Leon Russell and guests Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes will be performing at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Saturday, July 27 and will be joined in a special appearance by The Persuasions.
Russell – the legendary musician and songwriter from Tulsa, Okla. – has been performing his gospel-infused southern boogie piano rock, blues, and country music for over 50 years.
Capitol Records released a 16-track “Best Of Leon Russell” album in April 2011. The compilation includes the single, “If It Wasn’t For Bad” from the 2010 duet album, “The Union,” with Elton John. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
Russell led the famous Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour and performed with George Harrison and Friends at the Concert For Bangladesh. He was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2011 and has toured with Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, Edgar Winter, The New Grass Revival, Willie Nelson, and Elton John.
New Jersey’s own Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes celebrated the release of their latest live CD “Men Without Women: Live 7/2/11,” which was recorded live at the Stone Pony Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes performance with Little Steven Van Zandt. The CD features live versions of the songs from the Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul 1994 album of the same name, along with three Asbury Jukes bonus tracks: “This Time it’s for Real,” “Broke Down Piece of Man” and “It’s Been a Long Time.”
While the Jukes are currently touring in various parts of the country, the band is also recording brand new music after the release of their latest album, “Pills and Ammo.”
Joining Southside Johnny Lyon on tour this year are Jukes collaborator/musical director Jeff Kazee on Hammond B3 organ and piano, Glenn Alexander on guitar, John Conte on bass, drummer Tom Seguso, trombonist/guitarist Neal “The Dude” Pawley, Chris Anderson on trumpet and John Isley on saxophone.
The Persuasions and their signature a cappella sound were born in Brooklyn, New York in the mid-1960s. The famed group has covered artists such as Frank Zappa, the Grateful Dead, Roy Hamilton, Jerry Butler, Sam Cooke, and Elvis Presley, and toured, performed, and recorded with Joni Mitchell, Liza Minnelli, the Grateful Dead, and Ray Charles. In addition to their own recordings, they have appeared on albums by artists such as Joni Mitchell, Don McLean, and Paul Pena, and their version of “Papa Oom Mow Mow” appeared on the soundtrack of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 – $59.50 plus applicable service charges and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Westbury box office. For more information, visit: www.thetheatreatwestbury.com.
