BINGO Paisan! You nailed it. They’re not only recreating with surgical precision, they’re providing a “teleport” to the past, a shock to our neurons, and a boilerplate of nostalgia. When you put those together, the eyes tend to “leak” under the intense pressure and the smile becomes so wide you can eat a banana sideways!
@@dotlund1096 well, it is one I have developed over the six years of being a volunteer for them, taking care of their website and social media Traffic. I am first a fan, an administrator, second, and evangelical third, but primarily a little kid in a musical shop with the greatest sounds and memories I could possibly imagine all played by my friends. Tough to beat. Enjoy the music my friend. Thank you so much for the reply. LLLP LP I
I’m 66 years old and I know exactly what you’re talking about. It’s hard for people who didn’t live through that era of music to understand the emotions that are evoked when you hear Leonid and Friends bring these classics back to life with flawless reproduction and an added flair of their own. They show enormous respect for the original artists which is so admirable. As a longtime fan of Chicago, it’s hard to pick one favorite that Leonid has done, but I did thoroughly enjoy their rendition of “What’s This World Coming To “. I highly recommend it.
You said it exactly right...they make you feel like you felt when you heard that music for the first time. I'd rather hear L&F do Chicago than Chicago now because they still have the joy that comes from producing - or reproducing - those memories. Chicago has been playing the same songs for 50 years. It's hard to keep that fresh. L&F breathe new life into these great old songs. They love what they're doing, their audiences LOVE them and they love the audiences. That they've gone beyond Chicago and included so many other great bands and songs and done it with the precision with which they do every song speaks to their dedication and craftsmanship. I can't think of any musical act since the 80's that has captured my attention and appreciation like they have.
It's easy to run out of superlatives with Leonid and Friends. It's absolutely true that they evoke visceral feelings. There's nothing like music to do this for you. Bravo!
I am 66 years old and when I hear these songs from the 70s it brings back so many memories. I hear certain songs and I can tell you where I was when I first heard it. Jeff don’t forget the 8 tracks😊
@@gregharmon3797 I'm 66 also. Being able to see this song played live and the instruments in play is euphoric. I feel the same emotion as Jeff Castanon feels as we age. Jeff, "here we go....takes off." I feel it too! The strings/horn section blows me away, like the clouds are opening up and sucking you up to Heaven, quirky sounding, but totally euphoric!
Something I've not heard you say in any of the Leonid videos, which I think is especially remarkable, is that English is NOT their first language and in many cases, they just can't speak it. Superb musicianship aside, the fact that they sing this stuff without an accent whatsoever, and that their voices match the original vocalists - just outstanding performances all the way around.
Us old geezers Jeff are fortunate in that we get to experience this fantastic music for the first time twice. Leonid and Friends are indeed a much needed panacea for these confusing times.
After getting repeated Leonid and Friend’s recommendations from the algorithm, about a year ago I finally watched and listened. This was the first song I heard, and I had a similar reaction. I was totally blown away, and have been a fan ever since.
If I may, I'd like to suggest a reaction video project for you: Donna Summer 2005 Night Of The Proms Concert. Strings and woodwinds arranged for songs that did not include them upon their release, choreography for strings and brass, and Donna at her mature peak vocal power. It's time to celebrate the Queen. ruclips.net/video/wp_rpp6U71o/видео.html Or, her triumphant concert for the Nobel Ceremony in 2009. ruclips.net/video/84ppiFx5vUI/видео.html
I feel your joy, my friend. These guys take us back to the exact moment we experienced Chicago for the first time! I know the exact emotion you're feeling.
This is why this song is my favorite Chicago song of all time, because you ARE taking stock of your life, when you listen to THIS song. Many times the musicianship of Chicago overwhelms the lyrics. Not on this one. The strings rolling up and down just accentuate the feelings I get when LISTENING to these lyrics.
I am 71 and I understand how you feel, I saw Leonid and Friends in Atlanta three years ago, believe it or not it's even more better being there. Leonid and the band members stayed on stage and spent time interacting with the fans for around an hour after the concert. It was simply a BLAST. being a teen in the 1960's and early 1970's we had the best music, the most pretty girls and the most bad ass cars. We grew up at a time where grownups looked after us we could play in the street until dark and just have care free fun. I can't imagine that today will be this generations good ole days.Thanks for your youtube post
I'm telling you Jeff, if you get the chance, you need to go see these guys live in concert. They start an American tour in a couple of weeks, I'm seeing them for the second time in Florida on April 22nd (I saw them last year) and I can hardly wait. They put on a great show and still maintain the sound of Chicago; Earth, Wind and Fire; Ides of March; Blood, Sweat and Tears and a few others. No one recreates the horn bands especially like Leonid and Friends. And yes I'm an old geezer as well, I'm 70 years old and Leonid and Friends; Foxes and Fossils; and Lexington Lab Band brings back the memories like it was yesterday. Thanks for the reaction, Jeff.
Never miss an opportunity to see L&F. They are like family... I'm looking forward to the 10th L&F concert. One of the best venues I've seen them at is the Dayton Masonic Center theater in Dayton, Ohio.
I'm a 78 y/o bassist with a local S.E. FL cover band. I was fortunate enuff to see "Chicago's" original 7, and a few of their more recent iterations in concert. "Leonid & Friends" knocks me out with the precision and clarity of their renditions. I totally get your reactions to hearing this music brought back and 'freshened'. Plus, Ksenia's voice and beauty certainly adds to the performances.
What is truly amazing about these guys is that they sound literally the same as their videos live! You have got to go an see them. I went to dozens of Chicago concerts and they NEVER sounded like the recordings! Far too much improvisation, the fidelity wasn't there, etc., etc. But L&F...wow! Exactly the same, even in lousy acoustic venues!!!
Dead on the money! None of the 3 Chicago concerts I attended *even came close* to measuring up to the album. I stopped going; kept on with the recordings.
Great reaction video Jeff...as usual. You nailed it with a spot-on observation. Great music is so much more powerful in our daily lives....more than we think at the time. Brings me back to my younger days when I would play my drums along with the Chicago record in my basement and try to match it as exactly as I could. Make a mistake or miss a beat....pick up the needle and start the song over. I would do that over and over. Keep em coming!!
Walking down the hall one day in junior high around 1975 I heard a band rehearsing Chicago tunes. I played clarinet - they didn’t need a clarinet. I came back two weeks later having practiced tenor sax as much as I could and got a seat - and I’ve played sax ever since. This music is enough for a lifetime.
This is the absolute best performance of this track since the original Chicago VII album. And you are right about bringing back the feelings of listening to this on my turn table back in the 70’s is spot on. Chicago was everything to me in my youth. Leonid and Friends will be what takes me to the end.
No doubt, the greatest cover band of all time. They are, in my own opinion, many times more refined than original bands. Just downright amazing. I can't stop listening with the amazement of their musicianship.
I don't know much about music aside from what I hear, but one reason I love Leonid and Friends is the way they cover these songs word for word, note for note. I played many of them when I worked on the air in commercial radio back in the 1970s and 1980's. Their covers really take me back to being in the Control Room, headphones on, doing segways from song to song with walk-ups to the next song, running a tight board, working the phones and putting callers on the air. Man, those were the days, and that was music!
I noticed that someone else has said they stumbled into this in 17. I did the very same thing about 4-30 am and I've been to see them twice one the first gig got the meet and greet experience. They are just as good from a personal side as they are players. Very cool and nice. If anyone wants to see them then Google them for a list of shows. I promise you will be glad . If you have a bucket list, do it. Love Peace and rock and roll!
I can't think of a better way to start off my day than with some Chicago from Leonid & Friends! I'm also feeling the memories of first hearing Chicago on the radio and on my record player as a teen.
Chills the whole time. I love that it brings you to tears. Same here. I thought my father was the only one besides myself that gets emotional over music perfection. It's in our genes for sure.
As I am listening to your review, I was thinking about those times sitting on the carpet, eyes closed, headphones plugged in, and the record playing….immersed in the sounds of the experience. Then you basically said the same thing. This music brings me back, your reaction is spot on.
I love Chicago outros so damn much, the build-ups are simply mind-blowing! I believe that part of what gets to us is the quality of the recording and the performance, hearing everything so clearly brings a freshness to songs we already know. The arrangements are stellar.
You're so right these guys nail it every time. The first time I heard them play, it happened to be my all time favourite Chicago track "If you leave me now". I would love to watch your reaction as with everything else they do, every little nuance is detectable. Keep the reactions coming! 😊
ALL of these comments are spot-on. I'm 61, and for me, I spent HOURS in the 70s listening to EVERY detail in their music as I tried to perfect Danny's drum parts. I figured if I could play his stuff, I could play anything. That time spent listening in great detail makes me even more blown away by these guys. They miss NOTHING, and even occasionally add something which somehow makes the great tune even better. KEEP 'EM COMING!!
You've got Brand New Love Affair, parts I & II coming up from Chicago VIII. This is the cover that launched this amazing Russian band... Leonid's birthday present to himself.
My band had walked in to Columbia studios to do a session, and CTA had just finished a session in the same studio . The engineer had told us about how good this band was. He sure was right.
As an up-and-coming session drummer in the 70s, Danny Seraphine was one of my main mentors and role models. Chicago was the epitome of production quality in my mind, along with Boston. What Leonid and his band of merry musicians warm my heart and often bring a tear to my eyes. I would never have heard this wonderful group had it not been pointed out by Danny Seraphine himself. Danny's praise led me down this garden path, and I was never disappointed.
so right on with your comments. listening to the LP's and just going nuts. Saw Chicago 8 times back in a day and now Leonid 5 times. Leonid live is unreal and the joy in their faces is infectous. Great reaction.
Great reaction. I can relate . I saw them live last fall in Columbus Ohio and my jaw dropped. I just can't believe how good they are, perfection . My favorite Chicago song is Call on me😊
Thanks Jeff for another awesome reaction video. I’ve started watching these guys again but through your channel as you enhance the listening experience as we empathise with your sentiments. If I can add a request it would be ‘Wishing You Were Here’, a stripped back track heavily featuring the vocal ability of L&F often underrated. Thanks again Jeff
You hit the nail right on the head Jeff, that is the magic of this band and how they can make you feel the way you felt when you first heard this music in your youth. It's the energy and the passion that they bring to it. They literally breathe New Life in to this music like no other cover/tribute band that I've heard. When you get to know and befriend these people in person their hugs and appreciation for their fans is so evident. You have to experience them live with the meet and greet. You will not regret it!
Watching this group play this music, and seeing their joy.... yes, definitely brings out the emotions. In a lot of ways, I feel like Leonid & Friends plays these great Chicago songs BETTER than the originals! I don't know if it's the advancements in sound over the years, or something else, but the way these guys attack these songs with their amazing musicianship gives me chills every time. Loving your channel, by the way. Keep the feels coming, brother!
This song was the most memorable for me at my very first stadium concert at Arrowhead Stadium in KC 1975 with the Beach Boys it was fantastic as the bass trembled through my chest as I was only 15 rows back from the stage. Incredible memories . . . thanks Jeff.
You're not the only one who gets emotional with this stuff. I first saw and heard these guys 4-5 years ago on RUclips. I choked up too when I heard this version. These people are the real deal, no matter where they come from !!! They've been to the States a few times now and to my home of Buffalo at least once. Of course I couldn't make the show. In my opinion, they're better than the real band...
I know what you mean so emotional about Jeff Lynn ELO final tour Òver and out my youth was ELO and Chicago music I did secure tickets for ELO concert in the fall strange my first concert was ELO when I was a teen and probably my last this fall is ELO
Another amazing performance by Leonid & Friends! “I’ve been Searching So Long” is one of my favorites (of which I have many) of Chicago. The composition is amazing and I’m constantly blown away by the wonderful music they kept on coming up with, especially in the Terry Kath era. Leonid and his unbelievable group of musicians not only perform them absolutely spot on, but the most incredible thing is that they are able to capture the spirit of each song as well and that’s what makes me so emotional listening to it! Jeff, you are absolutely right, Leonid & Friends have a way of bringing us back to what we felt when we first experienced this awesome music (and by the way, not only the Chicago music)! If I was forced to pick my favorite Chicago song of all time, it would be their first song off their first album, “Introduction.” An amazing, complicated tune that Terry wrote in his head and had to have James Pankow put it down on paper! …..sorry for the long comment, I got carried away! 😂
Brother, I feel you...I'm 65 and hearing these new recordings of songs that meant SO. MUCH. when I was a teenager, the love, the respect, it's sometimes just so overwhelming. Much love & respect.
I loved Chicago from their CTA days. Saw them in my college gymnasium in 1970, before their popularity took off. The cover band I played in during college did many Chicago tunes. When I came across the Leonid videos a few years ago, I tripped out on the accuracy in capturing the sound and feel of the original recordings, only with 21st century recording technology. I saw L&F live their last trip through Florida and their live performance lived up to their recorded presence. These folks are the real deal!
As another geezer, I'm right with you. Your comments describe exactly how I feel about these guys. I've been a fan since the first time I heard them a few years ago.
That's why I tune into your channel Jeff. You truly experience the music. I really understand you on those glimpses back in time ('70s) and find myself back at the beach, sipping my orange pop with the music blasting over the loudspeakers. They say youth is wasted on the wrong people and it's true. I really didn't realize how great I had it. Serge, the Ukrainian lead singer here nails it with his "hell yeah" rocker performance.
Leonid & Friends certainly have something special. Even a song like this that, at the time, when Chicago originally released it, didn't convince me, now excites me. It could be the age (mine) but it could be, more likely, the intensity and feeling with which these people play.
Thank you for bringing Leonid and friends into my world! I share your love for this music and the feelings when listening to it. Music was always a personal refuge for me as a teenager. I love this group for their talents and dedication to this genre. The expressions on their faces say everything. I hope to see them in the US if they tour again.
I couldn't agree more with your assessment of the feelings that these songs bring back to me. I'm so glad that someone else has these emotional feelings as I dip. I'm so glad that I found your beautiful channel. I will be a big supporter! Thank you
Jeff you are so right. I got misty listening to this one. I can tell you exactly where I was when I heard this for the first time. Such an incredible time in my life.
My favorite Chicago song and first cassette I bought was Chicago 17 Hard Habit To Break! I not it's not their strongest horn song, and it's post Terry Kath, but unfortunately, that's due to my age! My favorite Leonid and Friends Chicago tribute is, by far is Wishing You Were Here! It's very underrated, in my opinion, but the harmonies are hard to pass up! They do a pretty good job emulating the Beach Boys on harmonies!
That was fun....watching you have the same overwhelming reaction as I hearing AND watching this. Leonid and co are all the things you said and for us all, a gift.
I know what you mean Jeff, ... when I hear a particular song, it brings back feelings/memories of what I experienced when I was in college in the late 70's.
Just when i thought that this group couldn't impress me anymore than they already have. And now this. I really can't describe what this did to me. I really cant describe it. Incredible is such an understatement. I'm blown away
These songs make me remember the better days of life, when music was an art form and not auto tune and remixes. Chicago was a mainstay when i was gtowing up in the 60s
Saw Chicago live in 1972. VERY loud in the auditorium where they were playing. Didn't matter. Walked on air leaving the show and for a couple of days after. One of the reasons I follow ace tribute bands (you've seen them: Leonid and Friends, Brit Floyd, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac and Lexington Lab Band) is that they all aspire to do better than replication of the original. They make you BELIEVE and in doing so, let you relive those "Old Days" that now are so special. Keep it up! I look forward (daily) to your posts.
Cant get enough of these folks can ya? News flash neither can the thousands of us that are following this remarkable group of musicians. Yes the memories, in the 70's in HS, driving around in my friends orange Honda Civic, windows down, (Heater blasting cause it was in the 40's) and music cranked singining along to Chicago thinking we were the cool kids! Favorites, aside from all of them, I love Old Days!
It's amazing how music can bring you back to a place in time that you otherwise had forgotten about. I didn't buy a lot of albums when I was young (short on money), but I could afford the occasional single on 45, and that was my music collection until cassette tapes came out.
Месяц назад
My God!!! They are perfect. These songs comprise my entire life. This band is utterly amazing. I totally agree. I'm now 61 and these songs flood memories and emotions from my youth. I thought it was just me who cries at times listening to the amazing songs that gave our lives meaning. It's nice to share with people who feel the same. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
Very well said. They are so very good. I grew up listening to the old style Chicago, so this definitely takes me back. I did not appreciate them as much as I should have back then. They are going to be playing here in October and I am beyond excited to see them.
I can't stop crying with joy every time I listen to this band. Why are they not international superstars.
BINGO Paisan! You nailed it. They’re not only recreating with surgical precision, they’re providing a “teleport” to the past, a shock to our neurons, and a boilerplate of nostalgia. When you put those together, the eyes tend to “leak” under the intense pressure and the smile becomes so wide you can eat a banana sideways!
That’s a very profound thought process...I agree. 👍
@@dotlund1096 well, it is one I have developed over the six years of being a volunteer for them, taking care of their website and social media Traffic. I am first a fan, an administrator, second, and evangelical third, but primarily a little kid in a musical shop with the greatest sounds and memories I could possibly imagine all played by my friends. Tough to beat. Enjoy the music my friend. Thank you so much for the reply. LLLP LP I
You’re very honored to be involved with these great and talented folks. 😊
Listen, people. Do not stop this video before the analysis. It is super. One of the best heart-felt I have ever heard. Thank you!!
🫶🫶🫶
Brought tears to my eyes…
I’m 66 years old and I know exactly what you’re talking about. It’s hard for people who didn’t live through that era of music to understand the emotions that are evoked when you hear Leonid and Friends bring these classics back to life with flawless reproduction and an added flair of their own. They show enormous respect for the original artists which is so admirable.
As a longtime fan of Chicago, it’s hard to pick one favorite that Leonid has done, but I did thoroughly enjoy their rendition of “What’s This World Coming To “. I highly recommend it.
You said it exactly right...they make you feel like you felt when you heard that music for the first time. I'd rather hear L&F do Chicago than Chicago now because they still have the joy that comes from producing - or reproducing - those memories. Chicago has been playing the same songs for 50 years. It's hard to keep that fresh. L&F breathe new life into these great old songs. They love what they're doing, their audiences LOVE them and they love the audiences. That they've gone beyond Chicago and included so many other great bands and songs and done it with the precision with which they do every song speaks to their dedication and craftsmanship. I can't think of any musical act since the 80's that has captured my attention and appreciation like they have.
It's easy to run out of superlatives with Leonid and Friends. It's absolutely true that they evoke visceral feelings. There's nothing like music to do this for you.
Bravo!
Well put . .
I am 66 years old and when I hear these songs from the 70s it brings back so many memories. I hear certain songs and I can tell you where I was when I first heard it. Jeff don’t forget the 8 tracks😊
I remember buying an 8-track player (on purpose) for my first car. 😉
@@gregharmon3797 I'm 66 also. Being able to see this song played live and the instruments in play is euphoric. I feel the same emotion as Jeff Castanon feels as we age. Jeff, "here we go....takes off." I feel it too! The strings/horn section blows me away, like the clouds are opening up and sucking you up to Heaven, quirky sounding, but totally euphoric!
I get what you’re saying, Jeff… I’m 64 and I too remember when this was new, I loved it then, and love it even more now!❤
They are so precise in evreything they do. I'm an old geezer, so I'm with you, Brother!
Leonid and Friends hits me in that special place where all my wonderful memories live.
Something I've not heard you say in any of the Leonid videos, which I think is especially remarkable, is that English is NOT their first language and in many cases, they just can't speak it. Superb musicianship aside, the fact that they sing this stuff without an accent whatsoever, and that their voices match the original vocalists - just outstanding performances all the way around.
I have mentioned it before but I wouldn’t expect you to have watched every reaction I’ve done 😄
Us old geezers Jeff are fortunate in that we get to experience this fantastic music for the first time twice.
Leonid and Friends are indeed a much needed panacea for these confusing times.
Such a great way to look at it. The music seems even better now. 😎
And from Russia of all places.
Personally I think they are better than the real deal.
@@kathygoldade6959you can feel the joy!
After getting repeated Leonid and Friend’s recommendations from the algorithm, about a year ago I finally watched and listened. This was the first song I heard, and I had a similar reaction. I was totally blown away, and have been a fan ever since.
Watching you react is a joy. Such a music lover.
If I may, I'd like to suggest a reaction video project for you: Donna Summer 2005 Night Of The Proms Concert. Strings and woodwinds arranged for songs that did not include them upon their release, choreography for strings and brass, and Donna at her mature peak vocal power. It's time to celebrate the Queen.
ruclips.net/video/wp_rpp6U71o/видео.html
Or, her triumphant concert for the Nobel Ceremony in 2009.
ruclips.net/video/84ppiFx5vUI/видео.html
I cried too brother. I think this piece of work has something the original doesn’t. This song always hit me hard, but the way they did it….wow!
I thought it was just me when listening to these song I grew up with. I get SO emotional from the nostalgia.
Leonid & Friends, the Magic Band !
I feel your joy, my friend. These guys take us back to the exact moment we experienced Chicago for the first time! I know the exact emotion you're feeling.
The bass line so clrsr and crisp just a great bass player
The fascinating part is they sound the same live, they do flawless replications of these songs that even the original artists would struggle to do
This is why this song is my favorite Chicago song of all time, because you ARE taking stock of your life, when you listen to THIS song. Many times the musicianship of Chicago overwhelms the lyrics. Not on this one. The strings rolling up and down just accentuate the feelings I get when LISTENING to these lyrics.
I am 71 and I understand how you feel, I saw Leonid and Friends in Atlanta three years ago, believe it or not it's even more better being there. Leonid and the band members stayed on stage and spent time interacting with the fans for around an hour after the concert. It was simply a BLAST. being a teen in the 1960's and early 1970's we had the best music, the most pretty girls and the most bad ass cars. We grew up at a time where grownups looked after us we could play in the street until dark and just have care free fun. I can't imagine that today will be this generations good ole days.Thanks for your youtube post
I’m 69 and this band really brings back great memories.
Just got my smile for today
It absolutely, with no question, doesn't get better than a cover like this. It's like watching it being played in the studio when it was recorded.
I'm telling you Jeff, if you get the chance, you need to go see these guys live in concert. They start an American tour in a couple of weeks, I'm seeing them for the second time in Florida on April 22nd (I saw them last year) and I can hardly wait. They put on a great show and still maintain the sound of Chicago; Earth, Wind and Fire; Ides of March; Blood, Sweat and Tears and a few others. No one recreates the horn bands especially like Leonid and Friends. And yes I'm an old geezer as well, I'm 70 years old and Leonid and Friends; Foxes and Fossils; and Lexington Lab Band brings back the memories like it was yesterday. Thanks for the reaction, Jeff.
Never miss an opportunity to see L&F. They are like family... I'm looking forward to the 10th L&F concert. One of the best venues I've seen them at is the Dayton Masonic Center theater in Dayton, Ohio.
I'm a 78 y/o bassist with a local S.E. FL cover band. I was fortunate enuff to see "Chicago's" original 7, and a few of their more recent iterations in concert. "Leonid & Friends" knocks me out with the precision and clarity of their renditions. I totally get your reactions to hearing this music brought back and 'freshened'. Plus, Ksenia's voice and beauty certainly adds to the performances.
Another grand slam out of the Chicago ballpark
What is truly amazing about these guys is that they sound literally the same as their videos live! You have got to go an see them. I went to dozens of Chicago concerts and they NEVER sounded like the recordings! Far too much improvisation, the fidelity wasn't there, etc., etc. But L&F...wow! Exactly the same, even in lousy acoustic venues!!!
Dead on the money! None of the 3 Chicago concerts I attended *even came close* to measuring up to the album. I stopped going; kept on with the recordings.
I’m on my 22nd time listening to this brilliant performance. This is so so good. I have such good feelings listening to this. ❤❤❤
Great reaction video Jeff...as usual. You nailed it with a spot-on observation. Great music is so much more powerful in our daily lives....more than we think at the time. Brings me back to my younger days when I would play my drums along with the Chicago record in my basement and try to match it as exactly as I could. Make a mistake or miss a beat....pick up the needle and start the song over. I would do that over and over. Keep em coming!!
Yes! Those were the days…I remember learning song off vinyl. Boy what a pain that was hahaha.
LOL. It was a pain... But it was all we knew at the time. Definitely worth it
Walking down the hall one day in junior high around 1975 I heard a band rehearsing Chicago tunes. I played clarinet - they didn’t need a clarinet. I came back two weeks later having practiced tenor sax as much as I could and got a seat - and I’ve played sax ever since. This music is enough for a lifetime.
Just immaculate
Yes, listening to them causes an emotional return to the past ❤
This is the absolute best performance of this track since the original Chicago VII album. And you are right about bringing back the feelings of listening to this on my turn table back in the 70’s is spot on. Chicago was everything to me in my youth. Leonid and Friends will be what takes me to the end.
No doubt, the greatest cover band of all time. They are, in my own opinion, many times more refined than original bands. Just downright amazing. I can't stop listening with the amazement of their musicianship.
I don't know much about music aside from what I hear, but one reason I love Leonid and Friends is the way they cover these songs word for word, note for note. I played many of them when I worked on the air in commercial radio back in the 1970s and 1980's. Their covers really take me back to being in the Control Room, headphones on, doing segways from song to song with walk-ups to the next song, running a tight board, working the phones and putting callers on the air. Man, those were the days, and that was music!
perfection
Good morning Jeff. Another wonderful morning..... Leonid and friends, coffee and you! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Yay!!! 😃🫶🫶🫶
I got emotional too... I am 56 years old and lots of good memories from the past came to my mind.
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I noticed that someone else has said they stumbled into this in 17. I did the very same thing about 4-30 am and I've been to see them twice one the first gig got the meet and greet experience. They are just as good from a personal side as they are players. Very cool and nice. If anyone wants to see them then Google them for a list of shows. I promise you will be glad . If you have a bucket list, do it. Love Peace and rock and roll!
Just damn good, nothing else to say!
Wow just Incredible 🔥❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥
They are just too good !
I can't think of a better way to start off my day than with some Chicago from Leonid & Friends! I'm also feeling the memories of first hearing Chicago on the radio and on my record player as a teen.
Gonna be a great day today, new L&F reaction to start things off, thanks Jeff!!!
You bet! 😊🫶
I couldn't agree more with what you say about emotions.
Chills the whole time. I love that it brings you to tears. Same here. I thought my father was the only one besides myself that gets emotional over music perfection. It's in our genes for sure.
As I am listening to your review, I was thinking about those times sitting on the carpet, eyes closed, headphones plugged in, and the record playing….immersed in the sounds of the experience. Then you basically said the same thing. This music brings me back, your reaction is spot on.
@@skyjammer 👏👏👏🫶
I love Chicago outros so damn much, the build-ups are simply mind-blowing! I believe that part of what gets to us is the quality of the recording and the performance, hearing everything so clearly brings a freshness to songs we already know. The arrangements are stellar.
You're so right these guys nail it every time. The first time I heard them play, it happened to be my all time favourite Chicago track "If you leave me now". I would love to watch your reaction as with everything else they do, every little nuance is detectable. Keep the reactions coming! 😊
ALL of these comments are spot-on. I'm 61, and for me, I spent HOURS in the 70s listening to EVERY detail in their music as I tried to perfect Danny's drum parts. I figured if I could play his stuff, I could play anything. That time spent listening in great detail makes me even more blown away by these guys. They miss NOTHING, and even occasionally add something which somehow makes the great tune even better. KEEP 'EM COMING!!
Man I wore out my Chicago IV album!
You've got Brand New Love Affair, parts I & II coming up from Chicago VIII.
This is the cover that launched this amazing Russian band... Leonid's birthday present to himself.
Great reaction, you really make love the music!
My band had walked in to Columbia studios to do a session, and CTA had just finished a session in the same studio . The engineer had told us about how good this band was. He sure was right.
As an up-and-coming session drummer in the 70s, Danny Seraphine was one of my main mentors and role models. Chicago was the epitome of production quality in my mind, along with Boston. What Leonid and his band of merry musicians warm my heart and often bring a tear to my eyes. I would never have heard this wonderful group had it not been pointed out by Danny Seraphine himself. Danny's praise led me down this garden path, and I was never disappointed.
so right on with your comments. listening to the LP's and just going nuts. Saw Chicago 8 times back in a day and now Leonid 5 times.
Leonid live is unreal and the joy in their faces is infectous. Great reaction.
I agree, I'm also deeply affected by hearing these songs again. I'm addicted to Leonid and Friends 🎉❤
Great reaction. I can relate . I saw them live last fall in Columbus Ohio and my jaw dropped. I just can't believe how good they are, perfection . My favorite Chicago song is Call on me😊
Thanks Jeff for another awesome reaction video. I’ve started watching these guys again but through your channel as you enhance the listening experience as we empathise with your sentiments. If I can add a request it would be ‘Wishing You Were Here’, a stripped back track heavily featuring the vocal ability of L&F often underrated. Thanks again Jeff
Thank you Alan! 😊🫶
You hit the nail right on the head Jeff, that is the magic of this band and how they can make you feel the way you felt when you first heard this music in your youth. It's the energy and the passion that they bring to it. They literally breathe New Life in to this music like no other cover/tribute band that I've heard. When you get to know and befriend these people in person their hugs and appreciation for their fans is so evident. You have to experience them live with the meet and greet. You will not regret it!
Watching this group play this music, and seeing their joy.... yes, definitely brings out the emotions. In a lot of ways, I feel like Leonid & Friends plays these great Chicago songs BETTER than the originals! I don't know if it's the advancements in sound over the years, or something else, but the way these guys attack these songs with their amazing musicianship gives me chills every time. Loving your channel, by the way. Keep the feels coming, brother!
This song was the most memorable for me at my very first stadium concert at Arrowhead Stadium in KC 1975 with the Beach Boys it was fantastic as the bass trembled through my chest as I was only 15 rows back from the stage. Incredible memories . . . thanks Jeff.
You're not the only one who gets emotional with this stuff. I first saw and heard these guys 4-5 years ago on RUclips. I choked up too when I heard this version. These people are the real deal, no matter where they come from !!! They've been to the States a few times now and to my home of Buffalo at least once. Of course I couldn't make the show. In my opinion, they're better than the real band...
Still amazes me when I hear Serge doing Peter Cetera’s lead stuff! Wow!
I can relate to everything you have said. This group brings a fresh approach to every song they do. Yesterday is reborn through Leonid...
My favorite Chicago song is "Hard to say I'm Sorry/ Get Away"
So good it's Scary!😀
I know what you mean so emotional about Jeff Lynn ELO final tour Òver and out my youth was ELO and Chicago music I did secure tickets for ELO concert in the fall strange my first concert was ELO when I was a teen and probably my last this fall is ELO
Amazing!!!!!!
I’m 65 and agree 💯 with everything you are saying.
one word ! INCREDIBLE !
Great reaction! As we get older what you said I totally agree.
Another amazing performance by Leonid & Friends! “I’ve been Searching So Long” is one of my favorites (of which I have many) of Chicago. The composition is amazing and I’m constantly blown away by the wonderful music they kept on coming up with, especially in the Terry Kath era. Leonid and his unbelievable group of musicians not only perform them absolutely spot on, but the most incredible thing is that they are able to capture the spirit of each song as well and that’s what makes me so emotional listening to it! Jeff, you are absolutely right, Leonid & Friends have a way of bringing us back to what we felt when we first experienced this awesome music (and by the way, not only the Chicago music)! If I was forced to pick my favorite Chicago song of all time, it would be their first song off their first album, “Introduction.” An amazing, complicated tune that Terry wrote in his head and had to have James Pankow put it down on paper! …..sorry for the long comment, I got carried away! 😂
Brother, I feel you...I'm 65 and hearing these new recordings of songs that meant SO. MUCH. when I was a teenager, the love, the respect, it's sometimes just so overwhelming. Much love & respect.
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I've said it before ,they are AWESOME!
An afternoon with you and the music of my youth. Perfection, Thank You
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I loved Chicago from their CTA days. Saw them in my college gymnasium in 1970, before their popularity took off. The cover band I played in during college did many Chicago tunes. When I came across the Leonid videos a few years ago, I tripped out on the accuracy in capturing the sound and feel of the original recordings, only with 21st century recording technology. I saw L&F live their last trip through Florida and their live performance lived up to their recorded presence. These folks are the real deal!
When only the best will Do it Right 🎉❤
As another geezer, I'm right with you. Your comments describe exactly how I feel about these guys. I've been a fan since the first time I heard them a few years ago.
That's why I tune into your channel Jeff. You truly experience the music. I really understand you on those glimpses back in time ('70s) and find myself back at the beach, sipping my orange pop with the music blasting over the loudspeakers. They say youth is wasted on the wrong people and it's true. I really didn't realize how great I had it. Serge, the Ukrainian lead singer here nails it with his "hell yeah" rocker performance.
Thank you! 😊😊😊🫶
Leonid & Friends certainly have something special. Even a song like this that, at the time, when Chicago originally released it, didn't convince me, now excites me. It could be the age (mine) but it could be, more likely, the intensity and feeling with which these people play.
Thank you for bringing Leonid and friends into my world! I share your love for this music and the feelings when listening to it. Music was always a personal refuge for me as a teenager. I love this group for their talents and dedication to this genre. The expressions on their faces say everything. I hope to see them in the US if they tour again.
The group is starting their tour next month. April 2024. The eastern part of the U.S.
@@vansmack4972 And then the midwest and west in the fall!
I couldn't agree more with your assessment of the feelings that these songs bring back to me. I'm so glad that someone else has these emotional feelings as I dip. I'm so glad that I found your beautiful channel. I will be a big supporter! Thank you
Jeff, this is my favorite video of yours, and my favorite of L&F. Yes, mind blowing and emotional. Makes me feel ALIVE.
Jeff you are so right. I got misty listening to this one. I can tell you exactly where I was when I heard this for the first time. Such an incredible time in my life.
Jeff, you said it all, perfectly.
My favorite Chicago song and first cassette I bought was Chicago 17 Hard Habit To Break! I not it's not their strongest horn song, and it's post Terry Kath, but unfortunately, that's due to my age! My favorite Leonid and Friends Chicago tribute is, by far is Wishing You Were Here! It's very underrated, in my opinion, but the harmonies are hard to pass up! They do a pretty good job emulating the Beach Boys on harmonies!
That was fun....watching you have the same overwhelming reaction as I hearing AND watching this. Leonid and co are all the things you said and for us all, a gift.
🎶 Music can evoke so many faded memories - Music is powerful. 🎶
I know what you mean Jeff, ... when I hear a particular song, it brings back feelings/memories of what I experienced when I was in college in the late 70's.
Just when i thought that this group couldn't impress me anymore than they already have. And now this. I really can't describe what this did to me. I really cant describe it. Incredible is such an understatement. I'm blown away
Serge is sorely missed in the band, it just has not been the same since Sergey and him have left.
I totally agree
I wonder if he's safe. I see he hasn't made an entry on Facebook since end of January.
@@barryanderson3910 Who, Serge, Sergey or both?
@@kirkkimball-martinez2402 Serge Tiagniryadno -- the "Cetera" voice.
@@barryanderson3910 yes I do hope, that Serge is safe. Right he is that Cetera voice.
Jeff, Very Well Said, from another Fossil. Thanks Jeff!
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These songs make me remember the better days of life, when music was an art form and not auto tune and remixes. Chicago was a mainstay when i was gtowing up in the 60s
Jeff greetings from Yuma Arizona. You look so happy!!
Saw Chicago live in 1972. VERY loud in the auditorium where they were playing. Didn't matter. Walked on air leaving the show and for a couple of days after. One of the reasons I follow ace tribute bands (you've seen them: Leonid and Friends, Brit Floyd, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac and Lexington Lab Band) is that they all aspire to do better than replication of the original. They make you BELIEVE and in doing so, let you relive those "Old Days" that now are so special. Keep it up! I look forward (daily) to your posts.
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I feel you man! Deep inside . . . Ooh it’s part of me!
You get it John!
Cant get enough of these folks can ya? News flash neither can the thousands of us that are following this remarkable group of musicians. Yes the memories, in the 70's in HS, driving around in my friends orange Honda Civic, windows down, (Heater blasting cause it was in the 40's) and music cranked singining along to Chicago thinking we were the cool kids! Favorites, aside from all of them, I love Old Days!
Love this comments! 👏👏👏🫶
It's amazing how music can bring you back to a place in time that you otherwise had forgotten about. I didn't buy a lot of albums when I was young (short on money), but I could afford the occasional single on 45, and that was my music collection until cassette tapes came out.
My God!!! They are perfect. These songs comprise my entire life. This band is utterly amazing. I totally agree. I'm now 61 and these songs flood memories and emotions from my youth. I thought it was just me who cries at times listening to the amazing songs that gave our lives meaning. It's nice to share with people who feel the same. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
I saw them back in 2019, and it was absolutely insane. So so great.
They bring all the nostalgia on us of our good old times, I absolutely love this band, they are awesome !!!!
Very well said. They are so very good. I grew up listening to the old style Chicago, so this definitely takes me back. I did not appreciate them as much as I should have back then.
They are going to be playing here in October and I am beyond excited to see them.