Concert review: Leon Russell, Powerstation

Leon Russell. Photo / Supplied

Because we know keyboard players do their work sitting down, few would have been worried when Leon Russell - 69, walking with a cane - was gently guided to his seat at his electric keyboard.

The second he hit the opening chords of Delta Lady any doubts were assuaged. Certainly he took a backseat on Let the Good Time Roll (bassist Jackie Wessel stepping up) and allowed guitarist Chris Simmons an excellent solo spot on Robert Johnson's Kind Hearted Woman Blues, but otherwise Russell was a human jukebox powering through gospel-inspired rhythm and blues.

And although he made pit-stops in his own catalogue (Lady Blue, the lovely Back to the Island unfortunately demolished by thumping drumming, a gorgeous solo A Song For You and Tightrope among them), he and his young band rocked through Jimmy Reed's Baby What's On Your Mind; gave the Beatles' country-rocker I've Just Seen a Face a honky-tonk makeover; took the mood down for Ray Charles' Georgia (a standout, although Russell's vocal style, like Dylan's, is to suggest a melody rather than sing it) and a medley of Jumpin' Jack Flash, Papa Was a Rolling Stone, Paint It Black and Kansas City.

Along the way he told anecdotes of playing clubs at 14, listening to blues and gospel on his crystal set and drinking ("I was over my alcoholism by 18"), of his friendship with Gram Parsons who insisted he record this next song (the Stones' Wild Horses), watching Bob Dylan write (cue A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall) ...

And by way of an encore - they didn't leave the stage, one of them was too old to maybe get back up, he said - a medley of crowd-pleasing Fifties rock'n'roll hits.

Russell is an entertainer, albeit one who sits stock still behind his keyboards, and has played enough small club gigs over the decades to not bother plugging the new album.

He delivered for 80 minutes... then was gently ushered off. A legend.

Who: Leon Russell
Where: Powerstation, Thursday

Reviewer: Graham Reid