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Connected
Studio album by Allen Toussaint
Released	1996
Studio	Sea-Saint Studios
Genre	Jazz, funk
Label	NYNO
Producer	Allen Toussaint, Clarence "Reginald" Toussaint
Allen Toussaint chronology
Mr. New Orleans (1994) Connected (1996) A New Orleans Christmas (1997)

Connected is an album by the American musician Allen Toussaint, released in 1996. It was released through NYNO Records, a label cofounded by Toussaint, and was his first new album in almost 20 years. Toussaint supported the album with a North American tour.

Production

Produced by Toussaint, the album was recorded at his Sea-Saint Studios, with his son, Reginald, contributing as Connected's engineer. The album is a collection of original songs written by Toussaint. Toussaint had been working on the album for many years; he was prodded by Reginald to finish it.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called the album "a sometimes rollicking, sometimes touching, always first-rate collection of love songs." Newsday wrote that Connected "mixes laid-back New Orleans rhythms with a sweet, smooth pop sound ... In addition to several ballads and some jazz-funk tunes, there is one distinctly '90s touch: 'Computer Lady', a sly ode to online romance." Robert Christgau singled out "Computer Lady" for praise.

The Washington Post panned Toussaint's "dull voice that has a cramped range," but thought that "there are a few gems among the new tunes, most notably the ballads 'If I Leave' and 'Sweet Dreams'." The Dallas Morning News opined that "the album's best tracks—'Do the Do', 'Funky Bars', 'All of It'—rekindle the jazzy New Orleans funk he helped invent in the mid-'60s with Art Neville and other future members of the Meters." The Boston Herald listed Connected as one of the 10 best albums of 1996, deeming it "timeless piano funk."

AllMusic called the album "fresh new funk and roll from the city where American music has always stretched to new levels."

Track listing

References

1. "Allen Toussaint Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
2. Buckley, Peter (October 16, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides.
3. "Allen Toussaint". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021.
4. Strauss, Neil (9 May 1996). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C17.
5. Dollar, Steve (13 June 1997). "Allen Toussaint". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. P4.
6. Shuster, Fred (12 July 1996). "Sounds Like New Orleans: These Days, Allen Toussaint More 'Connected' Than Ever". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L18.
7. Verna, Paul (Jun 29, 1996). "Connected". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 26. p. 79.
8. ^ "Recording Review". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 8 Sep 1996. p. G8.
9. Gundersen, Edna (1 May 1996). "At Jazzfest, age affords respect". USA Today. p. 7D.
10. ^ "Connected". AllMusic.
11. ^ "Allen Toussaint". Robert Christgau.
12. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 227.
13. MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 570.
14. Lipp, Marty (26 July 1996). "Spreading Around That Bayou Beat". Newsday. p. B23.
15. Himes, Geoffrey (7 August 1996). "Bounty of Blue Notes; Toussaint Puts the Big Easy in the Spotlight". The Washington Post. p. C7.
16. Christensen, Thor (May 23, 1996). "The patience of Toussaint – Modest artist is New Orleans' best-kept secret". The Dallas Morning News. p. 5C.
17. Katz, Larry (December 20, 1996). "Larry Katz's top 10". Scene. Boston Herald.

• Allen Toussaint albums
• 1996 albums