eShop USA > Music > Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
List Price: $11.98Our Price: $10.99 You Save: $0.99 ( 8%)Prices subject to change.
Customer Reviews
Rating:  - CLASSICALLY BRILLIANT -- LEON SHINES!!!
Leon Russell is and has always been true to his music. Over his career he has played countless instruments including piano, keyboards, organ, harpsichord, trumpet, guitar, bass, synthesizer, and more. He has written a plethora of songs. And there are golden treasures found here.
One of the best known and perhaps most brilliant of his songs is "A Song For You". This was a big hit for the Carpenters in 1972. A big nod to Leon, it was also the name of their LP. Everyone from Bing Crosby to Joe Cocker to Willie Nelson to Nancy Wilson, plus a long list of famous names (I lost count after 70 artists) have recorded this one. Leon sings this one from the heart.
"Delta Lady" was huge on the charts for Joe Cocker in 1969. By that year, Leon Russell was also Joe Cocker's musical director. While not the only singer who has performed this stirring number, Joe performs this one with Leon on the "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" dvd. This song is included on many of Joe's cds and he sings it at every live concert appearance. Leon sings this one with passion.
"Hummingbird" is a rich blues song which blues giant B.B. King recorded a duet with the legendary and gifted Dionne Warwick. Leon sings this one deeply raw from his soul.
"Roll Away The Stone" is a rousing, honky-tonk song. From the opening with Leon on piano you had better fasten your seat belt! Leon sings this one with electrifying energy. (Go, Leon, Go!)
To say that music is Leon Russell's life would be an understatement. He lives, breathes, and feels the music in his very soul. Much more than a singer-songwriter, he has produced, arranged, and played a wide variety of instruments for a wide variety of musical artists.
Yet, sadly, his career has gone unnoticed by the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. And how can this be? He has worked with so many gifted people in the industry. From Sinatra to Streisand to Spector to Ike & Tina Turner to the Rolling Stones, Leon Russell is a talented man that knows no limits in his lyrics and in his music. Thankfully there is a crusade out there to get him inducted. And the more who join the crusade, the better!
One of his best albums ever recorded, don't leave this out of your collection of pop, rock, and blues. Bless you and thank you, Leon, for sharing your music with the world! (May you be deservedly inducted to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame soon.)
Rating: - Metamorpho's Still Living in the Blackboard Jungle with his Elvis Presley Hair....
I was tormented last night by a nightmare of thanksgiving turkeys past pursuing your poor Metamorpho with hatchets. It was not pleasant. Luckily I morphed into a 40 foot parade balloon to escape. I was fortunate that turkeys can't fly too high. From that point, though, I somehow got trapped inside a pin factory. I won't tell you the result of that. No, instead I am here to review Leon.
This was his debut album and, in many ways, still stands as a high watermark in his career. Pretty considerable some 30 plus years on. I think that ol' cajun blues rock oozes gusto on many tracks. And it certainly doesn't hurt to have quality musicians who add the correct amount of spice to use backing this talented musician. And what of Leon? He is the master of elocution of delta dixie drawl. It is unmistakable-it is distinctive - and totally unique to Leon. Just listening to him bend vowels and accent lyrics with that inflection is part of the joy of this music.
He begins with the excellent "A Song for You". He keeps it simple with piano and light background. This is certainly one of the finest ballads in popular music. But after this, lets free creative energy to light a Mississippi river boat. We get the rockin' southern good time with "Dixie Lullaby", the bluesy "Hurt Somebody", the rave ups of "I Put a Spell On You" and "Give Peace a Chance". But he mixes it up with the sweet, lovely ode of "Hummingbird". Nice changes in that song with glorious ending with female backup. Nice.
All songs here are distinctive, memorable and so very well done. My favorites here are "Shootout On the Plantation" with the keyboard and bass charging up my sleeping brain cells and "Roll Away the Stone" a jaunting and satisfying plea against loneliness. But, no nevermind my preferences- there is somehere here for everyone. Nice nourishment for your soul.
In closing -another triumph of space and time courtesy of Leon. I believe things work or don't work according to the time window in which they appear. This one was released exactly at the right time and, forever, will always be the right time no matter where you are at.
Now back to preparing my Thanksgiving dinner. Just so you know - it will be turkey dinner space packets given to me by an astronaut friend of mine. It's nutritional and is synthetically flavored. I can't afford another nightmare as stated earlier. Let them go after Lizzie Borden instead. (!). Til next time.....
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!--- another hatchet job by- your Metamorpho
Rating: - Second Favorite Studio Release
I love this album for the same reasons I rated Shelter People (see my review) my favorite Leon studio release. Buy the CD you will not be dissapointed. Leon is the Master... I remember when the Mad Dogs film was released. We really did not understand Joe's gyrations (loved the music though) and patiently waited for each and every appearance of Leon. Sorry Joe.
If you have a CD burner buy every studio release of Leon's that has songs covered on Leon Live and burn those songs in same order as Leon Live to CD. You do not get all the songs but it is a really cool listening experience and alot easier to keep up with.
Rating: - The Master of Time and Space
I didn't discover this album until about 5 years ago. I heard him on Mad Dogs and Englishmen but had not thought of buying his solo albums.
This is his debut solo album and its great.
This isn't surprising since the list of guest musicians is a whos who from the 60s and 70s:
George Harrison
Eric Clapton
Steve Winwood
Chris Stainton
Klaus Voorman
Bobby Whitlock
etc...
The star though is Leon himself.
I've got to honest here, his voice may not be to everybodys taste, but I like it.
A Song For you has been covered by many people - this remains the best version.
Delta Lady is better known for the Joe Cocker version - but its Leon's song and this is great version.
Shoot out on the Plantation features Leon's distinctive Piano work (as indeed a lot of the album does) and is my favourite track. This and Dixie Lullaby are great rock 'n' roll tracks.
Theres also some great Gospel influnced Rock on this album. Such as Give Peace a Chance (this is not the Lennon song).
In the same way I Put a Spell on You is not the song Nina Simone made famous. Leon wrote all the material except the bonus track which is a slightly odd Dylan cover.
This is the album I have played the most over the last few years and at the moment I show no signs of getting bored with it!
Rating: - Leon Russell and the Shelter people
Not many studio albums ever made make you feel like you are at a live concert. This is a true gem. Great piano!!!!!
Featured Listmania!
| |
 |
