Just a heads-up for anyone who's a fan of either of these men, and has HBO. They're currently running a documentary about the making of their joint album, "The Union," in 2010. The documentary is entitled "The Union," which is a very fortunate coincidence, because it makes it easier to remember! It's really a fascinating piece of work on a lot of levels. It provides a rare glimpse into how the collaborative process develops between two musical giants, woven together by a half century's worth of reminiscences and anecdotes by both men. People who aren't particularly familiar with how influential Russell was back in the day will learn a lot; John spends some time listing from memory some of the scores of albums Leon played on as a session musician, saying, "Of course, he won't ever tell you himself, you have to wheedle it out of him.... he's a quiet, humble man; or maybe he just has a terrible memory." I'm a huge Leon Russell fan, and I always knew he had his fingerprints all over half the vinyl that came out of LA during the 60s, but even I never knew that was him playing the piano on "Strangers In The Night." Very good stuff for anyone who has an interest in the music of that era. Keep an eye peeled, and enjoy!
