Storyville is Robbie Robertson's second solo album. It is focused on the famous jazz homeland section of New Orleans and on that part of the South in general. He contributed one song ("Breakin' the Rules") to Wim Wenders' soundtrack to his 1991 film, Until the End of the World.
Music & Media reported that Storyville had sold 10,000 copies during its first week, with this figure rising to 15,000 units by the middle of October 1991. Geffen Records primarily promoted the album through print media, with Robertson also conducting an interview on Pandoras Jukebox in Norway, which represented the only television promotion that Robertson did in that country.
In 2005 the album was reissued together with Robbie Robertson as 2CD in an expanded edition, both with two bonus tracks. Cover photography by Syndey Byrd, Art Directed by Mark Andresen.
Contents
Track listing
All songs written by Robbie Robertson unless otherwise indicated.
"Night Parade" – 5:05
"Hold Back the Dawn" – 5:25
"Go Back to Your Woods" (Robertson, Bruce Hornsby) – 4:48 produced by Robertson and Gersh
"Soap Box Preacher" – 5:17
"Day of Reckoning (Burnin for You)" (Robertson, David Ricketts) – 6:43
"What About Now" (Robertson, Ivan Neville) – 5:08
"Shake This Town" – 5:21
"Breakin the Rules" – 5:48
"Resurrection" – 5:18
"Sign of the Rainbow" (Robertson, Martin Page) – 5:24 produced by Robertson, Hague and Page
Bonus tracks on the 2005 expanded edition:
"Storyville" – 1:10 previously unreleased Storyville outtake
"The Far, Lonely Cry of Trains" – 2:51
Personnel
Robbie Robertson – vocals, acoustic guitar on 4, 6, electric guitar, organ on 4
Jerry Marotta – drums on 1, 4, 6, 10, percussion on 10
Guy Pratt – bass on 1, 2, 6, 9
Bill Dillon – guitar on 1–2, 4–5, 7 & 9, mandolin on 4
Alex Acuña – percussion on 1–2, 5–6 & 9
Paul Moore – keyboard on 2, 5, 8 & 10, drum programming on 8
Additional personnel
Ronnie Foster – Hammond organ on 1
Code Blue (see below) – backing vocals on 1, 3 & 7
Wardell Quezergue – horn arrangement on 1, 3–4 & 8–9
Horn Section #1 (see below) – horns on 1, 4 & 9
Billy Ward – drums on 2
Stephen Hague – keyboards on 2 & 7, keyboard bass on 4, programming on 7
Rick Danko – backing vocals on 2
Russell Batiste, Jr. – drums on 3
George Porter Jr. – bass guitar & backing vocals on 3
Leo Nocentelli – rhythm guitar on 3
Art Neville – organ on 3, backing vocal on 3
Bruce Hornsby – keyboards on 3, backing vocal on 3
Cyril Neville – percussion on 3
Big Chief Bo Dollis of the Wild Magnolias of Mardi Gras Indians – backing vocal & on 3, chant on 3
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux of the Golden Eagles of Mardi Gras Indians – backing vocal & chant on 3
Horn Section #2 (see below) – horns on 3 & 8
Ronald Jones – drums on 4 & 8
Garth Hudson – keyboards on 4, 7 & 9
Horn Section #1 (arranged by Wardell Quezergue)
Warren Bell – soprano saxophone
Duane Van Paulin – trombone
Stacey Cole – trumpet
Amadee Castenell – tenor saxophone
Fred Kemp – tenor saxophone
Horn Section #2 (arranged by Wardell Quezergue)
Amadee Castenell – tenor saxophone
Duane Van Paulin – trombone
Carl Blouin – baritone saxophone
Anthony Dagardi – soprano saxophone
Brian Graber – trumpet
Horn Section #3 (arranged by Mark Isham)
Mark Isham – trumpet, flugelhorn
Ken Kugler – trombone
Richard Mitchell – tenor saxophone
Dan Higgins – alto saxophone
John J. Mitchell – bass clarinet
Code Blue
Yadonna Wise
Dorene Wise
Rebirth Brass Band
Roderick Paulin
Keith Frazier
Keith Anderson
Glen Andrews
Stafford Agee
Ajay Mallery
Philip Frazier
Kermit Ruffins
Zion Harmonizers
Joseph Warrick
Louis Jones
Nolan Washington
Willie Williams
Howard Bowie
Charts
Album
Single