Leon Redbone Albums (15)
'Live - December 26, 1992: The Olympia Theater, Paris France'
Release Date 5/16/2005
Tracks 21
Label Dixiefrog
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Leon Redbone has been a constant and mysterious force nestled in the periphery of American music for decades -- an ageless persona creating and interpreting music that recalls the front-porch halcyon days of a less-complicated American landscape. His albums are generally low-key affairs, comfortable and easygoing, peppered with warmth and wit throughout. This Rounder release of a 1992 live performance at the Olympia Theater in Paris, France encapsulates the Redbone mystique quite well, with the warmth, humor, and old-time atmosphere which Redbone quite naturally offers up in this less-than-intimate setting. The Olympia Theater is no small venue but, judging from the crowd response, the folks in the cheap seats were just as cozy as the people upfront. Redbone has a way of shrinking any venue down to the size of a Victorian sitting room, and the Olympia is no exception. The recording has none of the cavernous reverb one would expect from such a big space, and Redbone's low southern drawl keeps the audience's collective ear leaning attentively forward when he addresses the room. Onboard for this show is a small group of stellar session men, most notably the virtuosic and versatile guitarist Frank Vignola. Superb Dixieland cornetist Scott Black, and outstanding pianist David Boeddinghaus complete the time-traveling ensemble, and Redbone gives the guys plenty of room to shine on these open-ended arrangements. That spontaneous feel is what makes hearing Leon Redbone live such a treat, and what makes this record essential to fans who may have never had the pleasure. Amongst the classic Redbone numbers (the gutsy "She's My Gal" and the Michigan J. Frog-channeling "Big Time Woman") are dextrous ragtime workouts like "Waitin' on You" as well as some improvised interludes and humorous inter-band banter. Songs from more recent albums ("Sugar," "Whistling Colonel") sound just as timeless when pitted against early classics, like the audience-pleasing "Polly Wolly Doodle." The mastering is top-notch and the vibe here is as fun as it is reverent -- a great set from the guy with Frank Zappa's moustache, Colonel Sander's suit, and H.G. Wells' time machine. ~ J. Scott McClintock, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Seven years passed between 1994's Whistling in the Wind and Leon Redbone's next studio album, Any Time -- which, like his previous recordings, demonstrates that the singer was born in the wrong time. Redbone should have been born in 1900 or 1905, but lucky for listeners, he wasn't -- and his nostalgia has made for a lot of enjoyable moments. On this 2001 release, Redbone continues his love affair with the jazz, pop, and folk of the '20s and '30s. The crooner takes listeners back to a time when Herbert Hoover or Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in the White House, and he maintains a relaxed, congenial, laid-back ambience on vintage tunes that include "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree," "All I Do Is Dream of You," and Jelly Roll Morton's "Sweet Substitute." Drawing on influences that range from Hoagy Carmichael to Bing Crosby -- although he has more of a rural, folksy, down-home outlook than the latter -- Redbone pays tribute to what is often thought of as a more innocent and naïve period of American music. Of course, not all of the music from the '20s and '30s was innocent. Classic blues singer Lucille Bogan's "Shave 'Em Dry" (just to give one example) is as raunchy and X-rated as anything by 2 Live Crew, Prince, or Lil' Kim. But a lot of '20s and '30s songs did have an innocent sort of charm -- at least by today's standards -- and that is the type of mood that Redbone goes for on this CD. Anyone who has enjoyed Redbone's previous releases will find Any Time to be a rewarding addition to his catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Recorded live at the Lone Star Cafe in New York City in 1981, this captures Redbone in top-notch form. The set list is peppered with Redbone staples like an extended version of Blind Blake's "Diddy Wah Diddy" (here incorrectly credited to Willie Dixon), "Shine on Harvest Moon," "Champagne Charlie," and "If We Never Meet Again This Side of Heaven." A great little document of exactly what Redbone does best: holding an audience spellbound with just his guitar, his enigmatic personality, and songs as old as the hills. Great set of notes from Dave Thompson, but unfortunately, several songs have the wrong writer's credits and two songs are listed in the wrong order on the tray card. Still, with all its packaging flaws, the performance is so first-rate it still comes highly recommended. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Redbone's conversational style fits anywhere from a coffeehouse setting to a concert to hawking detergent on TV. Here, in this reissue of an album he cut in 1987, he takes on everything from country & western tunes (the opening "Diamonds Don't Mean a Thing" and "Lovesick Blues," which features a dialogue with Hank Williams, Jr.) to old favorites like "Someday Sweetheart," "Somebody Stole My Gal," and "Aw You Salty Dog." The usual Dixieland backing augmenting his tasteful fingerpicked guitar work makes this a seamless addition to his discography. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
'Whistling in the Wind'
Release Date 4/12/1994
Tracks 12
Label Private Music
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What The Critics Say
Listening to Leon Redbone is like taking a trip back in time. How many singers, after all, can deliver a ragtime-flavored piece like "Dancin' on Daddy's Shoes" with a straight face? While Redbone's backward glance does offer a fresh counterpoint to the music of his contemporaries, the skeptical listener might be led to ask: how long can a singer get by with singing Stephen Foster songs? The answer on 1988's Whistling in the Wind seems to be as long as the singer feels like it. Sure, the idea of singing a duo with Merle Haggard might not work completely, and adding Ringo Starr's vocal on "My Little Grass Shack" may be a bit odd, but so what? Overall, Redbone is in fine form here, delivering sleepy, raspy vocals and backed by a number of classic jazz players like guitarist Frank Vignola and violinist Joe Venuti. One real revelation is Redbone's take on "Love Letters in the Sand," a song that's been almost impossible to listen to since Pat Boone ruined it back in the 1950s. He offers good takes on familiar fare like "I Ain't Got Nobody," but specializes in serving up golden oldies that no one remembers, like "Bouquet of Roses." Whistling in the Wind might not be as fresh as Redbone's earliest work in the '70s, but it's a solid album and fans will be glad that Rounder put it back in print in 2004. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide
'Up a Lazy River'
Release Date 1/1/1992
Tracks 12
Label Private Music
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Idiosyncratic singer/songwriter Leon Redbone spent the 1990s building upon his sizable cult following with more uncanny arrangements of vintage pop and jazz tunes, while simultaneously unveiling a few of his own compositions. Sporting an unmistakable and remarkably limber baritone, Redbone continues his fusion of Americana with some distinct and flavorful overtones that would not sound out of place in the Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli-led Quintet of the Hot Club of France. This is evident right out of the box on Redbone's "Play Gypsy Play," as guitarist Frank Vignola and violinist Stan Kurtis provide a hearty Hot Club vibe. An almost palpable sense of mystery shrouds the somnolent "At the Chocolate Bon Bon Ball," incorporating Alfredo Pedernera on the Argentinean bandoneón -- a native instrument with a tonality close to that of its' European descendant, the concertina. Pedernera weaves hypnotically beneath the march-like cadence, unifying the otherwise disparate sonic elements. The easygoing languid cover of Hoagy Carmichael's "Lazy River" can easily be considered a seminal entry in Redbone's repertoire, with just enough energy to gently move the song along. Special guest Dr. John tickles the ivories further accenting the sumptuous melody. "When Dixie Stars Are Playing Peek-a-Boo" is an obscure side dating to the early 20th century. Asleep at the Wheel's Cindy Cashdollar picks a down-home dobro, modernizing the rural blues amalgam and definitely hearkening to the original. Similarly, Redbone's interpretation of "Mr. Jelly Roll Baker" has one foot in the past while leaping toward a rollicking renewal of the Beale Street blues from whence the selection was derived. Again, Cashdollar is heard here, twanging beneath a full-bodied lead vocal and some buoyant sax interjections from multi-instrumentalist Vince Giordano, who also plays piano, drums and bass on the track. His sax spills over on to the humor-laden take-off/put-on rendering of Papa Charlie Jackson's bawdy blues "Gotta Shake That Thing." Other standouts on Up a Lazy River (1992) include the Redbone co-penned "That Old Familiar Blues" and "Bittersweet Waltz" -- both boasting additional contributions from Dr. John -- although the latter shouldn't be mistaken for the Noël Coward song of the same name. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although it was recorded in 1988, the photo of Leon Redbone on the cover of No Regrets harks back to an earlier time. In fact, he looks as though he's getting ready to sell some innocent soul property in the Florida swamp. But the listener need have no fear. Redbone's old-fashioned fashion sense only reflects his musical taste, firmly planted in pop, blues, and jazz from the '20s, '30s, and '40s. He's equally at home with Mooney and Seals' "Crazy Arms" as he is with Hank Williams' "Long Gone Lonesome Blues." The spare production performed by luminaries like banjoist Béla Fleck, violinist Mark O'Connor, and dobroist Jerry Douglas gives these songs a nice, simple underpinning. Redbone's husky vocals add the last ingredient needed for fine versions of "Lazy Bones" and "My Good Gal's Done Gone Blues." He seems to have a special penchant for old Ernest Tubb and Jimmie Rodgers' songs, but he's smart enough to pick lesser-known jewels like "You Nearly Lose Your Mind" and "Somewhere Down Below the Dixon Line." The only drawback to the whole affair is how straightforward it is. While the songs and vocals are technically solid, they lack the spark that made earlier Redbone albums something special. Still, No Regrets is an enjoyable album and fans will appreciate its 2004 reissue on CD. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Leon Redbone entered the 1990s with the baker's dozen of selections on Sugar (1991), one of his best overall efforts to date. His unique and unmistakable interpretations of obscure jazz and early popular melodies are augmented by the occasional and equally singular original composition. The tunes are carefully crafted in such a way that they ably augment Redbone's distinct vocals, which vacillate between a gravel-voiced mumble and full-bodied bellow. In keeping with the musical persona he'd established for himself, the arrangements are often a synthesis of the refined jazz stylings of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, with essential nuggets of traditional American folk, blues and pop. The opening "Ghost of the St. Louis Blues" is the perfect case in point, as the tastefully scored string section caresses the mid-tempo pace. Asleep at the Wheel member Cindy Cashdollar's twangy dobro and Bob Mastro's sweet mandolin frail earmark the rural sleepy waltz "Roll Along Kentucky Moon." Comparatively spry are "Right or Wrong," the title track "Sugar," and a standout cover of "When I Take My Sugar to Tea," which are a rousing mixture of freewheeling ragtime and the playfulness of Django Reinhardt's days in the aforementioned Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Another adeptly executed remake is "Pretty Baby," capturing all the charm of Al Jolson's best-known rendering, yet the artist provides a freshness in this interpretation, making it unquestionably his own. Redbone supplies a few of the album's more memorable sides, such as the jaunty wordless "Whistling Colonel" and the understated and intimate repose of "So, Relax." The closing instrumental "14th Street Blues" is brought to life by the honey toned clarinet of Ken Peplowski, whose tenure in the modern re-creation of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is evident by the redolent soul he brings to the performance. Longtime enthusiasts will not be disappointed with Sugar and curious parties will similarly find it a great entrée into Redbone's catalog. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This is as extravagant and complicated a studio production as any of Leon Redbone's releases. Complete details about the musicians involved in each session are printed in miniscule yellow type of the eyestrain-inducing variety, perhaps a gesture at making younger listeners feel more sympathetic to the elderly music fans who would have been old enough to remember some of this material first-hand even back in the early '80s. Other songs are so familiar that recognition is not an issue; the question would be more appropriately, why bother? But questions of taste are not really a subject for this performer, who once having established his shtick and the prerequisite of technical talent required to pull it off, created albums that inevitably mix the sublime with the totally boring. Disastrous moves here include a weak Hank Williams cover, since expressing sincere emotion is not really in Redbone's bones. "Prairie Lullaby" is pretty sappy as well, and not really the sort of thing someone as immersed in vintage music as Redbone should have wanted to create. The tracks featuring Dr. John come off much better, examples of rollicking interplay that producer Beryl Handler, whose name even implies a hands-on touch, is wise to leave in a fairly spontaneous mode. While Redbone's performance of "My Blue Heaven" is fairly hack, a good rhythm section with bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Grady Tate certainly does a good job on the backup. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide
