That's piano-phenom Chuck Leavell bangin' on the 88s with the Mountain Stage Band (L to R: Ron Sowell, Ammed Solomon, Doug Payne. Not pictured are Don Dixon on bass and electric guitarist Michael Lipton). Click on the photo to go to Chuck's expanded set at NPRMusic. Sometimes good stuff ends up on the cutting room floor because of the 1:58:00 time limits on the program. Thanks to the wonders of endless internet storage and our NPR distribution agreement, the songs that weren't included in the radio broadcast (Route 66 and the Sea Level number King Grand) are seeing the light of ...um, internet. This fantastic set features producer and songwriting specialist- and great bass player- Don Dixon as well as Charleston area sax luminary and long time Bob Thompson collaborator Doug Payne (Doug really soars on the slow burning Savannah).
Oh, and if you've never heard of Chuck Leavell you have surely heard his work. He's been the musical director for the Rolling Stones and has been touring with them for 25 years. He got his start touring with Dr. John in the late sixties and in 1972 he joined the Allman Brothers Band for three records before forming Sea Level with former Allman members Lamar Williams and Jaimoe Johanson. Personally, I'll never forget hearing Eric Clapton shout "Chuck..." during Old Love from the MTV: Unplugged sessions, right before one of the finest piano solos ever recorded (personal opinion).