I discovered Leonid and Friends two weeks ago, and haven't stopped playing them since. I'm a retired musician/music tutor and thought I'd seen and heard it all. I was a student when EW&F brought this out. It is not close to the original. IT IS HOW THE ORIGINAL SOUNDS. Leonid has got it absolutely spot on perfect. I'm so pleased that this band is showing that musicians bring the world together. Politicians push the world apart. Seeing this band makes me want to play music again. I hope I do. Even only as my tribute to Leonid and Friends
You said you aren’t familiar with this song…. Well you just heard it exactly as EW&F played it. What’s truly amazing to me, I saw an interview with Leonid and he said (at least for the Chicago covers) they had no written charts to arrange by. He totally arranges their charts by ear! If the same is true for this, he did an amazing job. Very true to the original.
It's even better than that. L&F's aim is to do live covers of other groups' studio recordings. EWF can't perform their own songs live and make them sound precisely like their own studio recordings, for example. Quite a feat.
Ive listened to both Chicago and EWF going back to the 80's and it's not just that musically hit the right notes, they capture EVERYTHING...the vibe, the rhythm, the spirit. They have an IT factor in their performances I can't describe, but actually gets me choked up it sounds so beautiful.
Love your reactions! As a longtime follower of EWF, this is a beautiful and awesome rendition of "In the Stone". Agree with you that every aspect of this arrangement was so tight and the balance of every instrument interwoven with the vocals. I found myself thinking, "THIS sounds almost better than the original!" The musicians not only are extremely talented but you can see the genuine joy and their passion playing this song.
L&F has no competition...they are the BEST at what they do...Horns, drums, guitars, orchestra, vocals are superb. Arrangements are impressive..Leonid has done things no one else has done!! 😀💥💥☝
Omg, I´m just binging your Leonid & friends reactions... so much FUN!!! That lead singers voice just caught me byv surprise, very positively! At the end of another video of them was Russia/Ukraine written in the credits - love that statement in these crazy and volent times!!!
In my opinion as a lifelong horn player who has played this song, Leonid & Friends have gone to another level of performance which is very difficult to replicate. To take something from Earth Wind & Fire and super enhance it to make it sound like this? Absolutely astonishing!
What an incredible cover. Sure hope this group is getting the notice it deserves. This was just a wonderful and flawless performance. And as always your comments were enthusiastic, informed and a delight to listen to.
A special comment for the arranger of EWF. Hear and enjoy the second line behind the vocals. Amazing peace of geniality! Please get the B/G, and listen to it. A few times I ve listened such a superb combination! It took me for a ride of emotions and feelings. Damn, this is musical talent!
This was just fire! Inpeccable, and EXACTLY the way, Earth, Wind and Fire did it. It is just great that their musical legacy is kept alive. Thank you very much for your great reaction as well as for your final words on keeping the dire political aspect out of artistic reviews. All the very best from Germany
Wow, they did an amazing job. EWF would be proud I'm sure. As a life long fan of theirs, I have to say I'm very impressed. Not many bands could successfully pull of EWF and sound this good!
As a musician myself when you actually “Feel” the music and its meaning everything is as tight as can be, thus all the smiles! I so remember this feeling and its magic to say the least!
I got to see them live in Birmingham, AL, a couple years' ago and they were just as good live! I have tickets to see them again in Oxford, AL, in March!
Love this, this group is amazing! The unsung hero in all of their tunes is the mixing. It sounds dead on to the originals. That's the first thing I keyed in on when I first heard them. What a group!
I've been a huge EW&F fan since 1975. They are my favorite band--all genres. Leonid & Friends just KILLED this song (and all other EWF songs...and Chicago songs) These guys blow away whatever is currently passing these days for EW&F and Chicago!
Amazing isn't it? Music truly is the universal language. The next deep space probe needs to carry an inclusive catalogue of the music of earth, including these guys. To want something so bad that you do the transcribing, find the best musicians and convince them to join you.... I'm left speechless. It's not just good, it's the definition of excellence.
I grew up with EWF as well as Chicago, so can I definitely confirm the original is identical to the human ear. I challenge you to play the original side by side and you'll notice that even the timing is spot on! Thanks so much for appreciating this incredible band as much as I do. The very first time I heard them, I'm not ashamed to say, brought tears of joy from appreciating how faithful and accurate they are to the original recording.
Thanks for this, Jeff! I knew you would love it! It's very faithful to the original recording, but with today's recording and mixing technology, Leonid & Friends really take it to another level! 😊 I can't wait to see your reaction to Leonid & Friends version of Steely Dan's "My Old School". It's gonna be fun!!
Another banger from Leonid & Friends, this again is another great cover which is very much a perfect reproduction of the original studio version, thanks for the reaction Jeff, I can't wait to see your reaction to Leonid & Friends version of Steely Dan's My Old School, I think you're gonna love it too.
I've been watching Leonid and Friends since I stumbled across their very first video when it first came out. Of all their amazing performances, this is one of my very favorites. It is spellbinding in its faithfulness to the original.
We know how good L & F are with Chicago and EWF material in particular but really is there anything off limits to this talented bunch of musicians? The answer is a hard no. Love your work and your enthusiasm Jeff. Keep it up 🤩🥳🎉👌
I've seen them 4 times and my 5th is coming this October. Their music is an feast for my ears. Makes us all feel we're back in the innocence of our youth!
Composer, producer, and songwriter Leonid Vorobyev loved the American band Chicago. He decided he would give himself a birthday gift in the form of a song from his favourite American band. Having no sheet music and never having seen Chicago perform live, he deconstructed his first of many Chicago songs by ear, put it to paper, and reconstructed it. He then assembled a group of Russian and Ukrainian musicians and recorded it. He ended up with a cover version of "Make Me Smile" that sounded better than the original, in my humble opinion. This original song gave new meaning to "overnight success" as the video went viral. Leonid and his friends were overwhelmed by the response they had from the public and have since gone on to cover other bands such as Steely Dan and Earth, Wind, and Fire. This track is as tight in the horn section as any I have ever heard. Simply beautiful music. This has to my favorite so far. The complexity of this composition is beyond words and the horn section! Wow!!!!
Hello Mr. SMr. S...This group is amazing, and lets remember they are from Russia. That is a feat in its self. They also do Chicago covers that are awesome. Lets hear those. Especially with Leonid lead vocals. Thanks. You are doing an amazing thing here. Keep it up Eric in New orleans
Esos Chelos suenan enojados son increíbles me encantan el baterista con lo justo es el ritmo que hace los trompetistas son el fondo destacado mi hermano me enseñó a escuchar todos los instrumentos a parte de todo lo demás ... Son increíbles me emociona al escucharlos con tanta precisión y el gusto alegre con que lo hacen lo llevan dentro son músicos de gerarquia no me canso de escucharlos ... Soy de Buenos Aires Argentina saludos cordiales maestros !!
Earth, Wind & Fire is one of my favorite groups. I never thought I would hear anybody who could cover them the way Leonid & Friends did. Like you kept saying they are so tight. I have listened to almost everything that they’ve done on TH-cam. Fantastic!
Se te caen las medias y los calzones escuchando a ésta gente linda ... Cómo soplan esos caños son terribles lo que hacen saxo trompeta trombón son 6 y parecen 20 ... No me canso de escucharlos a todos son parejos el cantante primera voz más el coro son hermosos todos no tengo palabras ... Desde Buenos Aires Argentina gracias
Yes, Jeff. EVERYTHING you hear Leonid and Friends play is EXACTLY AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY RECORDED. EXACTLY. It doesn’t matter which chart, or which band. IT. IS. EXACT. Who else does this? NO ONE!!!!!!!!!!!
The smiles on their faces you referred to - very sincere! Spending time with them before and after the shows they are always smiling and truly happy to be doing what they are doing. Re "My Old School" video they use two brothers who are not part of the band. But even when they perform live without those two, they still sound absolutely terrific!
nice to have a studio pro appreciate the incredible-ness of l&f tributes as for fidelity of this cover, it is virtually note-for-note and perhaps (to my ear, anyway) better than the original "in the stone" has always been a favorite of mine, but it took a simultaneous left-right playback of both to fully understand how well leonid transcribed and mixed the tune... astounding keep up the good work, jeff!
So good! They make me smile. Every time. Love Andrey's horn twirl at 4:03. He's no longer on the band, but Valery (far left) has filled his shoes nicely.
This is as close as it's ever possible to sound like EWF. What I love about Leonid & Friends is that they enjoy what they do....entertain us with memories that evoke another time and place.
Loved it! After your review/reaction to L&Fs cover of My Old School, you really should go an additional layer deeper into the onion and listen to the Rox Bros cover of Bohemian Rhapsody. (They are featured in My Old School and Stormbringer covers and sit in in other studio versions from time to time…..HIGHLY skilled in their own right!
Especially amazing to me, as a non-musician, is that some of the vocalists also play small percussion instruments in their hands as they sing - and play them apparently perfectly, with no flubs or interference in the sound of their vocals or the overall mix.
How many times have we confidently said .... There is none like = 1) CHICAGO 2) Earth Wind & Fire 3) Steely Dan ..... well THERE IS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kudos you all, GBjj
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
I discovered Leonid and Friends two weeks ago, and haven't stopped playing them since. I'm a retired musician/music tutor and thought I'd seen and heard it all. I was a student when EW&F brought this out. It is not close to the original. IT IS HOW THE ORIGINAL SOUNDS. Leonid has got it absolutely spot on perfect.
I'm so pleased that this band is showing that musicians bring the world together. Politicians push the world apart. Seeing this band makes me want to play music again. I hope I do. Even only as my tribute to Leonid and Friends
You said you aren’t familiar with this song…. Well you just heard it exactly as EW&F played it. What’s truly amazing to me, I saw an interview with Leonid and he said (at least for the Chicago covers) they had no written charts to arrange by. He totally arranges their charts by ear! If the same is true for this, he did an amazing job. Very true to the original.
Sometimes they like to add their own hot sauce to it so wasn’t sure hahaha.
It's even better than that. L&F's aim is to do live covers of other groups' studio recordings. EWF can't perform their own songs live and make them sound precisely like their own studio recordings, for example. Quite a feat.
Ive listened to both Chicago and EWF going back to the 80's and it's not just that musically hit the right notes, they capture EVERYTHING...the vibe, the rhythm, the spirit. They have an IT factor in their performances I can't describe, but actually gets me choked up it sounds so beautiful.
NICE!! 👏🏾😄
@RobertClaeson no my friend I saw EWF live almost 45 years ago when the entire group was together and they sounded better than the studio recording.
Love your reactions! As a longtime follower of EWF, this is a beautiful and awesome rendition of "In the Stone". Agree with you that every aspect of this arrangement was so tight and the balance of every instrument interwoven with the vocals. I found myself thinking, "THIS sounds almost better than the original!" The musicians not only are extremely talented but you can see the genuine joy and their passion playing this song.
L&F has no competition...they are the BEST at what they do...Horns, drums, guitars, orchestra, vocals are superb. Arrangements are impressive..Leonid has done things no one else has done!! 😀💥💥☝
You are right on, they are fantastic!
It's a truly talented group of musicians in their own right, and together they're just amazing!
They all look like they are having the time of their lives smiling string section
Omg, I´m just binging your Leonid & friends reactions... so much FUN!!! That lead singers voice just caught me byv surprise, very positively!
At the end of another video of them was Russia/Ukraine written in the credits - love that statement in these crazy and volent times!!!
So good!
Your reactions are just like mine. They are consistently just amazing. I would love to see them in concert.
What's stunning is English is not their first language
TIGHT yes!
Such beauty and precision. Reliving the 70s and 80s with this band.
In my opinion as a lifelong horn player who has played this song, Leonid & Friends have gone to another level of performance which is very difficult to replicate. To take something from Earth Wind & Fire and super enhance it to make it sound like this? Absolutely astonishing!
The crazy thing is when you hear them perform live they're JUST AS GOOD!
Master Maurice White a true genius!!!! God gifted!!
Leonid also does the sound production. Saw them and cutie Daniil sing this live in San Jose!
What an incredible cover. Sure hope this group is getting the notice it deserves. This was just a wonderful and flawless performance. And as always your comments were enthusiastic, informed and a delight to listen to.
It's the drummer !!!
A special comment for the arranger of EWF. Hear and enjoy the second line behind the vocals. Amazing peace of geniality! Please get the B/G, and listen to it. A few times I ve listened such a superb combination! It took me for a ride of emotions and feelings. Damn, this is musical talent!
The string section!
This was just fire! Inpeccable, and EXACTLY the way, Earth, Wind and Fire did it. It is just great that their musical legacy is kept alive. Thank you very much for your great reaction as well as for your final words on keeping the dire political aspect out of artistic reviews.
All the very best from Germany
Wow, they did an amazing job. EWF would be proud I'm sure. As a life long fan of theirs, I have to say I'm very impressed. Not many bands could successfully pull of EWF and sound this good!
I am familiar with the original version and this version is spot on
It goes beyond tight with all these musicians! I always listen with my headphones, and every instrument is heard clearly! Amazing!
Me too❤ it’s unbelievably gorgeous all their songs
As a musician myself when you actually “Feel” the music and its meaning everything is as tight as can be, thus all the smiles! I so remember this feeling and its magic to say the least!
they did a GREAT job with the song
PLEASE PLESAE PLEASE Do a review of Leonid and Friends - Vehicle anything these folks touch is perfection!
I got to see them live in Birmingham, AL, a couple years' ago and they were just as good live! I have tickets to see them again in Oxford, AL, in March!
Love this, this group is amazing! The unsung hero in all of their tunes is the mixing. It sounds dead on to the originals. That's the first thing I keyed in on when I first heard them. What a group!
BRAVO!!!
THE HARDEST-WORKING TRIBUTE BAND IN THE BUSINESS TODAY! BRAVO!!!
I think the energy in that yellow jacket could power a small town.
😂👏👏👏
Energy? Is that what they are calling it now?
Watching you appreciate the work they do makes the performance even better. Thanks for the great reviews!
Thanks for watching!
Couldn't agree more, i get more out of seeing a professional with such admiration get blown away, thought it was just me!
They have to be one of the best cover bands in the world right now 👏👏👏👌👌👌
I've been a huge EW&F fan since 1975. They are my favorite band--all genres. Leonid & Friends just KILLED this song (and all other EWF songs...and Chicago songs)
These guys blow away whatever is currently passing these days for EW&F and Chicago!
Amazing isn't it? Music truly is the universal language. The next deep space probe needs to carry an inclusive catalogue of the music of earth, including these guys. To want something so bad that you do the transcribing, find the best musicians and convince them to join you.... I'm left speechless. It's not just good, it's the definition of excellence.
Leonids ability to seek out the vocalist that most aligns to the original is beyond extraordinary.
When you hear the original version it will sound EXACTLY as this does. It is simply flawless.
It is so amazing how perfect it was!
I grew up with EWF as well as Chicago, so can I definitely confirm the original is identical to the human ear. I challenge you to play the original side by side and you'll notice that even the timing is spot on! Thanks so much for appreciating this incredible band as much as I do. The very first time I heard them, I'm not ashamed to say, brought tears of joy from appreciating how faithful and accurate they are to the original recording.
Brilliant cover, what a great choice!
Your smile and enthusiasm fill my heart with joy.
@@mbrookes1669 😊😊😊🫶
Two words to define L&F : Joy and energy. Awesome group.
Fabulous.
Thanks for this, Jeff! I knew you would love it! It's very faithful to the original recording, but with today's recording and mixing technology, Leonid & Friends really take it to another level! 😊 I can't wait to see your reaction to Leonid & Friends version of Steely Dan's "My Old School". It's gonna be fun!!
Thank YOU John! 😊😊😊
Another banger from Leonid & Friends, this again is another great cover which is very much a perfect reproduction of the original studio version, thanks for the reaction Jeff, I can't wait to see your reaction to Leonid & Friends version of Steely Dan's My Old School, I think you're gonna love it too.
I've been watching Leonid and Friends since I stumbled across their very first video when it first came out. Of all their amazing performances, this is one of my very favorites. It is spellbinding in its faithfulness to the original.
This is why music is such a great thing !! Love ❤️
We know how good L & F are with Chicago and EWF material in particular but really is there anything off limits to this talented bunch of musicians? The answer is a hard no. Love your work and your enthusiasm Jeff. Keep it up 🤩🥳🎉👌
Beautiful... The best cover band on earth. Love the energy all of them transmit.
Pure joy.....best of the best
Maravilhoso de mais, já foi analisado e avaliado por mim e é nota 10.
Perfeito em tudo !
I've seen them 4 times and my 5th is coming this October. Their music is an feast for my ears. Makes us all feel we're back in the innocence of our youth!
LEONID IS AGAIN A FREAKIN GENIUS !!!
Saw them live on their east coast 2023 tour amazing they have so much fun
This is awesome. Love the joy on their faces as they play and sing. They make it so intriguing to watch. 👍
Composer, producer, and songwriter Leonid Vorobyev loved the American band Chicago. He decided he would give himself a birthday gift in the form of a song from his favourite American band. Having no sheet music and never having seen Chicago perform live, he deconstructed his first of many Chicago songs by ear, put it to paper, and reconstructed it. He then assembled a group of Russian and Ukrainian musicians and recorded it.
He ended up with a cover version of "Make Me Smile" that sounded better than the original, in my humble opinion. This original song gave new meaning to "overnight success" as the video went viral.
Leonid and his friends were overwhelmed by the response they had from the public and have since gone on to cover other bands such as Steely Dan and Earth, Wind, and Fire.
This track is as tight in the horn section as any I have ever heard.
Simply beautiful music.
This has to my favorite so far. The complexity of this composition is beyond words and the horn section!
Wow!!!!
Yes, you heard it amazingly JUST LIKE EW&F!!! EVEN BETTER BECAUSE THEY ARE SO TIGHT!!!!!,
EWF simply the BBEver !
And the love story continues !!! :-)
Flawless!
Ese final es una bomba 💣💣💣💣💥💥💥💥 se me eriza la piel son maravillosos...
Thanks, Jeff. A great feel-good song played to perfection. Love it!
Hello Mr. SMr. S...This group is amazing, and lets remember they are from Russia. That is a feat in its self. They also do Chicago covers that are awesome. Lets hear those. Especially with Leonid lead vocals. Thanks. You are doing an amazing thing here. Keep it up Eric in New orleans
Esos Chelos suenan enojados son increíbles me encantan el baterista con lo justo es el ritmo que hace los trompetistas son el fondo destacado mi hermano me enseñó a escuchar todos los instrumentos a parte de todo lo demás ... Son increíbles me emociona al escucharlos con tanta precisión y el gusto alegre con que lo hacen lo llevan dentro son músicos de gerarquia no me canso de escucharlos ... Soy de Buenos Aires Argentina saludos cordiales maestros !!
My favorite EWF song and for me one of the best intros in history and this tribute for me surpasses it.... Amazing!!!!!😯😯😯
Earth, Wind & Fire is one of my favorite groups. I never thought I would hear anybody who could cover them the way Leonid & Friends did. Like you kept saying they are so tight. I have listened to almost everything that they’ve done on TH-cam. Fantastic!
Earth Wind & Fire were so far ahead of their time. This group are so faithful to the original but also have every base covered. Outstanding.
And it sounds virtually exactly like the EWF version
Yellow is my new favorite color.
Se te caen las medias y los calzones escuchando a ésta gente linda ... Cómo soplan esos caños son terribles lo que hacen saxo trompeta trombón son 6 y parecen 20 ... No me canso de escucharlos a todos son parejos el cantante primera voz más el coro son hermosos todos no tengo palabras ... Desde Buenos Aires Argentina gracias
She looks beautiful dancing
It is spot on. The horns are perfect on the emphasis.
Yes, Jeff. EVERYTHING you hear Leonid and Friends play is EXACTLY AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY RECORDED. EXACTLY. It doesn’t matter which chart, or which band. IT. IS. EXACT. Who else does this? NO ONE!!!!!!!!!!!
The joy on Leonids face 🙏❤️😎
Love it...!!! Your reaction is also excellent!!!
World-class musicians and singers. So tight is right! See them live this fall if you want a real treat!
Let's not forget that they're singing in a language that isn't their own!! To achieve all the little subtle nuances in English is astounding!!
The smiles on their faces you referred to - very sincere! Spending time with them before and after the shows they are always smiling and truly happy to be doing what they are doing. Re "My Old School" video they use two brothers who are not part of the band. But even when they perform live without those two, they still sound absolutely terrific!
That guys are from Rox Bros, and they are really good. I just listened to their cover of "Bohemiam Rhapsody".
Jeff, they just dropped "I say a little prayer" Motown is back! You've got too see it!
Spot on the original!
nice to have a studio pro appreciate the incredible-ness of l&f tributes
as for fidelity of this cover, it is virtually note-for-note and perhaps (to my ear, anyway) better than the original
"in the stone" has always been a favorite of mine, but it took a simultaneous left-right playback of both to fully understand how well leonid transcribed and mixed the tune... astounding
keep up the good work, jeff!
Thank you my friend! 🫶
I'm a huge Earth,Wind & Fire song and very familiar with "In the Stone". Leonid and Friends knocked it out of the park. They covered it very close
So good! They make me smile. Every time. Love Andrey's horn twirl at 4:03. He's no longer on the band, but Valery (far left) has filled his shoes nicely.
This is as close as it's ever possible to sound like EWF. What I love about Leonid & Friends is that they enjoy what they do....entertain us with memories that evoke another time and place.
They are SPOT ON!!! They are the best of the best
The best I ever heard. You must do Speck of Dust by these guys.
Takes me back to the Summer of 1979! What an awesome cover! Definitely took In The Stone to higher heights! Great reaction!
I did not really know the EWF original. All I know is this was jaw-dropping. BTW, thank you for wearing yellow again. It's been too long.
this was on the movie "Drumline"
Loved it! After your review/reaction to L&Fs cover of My Old School, you really should go an additional layer deeper into the onion and listen to the Rox Bros cover of Bohemian Rhapsody. (They are featured in My Old School and Stormbringer covers and sit in in other studio versions from time to time…..HIGHLY skilled in their own right!
They are simply the best!
I'd be glad to assert 'This is every bit as hot as the original!' Thanks for doing it.
OUTSTANDING❤❤!!
This cover is so incredibly close to the original. I LOVE these guys!!!
One of EW&F's greatest recordings. The original is super tight. Leonid and friends had their work cut out for them.
I hear some pitch control. The playback is a little distorted, but may be the video..
Leonid demands perfection. and he gets it!
The absolute best band out there these days 👍🏻
LOVE your reviews. And yes, these guys are the real thing. All of them!
Thank you my friend!
Especially amazing to me, as a non-musician, is that some of the vocalists also play small percussion instruments in their hands as they sing - and play them apparently perfectly, with no flubs or interference in the sound of their vocals or the overall mix.
They are so, so good. Joyous for sure. When they play Chicago, I'm almost in tears. Their take on "Fantasy" by EWF is terrific as well.
How many times have we confidently said .... There is none like = 1) CHICAGO 2) Earth Wind & Fire 3) Steely Dan ..... well THERE IS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kudos you all, GBjj
one word, amazing.
SO EXCITED THEY ARE COVERING EW& F NOW LOOOOOOVE IT❤❤❤❤❤❤
C'est magique, je me suis mis a danser sur mon fauteuil ❤
Merci