Life Journey

Last updated

Life Journey
LeonRussellLifeJourney.jpg
Studio album by
Leon Russell
ReleasedApril 1, 2014
Recorded2013–2014
Studio Capitol (Hollywood)
Genre Rock, blues rock
Length48:13
Label Universal Records
Producer Tommy LiPuma, Elton John
Leon Russell chronology
The Union
(2010)		Life Journey
(2014)		 On a Distant Shore
(2017)
Professional ratings
Allmusic Best of 2014
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg

Life Journey is an album by singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Leon Russell produced by Tommy LiPuma (with Elton John credited as executive producer) released on April 1, 2014. It was recorded in 2013 and 2014. In this album, Russell renewed his songwriting after his 2010 collaboration album with John, The Union . Leon has two original songs on the album, "Big Lips" and "Down in Dixieland".

Contents

Leon Russell took this ‘Life Journey’ on tour in 2014 and 2015. Touring with him was multi-instrumentalist Beau Charron, longtime bassist Jackie Wessel and drummer Brandon Holder. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Life Journey was the last album by Russell to be released before his death in November 2016. On a Distant Shore, recorded in 2016 and released on September 22, 2017, was Leon's last album. [5] [6] [7] [8] Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra played on "Georgia On My Mind", "I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good", and "New York State Of Mind." [9]

Reception

The album received general positive reviews. Rock critic Nick DeRiso wrote: "Nothing quite matches Russell interpreting Russell, as heard on Big Lips — which also features Chris Simmons on slide, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and Willie Weeks on bass." [10] [11] AllMusic reviewer, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, wrote about the album: "This small list suggests how Life Journey touches upon much of the music Russell has sung over the years -- it's heavy on R&B, blues, jazz, and swing, but strangely lacking in much country." AllMusic rated the Life Journey album as one of the Best of 2014. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Track listing

  1. "Come On in My Kitchen" – Robert Johnson 2:20
  2. "Big Lips" – Leon Russell 3:12
  3. "Georgia on My Mind" – Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell 4:52
  4. "That Lucky Old Sun" – Haven Gillespie and Beasley Smith 4:09
  5. "Fever" – Eddie Cooley and John Davenport 4:19
  6. "Think of Me" – Mike Reid 3:28
  7. "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" – Duke Ellington and Paul Francis Webster 4:29
  8. "The Masquerade Is Over" – Herb Magidson and Allie Wrubel 5:44
  9. "I Really Miss You" – Paul Anka 4:12
  10. "New York State of Mind" – Billy Joel 5:27
  11. "Fool's Paradise" – Johnny Fuller, Bob Geddins and Dr. David Rosenbaum 2:54
  12. "Down in Dixieland" – Leon Russell - 3:07

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Leon Russell Tours ‘Life Journey’ in Hawaii, Ppcorn.com
  2. ↑ Seattle Times, Fabled side man Leon Russell takes center stage, by Gene Stout, Seattletimes.com, April 17, 2015
  3. ↑ Graff, Gary (March 25, 2014). "Leon Russell, 'Fever': Exclusive Song Premiere". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Leon Russell Discusses His Career and New Album 'Life Journey'". Aarp.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  5. ↑ "On a Distant Shore - Leon Russell | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Leon Russell". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  7. ↑ Iasimone, Ashley (November 13, 2016). "Leon Russell Passed Away in His Sleep at Home, Wife Says". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Leon Russell Interview Transcript, 2014". Artofthesong.org. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  9. ↑ "LEON RUSSELL - LIFE JOURNEY | Cheeky Monkey Sarnia - Record Store". Cheekymonkeysarnia.ca. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  10. ↑ DeRiso, Nick (April 15, 2014). "Leon Russell, "Big Lips" from Life Journey (2014): One Track Mind". Somethingelsereviews.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Nick DeRiso". Ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Life Journey - Leon Russell | Album". AllMusic . Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  13. ↑ Walters, Barry (April 1, 2014). "Life Journey". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Leon Russell' "Life Journey" / a RootsWorld review of World Music". Rootsworld.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  15. ↑ Patterson, Rob (May 1, 2014). "Leon Russell: "Life Journey"". Lonestarmusicmagazine.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Preview: Life Journey - Leon Russell, February 20, 2014". Vintagevinylnews.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  17. ↑ Doyle, Patrick (February 19, 2014). "Leon Russell Covers Billy Joel on New LP". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.