The rhumba-rocking rhythms of Roy "Professor Longhair" Byrd live on throughout Rhino's 40-track retrospective of the New Orleans icon's amazing legacy. Most of the seminal stuff arrives early on: "Bald Head," the rollicking ode cut for Mercury in 1950, is followed by a raft of classics from his 1949 and 1953 Atlantic dates ("Tipitina," "Ball the Wall," "Who's Been Fooling You"), the storming 1957 "No Buts, No Maybes," and "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" for Ebb, and his beloved "Go to the Mardi Gras" as waxed for Ron in 1959. The second disc is a hodgepodge of material from the Professor's '70s comeback, all of it wonderful in its own way but not as essential as the early work. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
Alvin Batiste (Sax (Tenor)), Jessica Smith (Vocals (Background)), Bruce Iglauer (Producer), Justin Adams (Guitar), James Austin (Compilation Producer), Alvin Batiste (Arranger), John Boudreaux (Drums), Will Harvey, Jr. (Bass), Rozalin Woods (Vocals (Background)), George Winston (Reissue Producer), Mac Rebennack (Guitar), Wardell Quezergue (Horn Arrangements), Alvin "Red" Tyler (Sax (Baritone)), Jim Moore (Sax (Baritone)), George Davis (Bass), Sidney Quezergue (Percussion), Sidney Quezergue (Shaker), Curtis Mitchell (Bass), Carl Blouin (Sax (Baritone)), Geoff Gans (Artwork), Snooks Eaglin (Guitar), Earl King (Whistle (Human)), Murray Nash (Producer), Nat Perrilliat (Sax (Tenor)), Jerry Jumonville (Sax (Baritone)), Robert Parker (Sax (Alto)), Shiba (Drums), Will Harvey (Guitar), John Stedman (Producer), Art Neville (Organ), Allen Toussaint (Piano (Electric)), Professor Longhair (Piano), Jeff Hannusch (Project Coordinator), Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Guitar), Johnny Vidacovich (Drums), Mac Rebennack (Piano (Electric)), Andy Kaslow (Sax (Tenor)), Richard Payne (Bass), Sevie Bates (Design), George Porter, Jr. (Bass), Tuts Washington (Piano (Upright)), Roland Byrd (Performer), Manuel Crusto (Sax (Tenor)), Frank Fields (Bass), Clarence Ford (Sax (Alto)), Charles "Hungry" Williams (Drums), Eddie Hines (Trombone), Leo Nocentelli (Guitar), Tuts Washington (Piano), Lee Allen (Sax (Tenor)), Wardell Quezergue (Arranger), Fred Staehle (Drums), George Porter, Jr. (Tambourine), David Lee Watson (Bass), Don Snowden (Liner Notes), Kevin Eggers (Producer), Steve Madaio (Trumpet), Earl King (Vocals), Charles Burbeck (Sax (Tenor)), Mac Rebennack (Vocals), Waldron "Frog" Joseph (Trombone), Jerry Wexler (Producer), Professor Longhair (Vocals), Andy Kaslow (Producer), Al Miller (Drums), Michael P. Smith (Photography), Edgar Blanchard (Bass), Walter Nelson (Guitar), Warren Bell (Sax (Alto)), Morris Bechamin (Sax (Tenor)), Roy Byrd (Piano), Wendell Eugene (Trombone), Emery Thompson (Trumpet), Ahmet Ertegun (Producer), Earl King (Whistle (Instrument)), Joe Assunto (Producer), Roy Byrd & His Blues Jumpers (Performer), Alfred "Uganda" Roberts (Conga), Tony Dagradi (Sax (Tenor)), Big Will Harvey (Guitar), Clyde Kerr (Trumpet), Steve Hodge (Reissue Producer), Frosty Horton (Reissue Producer), Earl Palmer (Drums), Julius Farmer (Bass), Joe Ruffino (Producer), Alvin Robinson (Guitar), Dr. John (Guitar), Alvin Batiste (Horn Arrangements), Ziggy Modeliste (Drums), David Lee (Drums), Eddie Nash (Trumpet), Smokey Johnson (Drums), Wendell Joseph (Trombone), Quint Davis (Producer), Willie Singleton (Trumpet), John Woodrow (Drums), Clarence Ford (Saxophone), Herb Abramson (Producer), Roy Montrell (Guitar), Roy Byrd (Vocals), Warren Bokes (Trombone), Roland Byrd (Vocals), Edward "Kidd" Jordan (Sax (Baritone)), Jerry Jumonville (Sax (Tenor)), Tom Sullivan (Producer), Bob Fisher (Remastering), Albert Goldman (Producer), Allison Kaslow (Producer), Jesse Smith (Vocals (Background))
