Burning Dervish

Every once in a while I think to check in with the CREEM Magazine website...I will get around to posting about those folks another day...Anyway, I popped by this morning to see that they had a review of Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen – 36th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.

Now I love this record for what it is - Joe, live, with a swinging backing band led by Leon Russell - but stumbling across this article also reminded me of how great Leon is. I first heard him around this time of year my freshman year of high school, walking to a keg party on a cool autumn night, a buddy of mine toting a boombox cranking out The Concert for Bangla Desh...Leon's take on Jumpin Jack Flash made my hair stand up - and still does.

Today's MP3s are one Leon song covered by someone else and Leon covering someone else's song! I wanted to include B.B. King's version of Leon's Hummingbird, too, but realize I only have that one on vinyl. Sorry, for another day...

Dig:

Joe Cocker, Delta Lady
from Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Leon Russell: Medley: Jumpin' Jack Flash/Young Blood
from The Concert for Bangla Desh