.

[paulallen34]

id love to see a breakdown of the right hand licks.

[Zimnyification]

Effortless and amazing. I want to learn this.

[breannaoakes90]

love it, love it, love it, love it, love it....oh did i mention i LOVE this...lol =) This is how piano is supposed to be played. =)

[hzauke]

For the 5 Douchebags who Disliked this video..... go to Hell. You wouldn't know talent if it raped you. How could this possibly be Disliked?

[sqashixar385999]

WOW! every time i hear this song i get happy and you never get tired of hearing it.

[MrRazorblade999]

I would give my right hand to be able play like that.

[theAppleofmyPie]

@MrRazorblade999 Well without your right hand, all you'd be able to do with your talent is the bass line :P

[MrRazorblade999]

@theAppleofmyPie Oops! I give my head instead.

[theAppleofmyPie]

@MrRazorblade999 Haha, that's much more reasonable! :D

[Belphegor82]

Jeeze Louise, how many hands does this man have? :D

[DrummerTurner]

mind blown

[brucekingston740]

Holy hell. Something to strive for.

[Harryhoodz]

If only my piano teacher growing up would've exposed me to this kind of piano, I would've probably stuck with it. You don't get this good by playing classical pieces arranged for a 4th grader

[pantano207]

There`s no one like the doctor!

[tedward191]

1 of a kind, I'd say that means he's a genius!

[MrDiscoHarvey]

Listening to him play, without looking, I'd swear to God that it was a two person team doing a boogie-woogie duet. Holy crap he's talented...

[gruvqueen]

No problem. Now I'm going to play it just like that....

[cheesybites25]

How does he do that!?! That is absolutely insane. Incredible :D

[itamedthebeast]

i swear each of his hands has its own brain...

[pianstoppable]

I am not worthy.

[jajacannoli]

For years I have played this as a sort of "break song". After hearing this, I think I will be retiring it from my repertoire. Dr. John remains one of the few players I can never hope to emulate. Hat's off, again.

[tirians]

gonna steal so many licks from this vid, good stuff

[rfpratt]

This makes want to get out of my wheel chair and dance.



[vimana19]

That is alright...!!

[lockout71]

the guy is just great what else is there to say

[gullhjertet]

This is good, but nobody play Swanee River like MR.FATS DOMINO !

[colm36]

what a fuckin hero

[sloperdude]

Woweewowowow.

[ROCKSTARCRANE]

This is sick. I'm going to burn my piano and go and sell shoes......

[mailena15]

1:10 is just like wtffff

[drummerguyaus33]

Even Chuck Norris takes piano lessons from the Dr

[kkingjohn13]

YOU ARE MY IDOL...NUFF SAID

[EyMeng]

Oscar Peterson might pull this off but it would be too polished. this has some real Pstank

[willynillyd69]

Dr. John's so cool he pees out ice cubes.

[EyMeng]

@willynillyd69 and he sweat snow

[punkinhoot]

Sheet music? you insult every blues man who ever lived in New Orleans. Sheesh...sheet music. These dudes can't even read sheet music.

[Piadoroshi]

@punkinhoot what a pretentious comment, wow

[Graphixa1479]

@punkinhoot So true.  Blues a real Art when we talk about improvisation

[Mr852paul]

This is New Orleans style. You should see Dr. John's books on some of his

landmark tunes that he has worked up. Fun, funky and so right..........learn from his DVD!

[angelsbum]

i would love the sheet music to this song, it is my favourite boogie song, and i think dr john is probably alongside jools holland and rob rio the greatest piano player in this genre of music. that is just my opinion, and no doubt there will be people who disagree. keep it up dr john.

[xMHM2010]

@angelsbum Absolutely agree, nobody plays like him. You can hear bits of this phrasing style in maybe professor longhair, otis spann etc but nobody does it quite like the doc. Amazing stuff :)

[MarkAscheMusic]

The RH figure he starts at around 1:05...

devastating!

[pauljonesesquire]

Awesome ......

[joacos]

Mr scottcampbell1958 I totally agree, the guy has released himself from physics and is going manually into orbit - what a dude!

[akwroclaw]

brilliant

[brooksie19]

Happy Mardi Gras! great music love Dr. john thanks for posting this!

[TheIllinoisjones7]

Five people were so dizzy and crosseyed after watching this amazing boogie by the dr. they accidently hit the dislike button.!!!!!!

[garbage106]

some people are good at piano, some really really good, some people make a living from it, it but the difference here is this guy eats sleaps and breathes it. nuff said

[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!

[chyckberru]

Ouh la la ! C'est une version splendide du Doc. Quelle maitrise, quelle musicalité,

quel talent ! C'est la plus belle reprise de ce boogie jamais enregistré. Tout ça a l'air tellement facile et coulant. Quel style, c'est la grande classe ce mec !

[MyMoppet52]

I can listen to him all night. Thank you. This is fantastic.

[alpop850]

Closest we're going to get to Albert Ammons

[2CrazyHand]

theres no way that some1 with hearing capability would dislike this

[paulallen34]

the best version of this song in my mind well done dr john.someone please do a tutorial on the right hand.

[willy350z]

Thanx Hellan, for this wonderful share and Happy 2011 to you and yours:)W

[pmhorler]

Nice !

[TheJaynethepayne]

Brillianr

[BocaFriend]

Wonderful to see this. Thanks for uploading

and uplifting us all! Cheers from Florida!

[TruePiano1]

Hey when I'm feeling a little down and restless I go to Dr. John. He's got the cure: no pills, no booze. Just the best Boogie piano on either side of the Mississippi River. Thanks, Doc!

[BocaFriend]

Rob, you're just what the doctor ordered! Thanks

for being the referring medic here, Dr TruePiano1.

Have a great weekend!

Love from Lady Inside Straight of Poker Raton

[deepdivemouse]

@TruePiano1 This music puts me in a good mood. Thank you for sharing dear Rob, I love Doc's playing.

Hugs,

Andrea

[paulallen34]

a true legend you are loved it fantastic.

[paulallen34]

a true legend loved it fantastic.

[TheKenzo92]

i wish i can do that :(

[snappopsnap]

how do so many notes com from just two hands so perfectly? i am in awe.

[royal5th]

I've had this DVD for quite a few years. All I can say is buy it. DJ also has another DVD recorded in the 90's that is also very kick ass.

[Moyesification]

awesome!

[phillips0218]

Wish I could play like that. I've only been playing for a few months.

[MsSHAN41]

wow!

[CaliKid74]

very nice!

[kemposoefi]

Music is a matter of taste, but if you rate thumbs down, some brain cells must be ''deleted''. Please keep posting this wonderful, timeless music!

Peace to you all.

[MrDavezRulez]

Beyond amazing, this was legendary!

[jmtappenden]

truly great from mac.thanks.

[bnharast]

I LOVE listening to this man play.

[apatheticsquirrel]

3:55. Beautiful genuine smile. What a hero.

[joacos]

Dr. John! You and Mr Zingg are the best I have ever heard playing the Boogie. You both bring not only technical expertise, but also include personal interpretations that make the world better! Keep on Boogeying! Cheers J.

[scottcampbell1958]

When I play Swanee River it sure as hell doesn't sound like that. He is ridiculously good.

[scottcampbell1958]

Sheesh.... How does he do that? I've played for 20 years and he's participating in a completely different sport than the rest of us hacks. He's the best I've ever seen. Full stop.

[Jakob1951]

@scottcampbell1958 Great pianist that Doc John is! :-) But Vladimir Horowitz (now deceased) is probably better as a classic pianist. He could play any music on the piano like a ballet dancer on the keyboard. Sixty Minutes interviewed him. You can probably find it and just be utterly astonished!

[SpartechGaming]

@scottcampbell1958 Johan Bolhm?!?!



[Jakob1951]

@scottcampbell1958 How does he compare to Vladimir Horowitz?

[maddermofo]

@scottcampbell1958 Same here bro, I'm playing since 1993 and I think the only secret to it other than talent is constant gigging, sitting on the three chords for hours and laying that bass line down, then keeping the solos nice and tidy, now I know all this, but I can't fuckin' do it LOL!!!

[taariqtaariq]

last night I saw him live at a small club date here in Melbourne Australia 31.3.10 , and  at nearly 70 he is still brilliant!

[Kakarot21591]

Wow, I LOVE Boogie Woogie! You can make ANY song into a boogie if you know how! Now if only I could play it myself... that would be awesome.

[ilovepeer]

What is the name of the DVD?

[derwillider]

Sorry,

it´s not an "Imperial", the keys start with an "A 4" not with a "C 4".

the additional keys on the "Imperial´s" left are polished dark or black so that they look hidden.

[derwillider]

does he use a bösendorfer imperial?

[omwhite83]

Has anyone else ever heard of a Dr. John song called, "life"?

[starboy288]

Not only do you get an overhead view here, but importantly, notice the grace note used in the bass line. It gives a slightly different feel to the boogie timing.

It appears that he is hitting the very first bass note of the boogie bass line most of us use, just once; to give a lag going into the rest of the line.

We're used to playing CC EC GC AG. but if I see & hear this right, he's playing and slightly holding C, then sliding off Eb, to the usual EC GC AG finish of the boogie bass line.

[andreboogie]

Correct! Sounds great, don't you think?

[starboy288]

Yes, it smokes! But try getting your left hand to do his variation of the basic boogie left hand I described below, to keep that kind of speed!

Only have to practice it for a million times or a million years! Lol. Worth the effort though.

Start with your metronome below that kick butt speed and keep working it until you can comfortably move the tempo/speed up to a faster clip.

Then you have to integrate the right hand. Years, my man, years of playing got him there...

[malcjow]

MAGIC

[spenckey]

I've been a fan (not an expert} of Dr. John's music and persona for a long time. Watching and listening to him perform is truly a joy. It transports me into another place and time, without pretense or arrogance. I thank you, and him, for sharing these videos.

[Sayeret1]

Mac is THE MAN!! I have loved his stuff ever since I was a kid listening to my Dad's albums, this was on "Hollywood Be Thy Name" if my memory serves me right. Blinding.

[housedart]

He should thank Fats Domino who did this in "57. This is a cover.

Mac is good- but he was in New Orleans

where Fats was king.

[housedart]

OK- he mentions Fats at the very end,

but Fats created this version!

[pianiplunker]

Albert Ammons first recorded swannee river boogie in 1946 (it's on yt) and Fats Domino's version is heavily derived from this particular recording. I believe Ammons also made a solo recording as well but I may be mistaken.

[rmkle]

Damn smooth. Got to feel good playing that.

[sosome57]

Just noticed no one did any set decoration. There should be an ashtray with a stogie in it, a bottle of Jack and a glass with 1/2 an inch in the bottom of it on the top of the piano! With the posters on the wall and Dr. John at the piano, it would be a perfect honky tonk scene!

[sosome57]

There are a lot of good piano players playing this song on youtube, but this is by far the best. Relaxed, a little more legato than some of the other players I've seen/heard. I REALLY like the split screen.

[hbdavew]

If you watch 'Tipatina by Dr. John' (from Montreux 1986) you'll see that his left ring finger is jacked up. That's the finger that was shot..

[8BoogiePianoWoogie8]

He's the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drumier]

supposedly he quit guitar because he lost a pinky in a bar (ricocheting bullet )

but it looks like he's got em all workin.

folklore?

[hmmmeh]

@drumier He only lost part of a finger from what I read, like the tip, but even so they all look fine. He stills play guitar a bit I was led to believe. Either way, it's probably best he plays piano, cos he's amazing.

[papboer16]

man i love the sound of this!

[raufito74]

I think Dr. John has seen the light :-)

[veerbone]

It just don't get no better than that.

[bob27f]

Boogie woogie is music full of sin and vice and will lead you to a life of ruin.

Just kidding. But they used to think that.

[calebd87]

hahaha

[jasongogal]

Well, Mac has seen his share of ruin, that's for sure! He only got clean in the 80s after almost 30 years as a junkie and pill head, and other crazy stuff.

Regardless, his piano skills are A-plus top shelf.

[sosome57]

Oh, I think I lead you astray there. I wasn't making reference to any drug/alcohol problems Dr. J may have had - don't know anything about that. The video just needs some seedy bar paraphernalia! :) I love a good, seedy, smokey, dark bar. LOL. I concur. He's a wizard.

[oraclesolomon]

OH YEAH.....Toots n Fess be smilin down......

[CranialnerveVIII]

This is just soooooo nice to listen to. Suppose I can hold him hostage in my basement and make him play my piano?/ I'd feed him and stuff...

Just dreamin'.

[zwollef]

man, tune your piano first! that piano was as well tuned as the Doctor

[CranialnerveVIII]

: ) I keep my pianos tuned. I KEEP MY PIANOS TUNED! He really is amazing. Great sound quality on this clip, too.

But getting back to my proposal....; )

[crazypianolady]

@CranialnerveVIII Let me know when you do because I'll come over and watch/make him teach me :D :D

[Seroga07]

@CranialnerveVIII lmao

[Jakob1951]

@CranialnerveVIII LOL !!! I'm sure you would hug him too - now and then :-)

[arequipa1]

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee­eeeeeeeeeit! you think this guy can play the piano?! wow!

[stevieb2400]

i use to play the piano after hearing this it makes me want to play again

[IveGotPhotoWithSarah]

I love it, but don't you think that at 1:08 he plays a bit to fast in comparison to former pace?

[ComradeCrusty]

when you blaze as much chronic as me and the doctor do, what.....what do you expect? perfection? this is bliss.....

[oldrockandrollero]

yes your right, his left hand betrayed him.but anyway, hes great.5 stars

[ESQ134]

Someone, please, tell me what this DVD is title. Is it a two DVD set? Where can I order it?

[rockabiktor]

yes .....i want this dvd too!!! please!!!!

[hah13]

awesome

[drradio2003]

I don't know, but I only wish I could play like him< this guy is totally awsom. woo hoo..

[tt01mamba]

add &fmt=18 at the end of the URL to see it in HD

[RobSchneeberger]

cool, i use a lot of those same right hand licks in my playing, could you enlighten me a bit about those last few licks in the ending?

[tt01mamba]

one of them is

Eb D C Eb D C G A B C,

play with both hands an octave apart.

[OtisSpain]

The Good Ole Doc always knows exactly which medicine works...

[comokate]

I've been a huge fan of his since I was a teen in the 1970's....this man is an icon...and he just doesn't age! ;-)

[FransVerbauwen]

Saw him a couple of months ago here in Belgium with his funk band! What a legend. He certainly grooves.

[monster98012]

nice

[hbdavew]

Yep, Mac is the best. He's got that great rollin' New Orleans piano thing going on, he worked up a sweat, and style...there's no doubt who's playing that piano.

[fredrik80]

ok that was outstanding awesome

[achabrun]

I agree with eric669, no one plays like Dr John, this is the best version of Swanee River you can find, a personnal version, with blues style, intense, remember, "the Blues came from the Church", he said. The left hand isn't difficult, but the right ...

[sealerdave]

Bloody Amazing

[smudgepots]

Mind boggling boogie! 'Mazing!

[eric669]

There might be other faster or more technical players, but NO ONE can match Dr.John's taste, feel, intense touch and marvelous licks....that's because, apart form a huge talent, he is a Blues musician, so even when playing a boogie woogie he puts his blues intensity into it...not like many boogie woogie players who sound like plastic monkeys at the circus!

[srstiers]

I discoverd Dr. John's piano playing only 3 years ago. He has a GREAT left hand! I've seen him twice in concrt in the last 3 years and in two weeks from today will see him again from Row 3! Can't wait!

[Tomonline206]

this guy have to sleep a bit or stop drugs...

left hand's getting me tired...

[gagakym]

His left hand sucks as opposed to what? Someone elses? How can you seperate a left hand? Tomo, I think you have lost your connection to music and are far too concerned about how you were pedantically taught.

[Tomonline206]

left hand sucks ... sorry

[tt01mamba]

he is better than you will ever be.

[istvanklein]

Tomonline206, you're kidding, right? Please say "only joking" and the world will be a better place.

[queen1975]

One - his left hand most certainly doesn't suck. Two - if it did he would have an excuse, his ring finger was shot in a fight when he was young.

[royhoran]

haha you fag. ive seen your videos and theyre fucking gay

[vivazapata74]

damn! I have a DVD of him but another version where he plays this one song a lot slower and generally takes it easier, maybe for pedagogical reasons. Could you please tell me the exact title of THIS DVD so I can order it? I am trying to dissect and digest his style.... thanks a million!

[tt01mamba]

maddermofo is there any chance that you can send me this clip? I am trying to learn it but there is no sheet music of this arrangement.

[maddermofo]

If you have realplayer on your computer you can download this video man. Check out the video response to this video which shows how the left hand is played. You're best to buy his DVD's and watch and learn from his different right hand patterns

[hbdavew]

Talk about tickling the ivories...that piano is in hysterics.

[shannon71593]

i can't believe this song can actually be played. imagine how awful his left hand must have hurt after the song. oh my gosh.

[NYJOS]

he's relaxed though. look at his arms from the side. no tention at all. or yes, it would hurt lol.

[tt01mamba]

maddermofo do you by any chance have the sheet music for this or know where to get it in the UK?

Thanks very much

[maddermofo]

I don't know if an exact transcription for this exists but I do know he has a book and CD for this DVD. It's on Amazon!!

[GreatKingOfDonkies]

I love Dr. John! It's really impressive that somone can play that good! I play the piano myself, and can listen to this music for ours. Thanks for sharing!

[maddermofo]

No problem. Youtube has been deprived of this stuff for long enough!!!!

[istvanklein]

You made my day by posting these. Thanks. Do these clips come from a DVD?

[maddermofo]

Yes they do. You can buy them on Amazon

[tt01mamba]

very nice

[FreeStyleUK123]

thanks!