Elton John passes on pop record for a 'mature' sound

Elton John's upcoming collaboration with fellow pianist, session man, singer/songwriter Leon Russell will not be merely another pop record.

Billboard reports that the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" hitmaker held a record launch for his upcoming album "The Union" at the Electric Cinema in West London last night and told reporters, "I don't have to make pop records any more......The world isn't screaming for another Elton John record and I'm not screaming for it either unless it's going to be different."

Sir Elton has been a longtime fan of Russell who, along with working as session man for producer Phil Spector, and as a sidemen for the likes of Joe Cocker, and the Beach Boys, has also penned such classic songs as "Delta Lady" and "This Masquerade."

The hardworking British superstar has also acquired the help of legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Neil Young, organist Booker T Jones, guitarist Marc Ribot, drummer Jim Keltner and long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin in his quest for finding a more "mature" sound on the new release.

If the album is a success, John said he hopes make another album with his idol Russell and tour with him in 2011.

"The Union" will hit stores on Oct. 19 in the North America on Decca Records, and Oct. 25 in the U.K. on Mercury.

da latimesblogs.latimes.com del 22 luglio 2010

First listen: Elton John, Leon Russell and T Bone Burnett unveil 'The Union' in Santa Monica

But in recent years he’s also been on a special mission to turn the spotlight on veteran artists who never got the attention he and other pop stars received, a key reason he dreamed up the Sundance Channel music interview and performance series “Spectacle,” and persuaded his friend Elvis Costello to take on the job as host.

That mission is front and center with “The Union,” his forthcoming duet album with fellow piano-pounding rocker Leon Russell, to whom John doffed his cap during the first episode of “Spectacle.”

John, Russell and the album’s producer, T Bone Burnett, invited a few friends, family members and journalists for a preview of the project in a playback session earlier this week at the West Los Angeles studio where they recorded it.

John didn’t waste a moment telling the audience of about two dozen people how much this one means to him. He prefaced the music with a touching story of how much he’d idolized Russell, the Oklahoma-born pianist, singer, songwriter and producer who had toiled for years as a highly regarded session player before coming into his own as a performer and bandleader in the late-’60s and early-'70s. That’s when Russell fronted Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen touring band and then the all-star conglomeration that George Harrison assembled for the Concert for Bangladesh.

“All I wanted for Leon,” John said, “is to have, in his later life, the accolades that seem to have been missing for him in the last 35 years. I want his name written in stone. I want him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I want his name to be on everybody’s lips again, like it used to be. So we made this record.”

At the playback, John took the lead, sitting in front of the 96-channel mixing board, energetically pounding air piano and drums along with the various tracks -- songs with touches of country, blues and gospel woven into some of the most mainstream-sounding rock that Burnett has shepherded.

Russell, who had undergone a 5½-hour brain surgery operation to relieve a chronic condition shortly before the recording sessions began, sat at the back of the control booth, his flowing white hair and beard cascading over a recliner chair he relaxed in while occasionally fingering left-hand piano runs. Burnett also attended, along with Recording Academy President Neil Portnow, KCRW music director Jason Bentley, keyboardist-composer James Newton Howard and some of the musicians who played on the album, including drummers Jim Keltner (who played in Russell’s band in the ’70s) and Burnett regular Jay Bellerose.

The album is slated for release Oct. 19, and features songs written by John, his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, Russell and Burnett. John also noted that the sessions were filmed by Cameron Crowe, but John’s spokeswoman said a decision hasn’t been made as to how that footage might be used.

-- Randy Lewis    

Elton John and Leon Russell

The Union is the new album by Elton John and Leon Russell, a collaboration inspired during a conversation Elton had with Elvis Costello on the tv program Spectacle where he detailed the profound influence the Oklahoman had on his music in the early 70s. Today, the pair are also announcing two concert dates, starting October 19 at the Beacon Theater in New York.  The album comes out on October 25, and then there is another show at the Hollywood Palladium on November 3.   They’re probably the smallest venues Elton John has played in a long time, and I think the album and shows will start a new career renaissance, or as the man once said, “another burst” (after “Tiny Dancer” appeared in Almost Famous).

The album features 14 songs, and was produced by the red-hot T-Bone Burnett in collaboration with its principals.  While this is the first recording they have made together, the relationship goes back to the early 70s, when they met during Elton John’s legendary Troubadour stint.  Neil Young and Brian Wilson contribute background vocals, and musicians on the album include Booker T. Jones and Robert Randolph. Having heard the album, I can tell you it lives up to its heavy billing. Hear the first single after the jump!

Sir Elton John is one of the greatest artists I have been honored to be in the orbit of, and the same applies to the great Leon Russell. Each is one of the closest friends and collaborators of two of my mentors, John Barbis and Willie Nelson. Of course, most of Willie’s talents are well-known, but Mr. Barbis, one of the most influential people in the music business, is a behind the scenes guy, and you will never meet a more supportive, cool, reliable person, with a leader’s economy of communication.

To use his words, “he gets it.” He understands music, the business, the personalities and how things get done. The occupation of “record guy” has taken a beating in the past ten years, but the rare mix of skills and experience that enable artists and executives to navigate a confusing and ultra-competitive landscape are what define the profession.  Artists and managers can be shy about expressing their feelings for us sometimes, but I was blown away to hear a song at the conclusion of this exceptional album where Leon Russell pays tribute to him (and Elton).

The Hands of Angels by Leon Russell

“Johnny and the Governor
came and brought me to my senses
the made me feel like a King
made me lose all my bad defenses
and they knew all the places
I needed to go
All of the people
I needed to know
They knew who I needed
And who needed me
And who would come to help me
And who would just let me be”

The Union, which includes various songwriting collaborations between Elton and Leon, joined by the equally immortal Bernie Taupin, is a great album that only seems to just scratch the surface of what these two can do together, and I’m pleased to include the first single “If It Wasn’t for Bad” here for your listening pleasure.