FreeFreight Is Available. Click for Details
Audio Samples
Heaven [Live in Japan, 1973]Over the Rainbow/God Put a Rainbow [Live in Japan, 1973]Queen of the Roller Derby [Live in Japan, 1973]Roll Away the Stone [Live in Japan, 1973]Tight Rope [Live in Japan, 1973]Sweet Emily [Live in Japan, 1973]Alcatraz [Live in Japan, 1973]You Don't Have to Go [Live in Japan, 1973]Song for You/Of Thee I Sing/Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms [Live in Japan, 1973], AAlcatraz [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Stranger in a Strange Land [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Groupie (Superstar) [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Roll Over Beethoven [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Blues Power/Shoot Out on the Plantation/As the Years Go Passing By/The Woman I Love [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Jumpin' Jack Flash [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Of Thee I Sing/Yes I Am [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Track List
Heaven [Live in Japan, 1973]Over the Rainbow/God Put a Rainbow [Live in Japan, 1973]Queen of the Roller Derby [Live in Japan, 1973]Roll Away the Stone [Live in Japan, 1973]Tight Rope [Live in Japan, 1973]Sweet Emily [Live in Japan, 1973]Alcatraz [Live in Japan, 1973]You Don't Have to Go [Live in Japan, 1973]Song for You/Of Thee I Sing/Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms [Live in Japan, 1973], AAlcatraz [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Stranger in a Strange Land [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Groupie (Superstar) [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Roll Over Beethoven [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Blues Power/Shoot Out on the Plantation/As the Years Go Passing By/The Woman I Love [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Jumpin' Jack Flash [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Of Thee I Sing/Yes I Am [Live in Houston, 1971] - (previously unreleased)Album Notes
Personnel: Leon Russell (vocals, piano); Rev. Patrick Henderson (vocals, piano); Joey Cooper, Wayne Perkins (guitar, background vocals); John Gallie (organ); Chuck Blackwell (drums); Ambrose Campbell (congas); Nettie Davenport, Delrose Allen, Charlene Foster, Carolyn Cook (background vocals).
Audio Remixer: Suenori Fukui.
Liner Note Authors: Steve Todoroff; Patrick Henderson.
Recording information: Bodokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan (04/22/1971); Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX (04/22/1971); Bodokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan (11/08/1973); Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX (11/08/1973).
Director: Takashi Kitazawa.
Photographers: Jan Persson; Jun Miyajima.
Released roughly a year after Leon Russell performed an unlikely mainstream comeback with the assistance of Elton John, the 2011 disc Live in Japan contains a wealth of live performances from Russell at his peak. The first section of the record was indeed recorded at Budokan in Japan while Leon was on tour in 1973, running through hits like "Tight Rope," folding "A Song for You" into a medley, and generally rocking like a madman. The second section is taken from a 1971 show from Houston, recordings that are rowdier and rougher, both in performance and audio. Even if this is a bit of a ragged, woolly comp, it has plenty to offer: despite the presence of 1973's Leon Live, there aren't many live records of Russell in full flight, so this taste of him rocking ferociously is indeed welcome. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
