Pick Up The Pieces – Phil Collins Big Band

by Skynyrd.com | Oct 27, 2019 | Blog, Classic Rock

Pick Up The Pieces – Phil Collins Big Band

A 20 plus minute big band, huge horn section version of “Pick Up The Pieces.” All is right with the world now.

I was really happy to find this today. I had no idea this was a thing. Phil Collins had this big band as a side project for a few years in the late nineties. This is from the 1998 Montreux Jazz Festival. An extended and highly arranged version, by Arif Mardin, of Average White Band’s classic, Pick Up The Pieces.

Get this video rolling, get ready to groove, and TTSU – TURN THAT SHIT UP!

Lots of great pickers in this line-up and it’s 20+ minutes of groove with highlights on top. Lots of saxophone solos, each one as good as the last.

Then you get to George Duke’s solo, which we’ve been waiting for for several minutes. And it make you realize how much we miss him. Especially us Frank Zappa fans. George Duke, we miss you buddy. Then after the last sax solo, an explosive one from the classy due in the suit, we get to see Mr Mardin’s arranging chops and the horn section.

I’ve never been that big of a Phil Collins fan, but he did us all a great service here. The Phil Collins Big Band was only around for a few years and just a few gigs. They released one album, A Hot Night In Paris. Of course, they covered some Genesis hits and Collins did some singing, but they did mostly other stuff. Check out The Los Endos Suite, conducted by Quincy Jones. Tasty stuff.

So we have this awesome version of a great song, 20 minutes of groove with a smokin horn section and he gave it to us with no drum solo!! Bravo, Mr Collins and God Bless You.

Leonid and Friends – Beginnings Chicago Cover

by Skynyrd.com | Apr 18, 2019 | Blog, Classic Rock

Leonid and Friends – Beginnings Chicago Cover

When I first saw this I wanted to title it, “A Bunch Of Dudes In Russia Playing Chicago.” I thought, there’s some dudes clear on the other side of the world, taking the time to learn these songs and arrangements that are 50 years old, in a recording studio, really layin’ this shit down. Of all the bands or music you would’ve thought somebody in Russia would be covering, not that you really would have ever thought that, classic Chicago probably would have been that last one.

Then I saw a couple more and, these cats are pretty good. Here’s Robert Lamm’s classic, Beginnings.

It made me think of a situation that happened many years ago when I still lived in Jacksonville, FL. We were hosting a special event for the Grand Opening of The Ronnie VanZant Memorial Park in Lake Asbuty, Clay County, Florida. We had a lot of events planned including music, of course. Had a nice Stage and PA setup. Several local bands and guest performers. Plus, there was a Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band that came all the way from Italy! And they were pretty good. Had the Skynyrd thing down, copped the whole feel pretty well. Even the look, to a degree. They didn’t go overboard and make it weird and goofy. And all the lyrics and harmonies were pretty right on. With the occasional pronunciation anomaly that kept it interesting.

Not a one of them spoke a single word of English!

So Russian dudes covering Chicago tunes, and doing it really well, kind of had a special ring for me.

Another interesting little tidbit (from their website):

“And what is even more stunning is that Leonid & Friends hasn’t seen Chicago perform live…”

Leonid and Friends have done several videos, and they perform regularly in their part of the world. They even got some 2019 US dates. Good for them. Getting gigs and traveling to other countries ain’t easy folks.

Take a look at Leonid and Friends website, and find them on social media: Facebook, and YouTube.

Leonid and Friends on Amazon.com

Chicago on Amazon.com