Life Journey

Last updated
Life Journey
LeonRussellLifeJourney.jpg
Studio album by
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 is Leon's next to last album, as his death was 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

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blood, Sweat & Tears</span> American rock music band

Blood, Sweat & Tears is an American jazz rock music group founded in New York City in 1967, noted for a combination of brass with rock instrumentation. BS&T has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a wide range of musical styles. Their sound has merged rock, pop and R&B/soul music with big band jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Russell</span> American singer-songwriter

Leon Russell was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and roll, country, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, southern rock, blues rock, folk, surf and the Tulsa sound. His recordings earned six gold records and he received two Grammy Awards from seven nominations. In 2011, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

<i>Kamakiriad</i> 1993 studio album by Donald Fagen

Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan artist Donald Fagen, released in 1993. It was his first collaboration with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker since 1986, on Rosie Vela's album Zazu. Becker played guitar and bass and produced the album. The album is a futuristic, optimistic eight-song cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the Kamakiri. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1994.

<i>Elton John and Tim Rices Aida</i> 1999 soundtrack album by Various Artists

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida is a 1999 concept album that contains songs from, but predates the main production of, the 2000 musical Aida.

<i>Uta de Shika Ienai</i> 1991 studio album by Miyuki Nakajima

Uta de Shika Ienai (歌でしか言えない) is the 19th studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima, released in October 1991.

<i>The Rumour</i> (album)

The Rumour is the thirteenth studio album by Olivia Newton-John on 2 August 1988. The title track was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, features backing vocals and piano by John. The album featured the singles "The Rumour", "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed" and the Australian-only promo-single "It's Always Australia for Me", which was released for the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. This was also her first album not produced by long-time producer, John Farrar.

<i>Dlectrified</i> Album by Clint Black

D'lectrified is the eighth studio album by American country music singer Clint Black, released on September 28, 1999. It is also the first album in Black's career that he produced by himself.

<i>Chemistry</i> (Johnny Gill album) 1985 studio album by Johnny Gill

Chemistry is the second solo album by singer Johnny Gill. It was released on April 22, 1985.

<i>Travlin Light</i> (Queen Latifah album) 2007 studio album by Queen Latifah

Trav'lin' Light is the sixth studio album by American actress and hip-hop artist Queen Latifah. It was released through Verve Records on September 25, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra</span> American big band

The Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra is a big band led by Jeff Hamilton and brothers John Clayton and Jeff Clayton. The band was founded in Los Angeles in 1985.

<i>All This Love</i> (album) 1982 studio album by DeBarge

All This Love is the second studio album by DeBarge, released by Gordy Records on July 22, 1982.

<i>Numbers</i> (Rufus album) 1979 studio album by Rufus

Numbers is the seventh studio album by funk band Rufus, released on the ABC Records label in 1979. It was the band's first album without Chaka Khan on lead vocals. Instead, band members Tony Maiden and David "Hawk" Wolinski shared lead vocal duties, with additional female leads by Helen Lowe and Maxayne. The album reached #15 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart, #81 on Pop and included the single release "Keep It Together ".

<i>Bringing Back the Funk</i> 2008 studio album by Brian Culbertson

Bringing Back the Funk is a studio album by Brian Culbertson released in 2008 on GRP Records. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

<i>The Union</i> (Elton John and Leon Russell album) 2010 studio album by Elton John and Leon Russell

The Union is a collaboration studio album by singer-songwriters Elton John and Leon Russell, released on 19 October 2010 in the US and on 25 October in the UK. This is John's second collaboration album, after 1993's Duets. This is the first studio release by John since 1979's Victim of Love without any of his regular band members. It is also his highest charting studio album on the Billboard 200 since 1976's Blue Moves, debuting at No. 3, as well as Russell's highest charting studio album since 1972's Carney. The Union was No. 3 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010.

<i>Holiday for Swing</i> 2014 studio album by Seth MacFarlane

Holiday for Swing is the second studio album and first Christmas album by American actor and singer Seth MacFarlane, released by Republic Records on September 30, 2014. It is available on CD, vinyl and as a digital download. The album is a collection of Christmas songs and contains collaborations with artists including Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles. It also features Frank Sinatra's bassist Chuck Berghofer as well as a 65-piece orchestra. The album is the follow-up to MacFarlane's Grammy-nominated 2011 debut album Music Is Better Than Words. Like Music Is Better Than Words, Holiday for Swing was produced and conducted by film and television composer Joel McNeely.

<i>The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra</i> 2018 remix album by The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a 2018 album of remixed Beach Boys recordings with new orchestral arrangements performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It was produced by Nick Patrick and Don Reedman, who conducted similar projects for Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley.

<i>Americana</i> (Leon Russell album) 1978 studio album by Leon Russell

Americana is an album by singer and songwriter Leon Russell. The album peaked at number 115 on the US Billboard 200. The album was first released as a vinyl LP Album by Leon's new label Paradise Records. Americana was re-released on CD by Wounded Bird Records in 2007 and again in 2012 by Ais. The album was by produced by Leon Russell.

<i>One for the Road</i> (Willie Nelson and Leon Russell album) 1979 album by Willie Nelson and Leon Russell

One for the Road is an album by singers and songwriters Willie Nelson and Leon Russell, produced by the pair. The album was first released as a double vinyl LP by Columbia Records. The album was recorded in Leon's new facility, Paradise Studios in Burbank, California. The album peaked at No. 25 on the US Billboard 200 chart, No. 3 on US country albums chart, No. 28 on the Canada albums chart, No. 1 on the Canada country albums chart and No. 11 on the New Zealand albums chart. The album has gold certification for sales of over 500,000 albums in the US and Canada.

<i>In Your Dreams</i> (Leon Russell album) 2008 studio album by Leon Russell

In Your Dreams is an album by singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Leon Russell. Produced by Russell, the album was released on January 22, 2008, by his label, Leon Russell Records. The album was recorded in 2003, but not released until 2008. The song Big Lips, on In Your Dreams, Russell also included on his Life Journey Album released by Tommy LiPuma-produced in 2014. 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." In Leon's Life Journey album which also has Big Lips, Leon renewed his song writing after his 2010 collaboration album with Elton John, The Union.

Young was a Canadian rock music group led by Roger Plomish.They released a few singles and an album during the 1970s. They had success with "Goin' to the Country" which was a hit in both Canada and the United States. Their album also spent about 14 weeks in the charts. The group may have been working on a second album prior to their break up.

References