Delaney and Bonnie

One of the most overlooked but glorious bands in rock.

As many sources will tell you, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett were musician's musicians. That is to say that they didn't have much commercial success but they were very much admired and respected by some of the most celebrated artists out there.

Delaney found his early success playing with The Shindogs (house band of the tv show Shindig) and Bonnie sung from a young age, backing Albert King, Little Milton and Ike and Tina Turner (the first white Ikette). She moved to LA, met Delaney and they were married soon after.

They originally signed to Stax, but with their first album gaining little success, they moved to Elektra where they released their second, 'Accept No Substitute'. Once again it didn't fare too well commercially but found the band a small cult following of fans, many of whom were successful musicians themselves. After a tour supporting Blind Faith, Eric Clapton went on to join them full time, taking a reserved role in the group. They adjusted their name to Delaney, Bonnie and Friends, releasing their most successful album, 'On Tour With Eric Clapton'.

The band were the envy of other many musicians, to the detriment of Delaney and Bonnie. In 1970 Delaney's old friend Leon Russell invited bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Keltner to join the awesome Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour with Joe Cocker, and Eric Clapton invited Radle, Keyboardist Bobby Whitlock and drummer Jim Gordon to make up his Derek and the Dominoes group, no doubt putting various spanners in the works for the couple. By this point anyway, their relationship was strained, and when Delaney and Bonnie broke up the band finished altogether.

To me they are a perfect example of all that is great about that period of music. The combination of soul, blues, funk and rock sung with loads of passion and presented with a great group energy.

'Poor Elijah' with Eric Clapton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir2eAEhtXvE&feature=related

'Comin' Home' Great live performance! It really builds. Awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EOxy3TF3OY

'I Don't Know Why'. Gorgeous song with Clapton on lead vocals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEYC1ZFwCtw&feature=related

'Good Thing' with Kenny Gradney and Sam Clayton from Little Feat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ofFxe03BVc&feature=related

'Only You Know and I Know'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9CdVeKr5bk&feature=related


QI: In 1979 when Bonnie was touring with Stephen Stills, a drunk Elvis Costello was (according to him) trying to rile her by repeatedly making racist and offensive comments about Ray Charles. So she punched him in the face. Bravo.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

Ze mad dogs, and ze Englishmen, and Joe Cock-air!

 The story goes that in 1970, Joe Cocker had just finished a long and tiring promotional tour, and he ends up in LA with the aim of a little r&r, only to be told by his record company that he is expected to be on another tour in 8 days. Enter Cockers's friend Leon Russell, who hastily assembles a group of musicians (largely from Delaney and Bonnie's touring band) and organises some intense rehearsals. The tour now consists of Cocker, Russell, Don Preston now sharing guitar duties with Russell, Chris Stainton sharing keyboard duties with Russell, Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Sandy Kornikoff and Chuck Blackwell all on drums and percussion, Bobby Keys on sax and Jim Price on trumpet. Rita Coolidge, Donna Washburn, Claudia Lennear, Pamela Polland, Denny Cordell, Matthew Moore, Daniel Moore, Bobby Jones and Nicole Barclay make up the wonderful Space Choir. Plus, joining the tour more often and not was Miss Emily, children, wives, husbands and pets (you can see Canina the dog, below on Leon's piano at rehearsals).

This big party travelled all over the states on a plane called 'Cocker Power' and, luckily for us, a crew filmed them as they went. The set mostly consisted of Cocker's staple covers or Russell songs, like 'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window', 'Honky Tonk Woman', 'The Weight', 'Feelin' Alright', 'Girl From The North Country', 'Delta Lady', 'Hummingbird', the list goes on. For many,me included, this is a perfect example of the brilliance of the sound from that classic musical era. Rock, soul and funk all tied together with an epic wailing gospel choir.

The atmosphere was exciting and infectious as you can see in the videos, probably because it was all fairly new for the musicians and they hadn't played the material to death. Plus, they were a group of friends and musicians, partying and playing music together, what could be more fun?!

Cocker is at the absolute height of his powers, each cover is a classic interpretation, but especially 'Honky Tonk Woman', 'Feelin' Alright' and 'The Letter' . But then he could sing you the phonebook....

Now onto the fun bit.........

'Hony Tonk Woman', check out Miss Emily grooving away at 2.00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqXK1TJPOVs&feature=related

My favourite 'Space Captain', written by Matthew Moore from the Space Choir, who you can see at 2.12 with the smile and the curls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-407iUd_pFY&feature=related

'The Letter', with Bobby Keys on saxophone and Leon as the ultimate in nonchalence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RnjWLVyMps

'Feelin' Alright' (written by Dave Mason of Traffic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RePEPznG1Fg

For general having-fun-on-the-road tour footage and an awesome song, here's 'Sticks and Stones'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv25o_zzqrE

The band hanging out at a bar after a show, singing 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy' and drinking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWgpU6cQCQM&feature=related

These pictures were taken by the official tour photographer, who you can check out on http://www.lindawolf.net/

QI- Space choir member Claudia Lennear is rumoured to be the inspiration for both 'Brown Sugar' and 'Lady Grinning Soul'.

The Master of Space and Time

He's back (although for many he never went away), Leon Russell is once again in the mainstream eye with new album 'The Union', composed and performed with Elton John and produced by T Bone Burnett. This combination is not as odd as it might seem, just listen to John's 1970 record 'Tumbleweed Connection' and Russell's influence is all over it. Session musician to most 1960s and 1970s music legends, band leader, songwriter, label founder, studio owner and solo performer, his CV is as impressive as you can get.

He was a member of the Wrecking Crew, backing Phil Spector's vocalists, on some of the most well known songs of all time. Three Beatles and two Stones members played on his first solo album. He co-ordinated and performed in Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour, his songs have been covered by BB King, Ray Charles, Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, Peggy Lee and The Temptations among many others. The list of his notable session work would be endless.

Apart from all that, he has an incredible presence.

Anyway, for a proper biography go to his website:
http://www.leonrussellrecords.com/memory_lane.shtml
(Actually check out his website anyway- it is a great representation of the man. My favourite part is the section titled 'Leon Speaks...', where I was expecting an interview or something similar,but the page simply reads 'Leon speaks through his music'......)

So here we go, some performances that show what the man can do:


Here is the song he reportedly wrote about Rita Coolidge, and hit for Joe Cocker, 'Delta Lady':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o93jTKhil9Y

'Hummingbird' Gorgeous song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXs29SpLGpU
Here is the Robert Johnson classic, Come On In My Kitchen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfK2CpH3BHI&feature=related

'If I was A Carpenter'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJOU8_UAM1E

Here is my current personal favourite Leon, which is very drunk Leon at Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic in 1974. Note the way he reacts to Waylon Jenning's entrance, and the trepidation on Willie's face:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H6me1FSPb8

And just for fun... Here's 'High Heeled Sneakers' from 1964, a different look for Leon in those days!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yme_DnIfR6I