Mos' Scocious : The Dr. John Anthology
New Orleans' burgeoning '50s R&B; scene was the crucible for Mac Rebennack, an in-demand session guitarist in his teens, but he was sidelined by a gunshot wound to his left hand. He learned organ, then blossomed as a gifted pianist in a city renowned for brilliant, idiosyncratic players, and Mac soaked up the tradition. A move to Los Angeles and a trippy side project under the nom du disque of Dr. John, the Night Tripper, clinched his fate, giving American music one of its most ebullient, reliably musical originals. It's his gravelly, juicy voice that has earned him instant recognition, but Dr. John remains a student and evangelizer of his hometown's funky, fertile blues, R&B;, and jazz canon. This superb two-disc survey serves both him and his origins well, ranging from early forays with Ronnie & The Delinquents and Morgus & The 3 Ghouls to the swampy brilliance of his solo career. His theatricalgris-grisremains deliciously spooky, but it's his later work that shines, from the brilliant R&B; history lesson that yielded his classicGumboalbum, through his biggest single hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time" and his '80s forays into jazz and standards.--Sam Sutherland