Leon Russell - Leon Live (1973)

Some days ago, Leon Russell was inducted to the Hall of Fame by Elton John (whatever this sentence may mean since I'm not sure I know exactly what the hell it's about to induct someone to the Hall of Fame). A good opportunity to say here how, with Dr John and Al Kooper, this charismatic man was underrated over his career. Of course, it's his role next to Joe Cocker that gave him this special aura he's associated to, this so special look that I found so "rock 'n' roll" when I was 12 when actually it was not rock 'n' roll but gospel rock. In studio, Leon Russell never reached the intensity of his live sets (and actually was surely the less talented of the 3 for studio work). But on stage, he was able to put the room on fire only with his strange donald duck voice and his piano-à-là Jerry Lee Lewis. In this live 3 LP album, he closed his fame period, since then he'll try to touch to a wider variety of genres without the success he met with gospel rock. If the band is not as shaky as was the one playing on Mad Dogs and Englishmen, there is enough groove and excitation to make it a classic that I surprise myself to listen to very often, particularily when I don't know what to listen to and I'm not in a doom mood. Sometimes, Leon's band sounds as Mott the Hoople (pre-Bowie era). If there are many self-indulgent passages, there's enough here to make you dance all around the place in screaming the choruses with the choir. So c'mon for celebrating the old Leon here (1st part) and there (2nd part), when he (and we) was young and crazy. In streaming 2 great moments, "Roll Away The Stone" (nothing to do with the Mott's song) and the incredible version of Dylan's "It' All Over Now Baby Blue" that closes the concert.