英国流行乐国宝爷爷Elton John和传奇音乐人Leon Russell的首次合作唱片. 有时,两位艺术家合作的结果却往往是对各自艺术灵感和创作才华的削弱,而这张唱片却达到了一种氛围上的融合,也许这与二人多年的熟稔及声音的和谐度息息相关.说起如今早已声名显赫的Elton John和Leon Russell的相识可以追溯到40年前,当时Leon Russell作为知名吉他手及音乐人参加了Elton John在美国举办的第一个个人音乐会,二人音乐风格也深受彼此影响. 《The Union》词曲由Elton John和Leon Russell共同创作.由权威制作人T-Bone Burnett参与制作.专辑音乐融合了70年代蓝调,流行,钢琴福音,乡村等元素,十分悠闲,有点幽默,不间断的钢琴伴奏又流淌出温暖和深沉,二人重唱时声线极具融合性,和声伴唱由福音合唱团完成,听感相当舒适.此外,Elton John将邀请Leon Russell于11月3日在洛杉矶Hollywood Palladium剧院开始他新一轮的美国巡演. 这张唱片可以说是Elton John和Leon Russell对自己黄金时期的一个回顾,无论是音乐风格,还是歌词描述,都能找到二人年轻时代的影子.过多的柔版节拍和通用旋律也许会让它多少显得有点漫长,不过还是能让人在聆听的同时细细品味和享受时光. Set for release by Universal in October, 2010, and produced by T Bone Burnett, The Union marks the culmination of a mutual musical adoration that began in the late 1960s, ahead of Elton's debut US performance in 1970 at The Troubadour Club in Los Angeles. The album is a collaboration between Elton and Leon Russell, with songs by Elton and Bernie Taupin; by Elton, Bernie and Leon; by Elton and Leon and by Leon alone. The Union was recorded in Los Angeles earlier this year, with guest musicians including Brian Wilson, Booker T, Don Was and Neil Young. Cameron Crowe has filmed the sessions for a documentary, creating too a moment of history as this is the first time that the genesis of Elton's music has been recorded on film. Critics who have had an early preview of the album are united in praise for the work that Elton describes as a "Seventies record with a modern feel."