Roots

Quite possibly the most consummate of New Orleans musicians, Dr John's (right) musical education began in his childhood in the early 1940s, when he accompanied his father to blues clubs. By the time he was 17, he was working as a session musician, but come the 1960s he was fusing his beloved New Orleans rhythms with emerging West Coast psychedelia, resulting in the creation of a character called Dr John Creaux, The Night Tripper. From then to now, Dr John has worked with a wide range of artists, from Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger to Primal Scream, Spiritualized and Supergrass.

His latest album, Duke Elegant, is a superb homage to the works of Duke Ellington. Dr John plays Dublin's HQ Hall of Fame next Friday and Saturday.