JJ CALE Profiled In New 'JJ CALE' DVD From Classic Pictures

9-Sep-02

DVD Includes Never-Before-Seen Footage Documenting 1979 Recording Sessions With Leon RussellSinger/songwriter/guitarist JJ Cale has carved out one of the most unique careers in popular music. The reclusive Oklahoma native pioneered a unique style of laid-back singing and guitar playing based heavily on overall rhythm and rooted in blues, country and '50s-style rock 'n' roll.Classic Pictures is releasing the DVD 'J.J. Cale' (featuring Leon Russell in session at the Paradise Studios in Los Angeles in 1979). This DVD, which is being released in North America, features extraordinary footage of Cale recording an album with musicians including keyboardist Russell, a longtime friend of Cale's. DVD special features include Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, fully animated menu, biography, discography and bonus audio tracks of ""Call Me the Breeze,"" ""Ever Lovin' Woman,"" ""Katy Kool Lady,"" ""Lies"" and ""Don't Wait.""Unfortunately, these sessions were never released on an album. This footage has never been seen before, and it offers a rare glimpse into the man and his art. It's important historically because Cale has given very few interviews and, since the 1980s, he has only recorded and performed sporadically. It was Russell's forward-thinking idea to preserve these recording sessions on both audio and video.Cale cooperated in the making of this 80-minute DVD by participating in the remixing sessions at Karma Studios in Los Angeles earlier in 2002. He had not seen or heard this material since it was recorded 23 years ago.'JJ Cale' actually includes an extremely rare interview with the man, which was filmed at the time of these 1979 sessions. Cale discusses things such as his famous $50 guitar.Most people are probably familiar with Cale's work as a songwriter without even realizing it. Eric Clapton had enormous hits with Cale's songs ""After Midnight"" and ""Cocaine"" while Lynyrd Skynyrd made his ""Call Me the Breeze"" famous. In addition to heavily influencing Clapton, his style can be heard in Dire Straits.The songs featured on the 'JJ Cale' DVD include: ""T-Bone Shuffle"" (two versions), ""Nowhere to Run,"" ""Cocaine,"" ""Ten Easy Lessons,"" ""Sensitive Kind,"" ""Hands Off Her,"" ""Louisiana,"" ""Going Down,"" ""Corine Corina,"" ""Roll On,"" ""No Sweat,"" ""Crazy Mama,"" ""Fate of a Fool,"" ""Boilin' Pot,"" ""After Midnight,"" ""T-Bone Backwards,"" ""Same Ole Blues,"" ""Don't Cry Sister"" and ""Set Your Soul Free (Tell Me Who You Are).""Cale was born on December 5, 1938, in Oklahoma City, OK, but he grew up in Tulsa, OK. He played in high school groups with Russell and he eventually hit the road with the Grand Ole Opry touring company. Cale and Russell both moved to Los Angeles in 1964, following the lead of fellow Oklahoman Carl Radle, who would go to play bass guitar for Clapton as part of Derek and the Dominos. Cale spent time working with Delaney & Bonnie and in 1965 he recorded ""After Midnight."" (Clapton's first hit version of the song in 1970 was a relentlessly upbeat boogie shuffle, whereas his 1988 re-recording - popularized via a beer commercial - was slow-burning blues.)Cale's first solo album, 'Naturally,' was released in 1972. It featured the Top 40 hit ""Crazy Mama"" as well as his own versions of ""After Midnight"" (which just missed the Top 40) and ""Call Me the Breeze."" He issued several more albums, but as the late 1970s progressed, his recording and touring schedules became more and more leisurely and inconsistent; in the late 1980s he even spent six years living in a mobile home, surfacing only to perform. Over the years, Cale has done some session work for Neil Young, Bob Seger, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.'JJ Cale' is a fascinating look into the unusual career of an eccentric master. Thankfully, cameras were there to capture these unique moments.www.classicpictures.co.ukwww.jjcale.com

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