Elton John and Leon Russell brought their latest rock ensemble to Saturday Night Live.The two grand pianos start right in on the first number keeping a steady driving beat. Everybody is watching lead guitarist and musical director Davey Johnstone who leads off the melody with his Les Paul with fantastic written on it. His guitar has a great sound and without it I don't think Elton John's Band would be what it is. Johnstone is always right in tune right on key and right on time.
The timing is kept incredibly accurately and steadily by Ray Cooper and the other members who assist to create a constantly changing and returning percussion. Despite all of this and Elton John and Leon Russell on two grand pianos keyboardist Kim Bullard sets the comping scene with his classic organ riffs.
There is a little tension in the chorus line, a few hard faces as the prima dona of the chorus line does the fancy vocal work in the background. Leon Russell's reedy rock tenor leads from time to time but he works as a backup vocalist constantly. Elton John delivers the expected Elton John style vocal which I am sure his many fans appreciate and expect.
I didn't really catch the name of the first song I think its "The Bitch is Back" was a type of gospel derived rock and roll that I don't really like that much, I never enjoyed playing songs like this but Elton John's band appear to be having a whale of a time performing. Elton John's audience probably really enjoy this type of music but I think it is dated and the genre has been used so much that I keep thinking of "After Midnight".
The second number "Monkey Suit" was the same type of song, only played slower. Once again the band performed flawlessly the complex rhythms and harmonies wove in and out just like they were supposed to but after the fiftyth "monkey suit" I began to get irritated, testy even. Is so much repetition really necessary, did Bernie Taupin write this or is this simply some old drinking song?
This Elton John Band with Leon Russell features two of the world's great piano players. The percussive riffs and the tinkilling are great. The bass player Bob Birch is steady and doesn't make any mistakes but he doesn't exactly do the Bootsy Collins. I could be missing the fact that Johnstone's Les Paul, a second one which he played in the second number had such great tone, I could be missing the fact that Johnstone's great guitar depends upon the solid underpinnings and unobtrusive support of Bob Birch's bass.
