Elton John & Leon Russell Live From The Beacon Theatre, New York (2010) [repost]

The Union is a collaboration studio album by singer-songwriters Elton John and Leon Russell, released on 19 October 2010 in the US and on 25 October in the UK. This is the 30th studio album by John and the 34th by Russell. This is the first studio release by John since 1979's Victim of Love without any of his regular band members. It is also his highest charting studio album on the Billboard 200 since 1976's Blue Moves, debuting at No. 3, as well as Russell's highest charting studio album since 1972's Carney. The Union was No. 3 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010.

TTB's 2019 run at the Beacon Theatre came towards the end of a year filled with hardship and grief. Throughout the six night stand, emotional moments abounded and musical highlights came every night, every set. This compilation offers a selection of some of those peaks from the run, including a few songs from their stripped-down, almost-acoustic mini-sets and inspiring guest appearances from Nels Cline, Eric Krasno and Luther Dickinson. Beginning and ending with two prayer-like songs ("Border Song" and "Dreams"), it's a meaningful series of songs that captures the range and power of being in the room, and there's no better room to be in for a TTB show than the Beacon Theatre. The songs included on Beacon Bits 2019 was selected for release by a listening committee after feedback from band members and crew. The collection was produced from the original 64-track soundboard recording by Bobby Tis and Brian Speiser, and mixed and mastered for release by Jesse Lauter.

On the inaugural episode of Elvis Costello’s talk show Spectacle in 2008, Elton John – who just happened to be a producer on the show – rhapsodized at length about Leon Russell, hauling out a note-perfect impression of Russell’s piano style and Oklahoma drawl. It was enough of a tease to whet the appetite for more but nothing suggested something like The Union, a full-fledged duet album with Russell designed to raise the profile of the rock & roll maverick…

If truth be told, the Allman Brothers Band have always been the quintessential American rock band, shaping a rootsy mix of blues, jazz, country, and rock into an elegant, nuanced sound that single-handedly created what became known as Southern rock. Full of beautiful dual guitar leads and driven by double drummers, and possessing a lead singer who, when he was on his game, had as much soul as anyone around, the Allman Brothers Band were also an improvisational band who found all kinds of new corners in their classic catalog when they played live, no matter what the configuration of the band was at the time.