‘Leave Your Hat On’ – Honouring the Legend That is Joe Cocker

 

This great big band is paying 100% respect to that reggae-loving working-class soul man Mr Joe Cocker…

A young white man from Sheffield England with more cigarettes and bourbon on his voice than your average 60-year-old black blues singer from Alabama. Not to say he couldn’t croon as well…people have used much imagery to attempt to describe the sound… pouring molasses on to sandpaper? One abrades one sooths…

Back in 1969 Joe burst onto the scene and blew everyone away with his outrageous performance at the legendary Woodstock Festival. He and Leon then teamed up and followed that up with the brilliant ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ tour which then became a very influential movie seen by millions. A rite of passage, to New Orleans-influenced pianists everywhere. It was also a major box office success in America and the World, helping to cement both their places forever in Rock ‘n’ Roll and R&B legend.

Later on throughout his 55-year career Joe sang mainly rock, soul, reggae, blues, and R&B and stamped them all with his unique sound and special talent. Producers always wanted to work with him and he tried all styles of roots-based music. He would never just cover a song he insisted on re-writing the original groove and always giving the song a respectful new path.

We’re also doing it for the wonderful Leon Russell… that New Orleans honky tonker who as well as piano played a mean Les Paul and wrote George Benson’s biggest hit “Masquerade” amongst so many other songs. He and Joe were big partners for a long time. We lost Leon earlier this year… piano player Andy Burns is a huge Leon fan.

This show will feature the incredible Rick Evans out front backed up by a hard rocking 12 piece band made up of some of Australia’s finest musicians including: guitar Brenden Mason, piano Andy Burns, drums Jeff Barnes, bass TK Colejoy, hammond Michelle Johns, backing vocals Kerry Maher, Nardia Rose, Georga Byrne, trombone Tim Blamey trumpet Bryan Chetcuti sax Jez Blamey.

Sure, you might hear ‘A little Help From My Friends’, ‘Feelin’ Alright’, ’Hitchcock Railway’,’ Delta Lady’, The Letter’, etc., but then we always like to add in a few surprising choices from his 50 years of making albums (with the cream of world producers and collaborators) …just to keep it interesting!

This gig celebrates the legendary sound of Joe Cocker and Leon Russell right from when they were the two leaders of the “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” pack and wowed Woodstock!

‘Leave Your Hat On‘ is full of energy, emotion and passion, and truly celebrates the spirit and sound of the much-loved sadly missed Mr Joe Cocker.

Please Note: This show is strictly 18+

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