Master of Space and Time

Remember my blog about Woodstock?  I'm going back to Woodstock again to start today's blog.  When the Original Soundtrack LP of Woodstock was originally released, it was a relatively expensive multi-album record.  I was a poor, unemployed 14-year old and could not afford it.  I would go over to Dyer's Pharmacy & Soda Fountain, walk to the back of the store where they had a small rack of record albums for sale, lift a copy of Woodstock out of the bin, and stare at it.  Its now iconic cover of the embracing hippie couple covered in the blanket really caught my interest.  I would read the list of musicians and try to imagine how great the live performances of some of my favorite songs must be.  The Who playing songs from Tommy, and Jimi Hendrix playing "Purple Haze".  I had to own it.  But it was not within our budget, and my mother said, "you're not bringing that trash into our house...those hippies were all naked and taking drugs...that's no way to live".  It was taboo.  I had to have it.

A young waitress named Mary Lou working with my mother at the Dairy Mart fast-food emporium heard that I was longing to hear the Woodstock album.  She said that she had bought it and I could come over and listen to it.  That very first listen was amazing.  I expected that Hendrix and the Who and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Sly and the Family Stone would be great.  They did not disappoint.  The surprises were Santana and Joe Cocker.  I had never heard either of those artists before, and I immediately became enthralled with their unique styles and powerful performances.

Joe Cocker, in particular, did a one-of-a-kind version of the Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends" that absolutely floored me.  In fact, it still sends chills down my spine today.  The performance was transcendant.  From that first listen, I became an instant Joe Cocker fan, and would continue to follow his discography.  A few years later, Joe Cocker released a double live album called Mad Dogs and Englishmen.  By that time, I had a job, could make independent decisions on how to spend my money, bought it, and began listening to it.  I drove my family completely nuts playing it over and over and over.  Inside the album cover was a picture of one of the musicians in Joe Cocker's band.  His name was Leon Russell and underneath his picture were the words "MASTER OF SPACE AND TIME".  I thought that was funny but I had no idea who the guy was or why he merited the title of Master of Space and Time.

On Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Leon Russell plays mostly piano, some guitar and provides some vocals, but largely has a supporting role, leaving the showmanship to Joe Cocker.  I noticed that he wrote the song, "Superstar", sung on the album by Rita Coolidge.  Later that song would become a major hit record for the Carpenters.  And if you've seen the movie Juno, you know that Sonic Youth's version of "Superstar" was also pretty cool.  Leon Russell is a great songwriter, a great session musician, and an awesome piano player. I began to learn that while listening to Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

The rest, as they say, is history.  I started following Leon Russell's solo career and watched as he played alongside George Harrison, Badfinger, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan at the Concert for Bangladesh.  In fact, over the years, Leon Russell has recorded with George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, B.B. King, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Glen Campbell, Eric Clapton, J.J. Cale, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, both Edgar & Johnny Winter, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra, and even Bobby "Boris" Pickett.  Leon Russell's masterpiece "A Song For You" has been covered by multitudes of recording artists and it won a Grammy Award for George Benson.  His duet of "Heartbreak Hotel" with Willie Nelson made it to #1 on the Country Music chart, and you might remember "Tightrope" which made it to #11 on the Billboard chart, or "Back to the Island", which is now frequently covered by Jimmy Buffett in concert.

Leon is 67 years old, still touring honky-tonks, and still rockin' the house.  He has certainly earned the title of Master of Space and Time.  Go hear him play, and be prepared for greatness, and for a very good time.  If he's not playing anywhere near you, pick up copies of  Carney and Leon Russell & the Shelter People.  You will be glad you did.