Prior to his
Elton John-endorsed career resurrection via the 2010 duet album The Union,
Leon Russell cranked out self-released oddities to little notice. Once The Union again made
Russell a draw, there was little chance that he would revive his MIDI keyboards, and
Life Journey indeed stays far, far away from those cramped, tinny settings, preferring to revive the loose-limbed, woolly Tulsan rock & roll that made his reputation. Working with
Tommy LiPuma -- a veteran producer who had never recorded with
Russell but who helmed many successful jazz sessions, including
George Benson's Grammy-winning
Breezin' --
Russell primarily sticks to standards, whether they're by
Robert Johnson,
Hoagy Carmichael, or
Billy Joel, and that's how it should be. Although he's a fine songwriter, as evidenced here by his two originals -- "Big Lips" and "Down in Dixieland," raucous numbers both --
Russell is a stylist, bending songs to fit his swinging piano and slow drawl. He may occasionally follow a straight line with a ballad but he knows how to draw out the phrases on "That Lucky Old Sun," finding an unexpected contour in familiar melody, and he finds funk in "Come On in My Kitchen" while tearing up "Fever" and leaving "New York State of Mind" as a splashy big-band celebration of the Big Apple. 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 -- and
LiPuma is a perfect match for this celebratory approach. Where The Union occasionally veered toward the austere,
Life Journey is robust and soulful, emphasizing the raggedness of
Russell's voice and smooth boogie in his playing. It's a joyous thing to hear, a record that recaptures much of the magic of
Leon's Shelter records without being fussy. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine