Album: Dr John, Tribal (Proper Recordings)

Dr John in mellow mood, closer in temperature to Steely Dan than to the album's dedicatee, Bobby Charles – snakey, low, hip and perhaps a little jazzier than you might have reason to expect.

The Lower 911 is a musicianly quartet and they're augmented by a small cast of bolt-ons, plus the writing of Allen Toussaint and the aforementioned Mr Charles. And those are never bad things. But the restrained chamber-funk vibe needs better songs than these to get mojos working. Tastefully enjoyable but not stirring.