Wednesday November 17th
The Return Of
Leon Russell
$40 GENERAL ADMISSION
$55 RESERVED SEATING
doors@ 7:30 PM
Show @ 8 PM
The many talents of Russell include that of singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, entrepreneur, record company executive and multi-instrumentalist. While he tasted great honors as a solo star in the early 70s, it is his all-round contribution, much of it in the background, that has made him a vitally important figure in rock music for more than 30 years.
Russell's impressive career began, having already mastered piano and trumpet as a child, when he played with Ronnie Hawkins and Jerry Lee Lewis in the late 50s. He has appeared on hundreds of major singles across the music spectrum, playing with a wide variety of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Herb Alpert and Paul Revere. He formed his own unit, Asylum Choir, in 1968, together with Marc Benno, and formed a cultist duo that was a commercial disaster. He befriended Delaney And Bonnie and created the famous Mad Dogs And Englishmen tour, which included Joe Cocker. Cocker recorded Russell's "Delta Lady" during this time, with great success. Russell founded his own label, Shelter Records, with UK producer Denny Cordell and released his self-titled debut in 1970, which received unanimous critical approbation. His own session players included Steve Winwood, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Ringo Starr. Following further session work, including playing with Bob Dylan and Dave Mason, he appeared at the historic Concert For Bangla Desh in 1971.
In 1977, Leon was awarded a Grammy for his song "This Masquerade", which made the US Top 10 the previous year for George Benson. A partnership with Willie Nelson produced a superb country album in 1979. The single "Heartbreak Hotel" topped the US country chart, endorsing Russell's acceptance as a country singer. An excursion into bluegrass resulted in the 1981 live set with the New Grass Revival. Following Hank Wilson Vol. II in 1984, Russell became involved with his own video production company. Russell spent the remainder of the decade largely outside of music and did not resurface until issuing the Bruce Hornsby produced Anything Can Happen in 1992
If there were such a trophy, he would be a contender for the "most outstanding
all-round contribution to rock" music award.
Dave Keyes
Pianist and bandleader Dave Keyes is a fixture on the New York City scene, but his spiritual roots are in the Southern sounds of blues, soul and classic boogie-woogie — as evidenced by his 3rd and latest release, Covered in Blue on Keyesland Music. Covered In Blue is a rambunctious set of mostly-original material that ranges from New Orleans second-line funk to slow, sensual blues, and swaggering shuffles.
The last two years have been exciting ones for Dave Keyes and his razor sharp band. In January 2000, the band won the Blues Foundation's International Blues Competition defeating 53 other bands from around the country and winning the proclamation for the Dave Keyes band as the best unsigned blues band in the country. Recent Festival appearances have included the King Biscuit Blues Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, and Lugano Switzerland's Blues to Bop Festival among many others. The band was also the house band for the nationally syndicated TV morning variety show The Ainsley Harriott Show seen on NBC by one million households throughout the country 5
days a week.
Dave has also backed up such roots-music masters as Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Sleepy LaBeef, Big Joe Turner, Percy Sledge, Carla Thomas, Big Jay McNeely, Eddy Clearwater, Deborah Coleman Tracy Nelson and Ruth Brown, to name just a few — both on the road, and in the studio. He has also accompanied such diverse artists as Gladys Knight, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Pam Tillis, David Johansen, Tanya Tucker, James Carr, Darlene Love and Billy Vera. In addition Dave worked as the pianist and conductor for the popular Broadway production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe, featuring the music of legendary songsmiths Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Keyes also appears on the show’s Grammy-winning soundtrack album.
