Cameron Crowe's Elton John-Leon Russell doc, 'The Union,' to premiere tonight at Tribeca Film Festival

New York's Tribeca Film Festival kicks off tonight with the world premiere of "The Union," Cameron Crowe's documentary in which the director immerses himself in his first love: rock music.

It's a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album of the same name that brought Elton John back together after nearly four decades with his own musical hero, Leon Russell. It yielded the duo a Grammy nomination and helped usher Russell into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.

Music producer T Bone Burnett let Crowe bring cameras into the recording sessions early last year at The Village recording studio in West Los Angeles while they came up with the new songs for the album and recorded them under Burnett's guidance, everything transpiring as Russell was recuperating from brain surgery he’d undergone shortly before the sessions got underway.

Rock music has played a central role in Crowe's feature films, including "Almost Famous" and "Jerry Maguire," a reflection of his background as a rock journalist long before he became a film director. In addition to capturing the main participants, the film also includes segments with the album's guest artists, including Neil Young and Brian Wilson. John will follow tonight's free outdoor screening with a performance.

-- Randy Lewis

Photos: Elton John and Leon Russell at the Hollywood Palladium in November during their tour for "The Union." Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Rich Carlson]

I wish I could be in NY tonight. I have a feeling that this film is going to be a doozy - especially for us Leon Russell fans. I've always loved Elton and his work but my first love was Leon's music. The album "The Union" has been a listening staple in our home since its release and we can't wait to see the whole story. Grab the tissues...

[Maxine Macha]

The Union concert at the Hollywood Palladium was truly THE best concert that I have ever been to...and I have been to plenty in my day as a teen in the late '60's and into the '70's with some of the best bands of rock.
Elton John and Leon Russell was the most intimate and emotionally sensitive concert I had ever witnessed and I really felt like I was in someone's living room, not in a small concert hall. Leon has always been a favorite of mine and the collaboration with Elton John is just genius and magical. I hope they decide to do another album as The Union is an amazingly fabulous album that has truly become a standard.