Flipping the spiritual dial from the ultra mellow to the completely FRENZIED is okay in the world of Gigs & Digs. It’s all good, as we often say. On Thursday, January 31st, 2008, the rafters rocked, the timbers trembled, my friends. The Place? THE STATE THEATRE, North Washington Street, Falls Church. The Time? Right ON TIME. The Event? George LEH reunited with his old band mates Steve Jacobs and Tom Principato to honor the fabulous Blues and Jump combination of the 1970's, POWERHOUSE!!

And as you watch the mauve-suited, silver tied, five-foot sump’n dynamo of nonstop energy burst onstage with a roar and a flourish, the question begs to be asked. What?!! This guy is 70?? No es possible. He’s trim, dapper with shades catching the purplish sparkle of the State Theatre strobe lights. Yes, you might think, Ray Charles minus his keyboard. For Though George Leh is blind, he sees all the palette of the Blues, of swing, Jazz, and he makes the listener view it all as never before.

From the first high trill of “The Next Time You See Me,” once a hit for Little Junior Parker, the self-assured Leh had the audience in the virtual palm of his hand. It was amazing to note the endless enthusiasm of the audience at the State. Most were of that certain boomer age, many of the guys graying but the ladies still willowy, a few taking to the shiny boards for a turn around the dance oval. When George asked if the assembled faithful if they liked the “NIGHT LIFE,“ (a BB King standard originally penned by WILLIE NELSON), who would dare answer in the negative?

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