Some years ago, I purchased a recording by Dr. John entitled "Dr. John
Plays Mac Rebennack". If you are a lover of New Orleans piano music or
Ragtime, I highly recommend this recording. If you're not familiar with
his work, he was a contemporary of Art Neville and a protege of the
legendary Professor Longhair.

Here is an interesting interview conducted by actor and jazz lover
Clint Eastwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CmtUCB_hDg
 

One track on the album strikes me as a wonderful cutting/arranging
project. The tune is called "Dorothy" and apparently was dedicated to
his mother. It seems like it was made for distribution on a roll.

I'm fairly sure no-one ever approached him to do a recording for
player-piano, but I wish someone would have! About the next best thing
we have is this YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvPgx2vzkus
 

I would love to see a rendition of this lovely tune made available on
perforated paper. Given the existing knowledge base, I'd expect that
Duo-Art, Ampico, Welte as well as standard 88-note versions could be
mastered for cutting.

Composed in 1981, there were two versions on the original album:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij0QITJ1zrI
 
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_X9xYMEwJc
 

Is anyone else out there a fan?

Ed Chaban

 [ "Dr. John" was the stage name of pianist Mac Rebennack. -- Robbie