Biography
14 January 1938, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. This influential artist first came to prominence in the mid-50s as the touring piano player with Shirley And Lee. The duo’s producer, Dave Bartholomew, began using Toussaint on several recording sessions, including those of Smiley Lewis and, on a handful of occasions, Fats Domino. The artist’s solo debut came in 1958 with his The Wild Sound Of New Orleans album, released under the Tousan moniker. One of the tracks, ‘Java’, later became a hit single for trumpeter Al Hirt. Toussaint then joined the emergent Minit Records label as a producer. His first release, Jessie Hill’s ‘Ooh Poo Pah Doo - Part II’, was a US Top 30 hit in 1960 and paved the way for similar exemplary work with Irma Thomas, Aaron Neville and Ernie K-Doe. Such artists often recorded Toussaint’s songs, several of which were credited to his ‘Naomi Neville’ pseudonym. Toussaint’s work was not restricted...
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