DVD Review: JJ Cale In Session at The Paradise Studios Los Angeles 1979 featuring Leon Russell Classic Pictures/Leon Russell Records DVD6003X
Here's a DVD from the laid back JJ Cale. He's so laid back, he's almost horizontal! This session was filmed at Leon Russell's Paradise Studios in 1979 and the quality of the image shows this isn't a freshly made tape. This recording might have been filmed on celluloid, it was 23 years ago! The image is quite alright however and the quality of the music is very good, as it is live in the studios with a very good band led by the irrepressible Leon Russell.
The studio session starts with Nowhere To Run after a small intro of T-Bone Shuffle . JJ coolly sings and plays his battered and hugely modified Harmony guitar whilst Leon Russell adds some fine Hammond work.
In between the tracks the play is occasionally interrupted with short takes with JJ Cale. This first clip was JJ explaining the drastic alterations to his old Harmony guitar. It's like something from the Mad Max movies!
The very familiar song Cocaine was next up and I thought it was a pleasant change hearing the composer sing his own song. After all, we've heard Eric Clapton sing it a thousand times! Eric sings it very well though.
The country blues style Ten Easy Lessons has JJ's easy-going rhythm style and great picking. The talented, if rather large, backing band provided JJ and Leon with a superb sound.
Leon Russell has been treading the boards for a long time, even in 1979! He introduces Sensitive Kind , a beautiful slow song in the typical style of JJ Cale. The DVD sounds great in Dolby 5:1 through my surround-sound TV and the sixth track Hands Off Her shows the sound quality best. It's a choppy rhythmic song with nice keyboards from Leon Russell. There is some special saxophone in there too.
Mr Cale's guitar introduced Louisiana . This isn't the popular Randy Newman song but it's a good song as can be expected from JJ Cale.
I was surprised to hear the Freddie King song; Going Down on this laid-back collection but the band plays this “Tulsa” style! It was a far more relaxed and featured some great piano from Leon.
The country and western Corrine Corrina is included with Leon Russell's strongly accented vocals and JJ and the band rollin' along with him. Which brings us to Roll On , a country/rock'n'roll 12 bar in the laid back style of Mr Cale.
Leon Russell then introduces No Sweat as a “rockabilly” 12 bar with no lyrics, just a hoot and a hollah here and there. It's just a workout but you could fit Ray Charles' lyrics to “Hear What I Say” over this progression with ease!
Carrying on in the same laid-back style are Crazy Mama and Fate of a Fool before JJ coolly plays a very attractive Stratocaster on the song Boiling Pot . JJ Cale makes guitar playing look very easy and on this track you can see how Mark Knopfler has been influenced. Good Song.
I had been waiting for this next song from the start; it's one of my all time favourites. I saw Maggie Bell sing After Midnight in the early seventies and I've loved it ever since! I've had affection for Maggie Bell too, come to mention it! On this DVD, JJ plays this super song with a cigarette burning in his picking hand and is so cool he could chill the polar ice cap! Bill Boatman's piano solo and Leon Russell's Hammond add even more substance to this quality song.
The DVD continues with
T-Bone Shuffle , Same Old Blues , and Don't Cry Sister Cry before Bill Boatman sang the very full-sounding Set Your Soul Free (Tell Me Who You Are). This big band set up reminds me of the Live Aid 1985 Santana band. There are plenty of musicians to provide a great groove. This band on the DVD are JJ Cale, Leon Russell, Bill Boatman, Christine Lakeland, Larry Bell, Marty Green Nick Ratner, Jimmy Karstein, and Ambrose Campbell.
The DVD also has five bonus tracks too. These being Call Me The Breeze (covered by Lynyrd Skinyrd) and Ever Lovin' Woman, Katy Kool Lady , and Don't Wait . These are available through the DVD menu. The main footage is 80 minutes of good and very relaxed music. JJ Cale fans will love it I'm sure.