James TAYLOR & Band US TOUR compte-rendus, videos, photos...

Premier compte-rendu du lancement de la nouvelle tournée de James Taylor

JAMES SE PRODUIT AU KEY ARENA DE SEATTLE (31 mai 2014) — ET... COMBIEN C'EST DOUX

Paul de Barros

Pendant près de trois heures samedi soir, James Taylor a transformé la KeyArena tentaculaire en un salon intime.

Bavard et détendu dans un manteau de sport et un jean, le singer-songwriter chauve de 66 ans a livré un spectacle savamment rythmé, mêlant des voix et des mélodies connues et inconnues. Il a même signé des autographes et posé pour des photos de téléphone avec les fans au bord de la scène - dont une jeune femme qui avait amené son père comme présent de une fête des pères précoce.

L'âge ne semble pas avoir affecté la voix légèrement dentelée de Taylor, qui parvenait en tranches dans l'espace avec une clarté alternativement triste et joyeuse.

Il a divisé la soirée en deux parties. Des images défilaient derrière lui sur un écran et sur quatre piliers de chaque côté de la scène ainsi que sur le tablier de l'estrade du batteur.

Racontant des histoires entre les chansons, Taylor a rappelé la première fois qu'il a entendu Carole King chanter "Vous avez un ami," au Troubadour à Los Angeles.

"Je ne pouvais pas attendre d'attraper ma guitare," dit-il. «Je ne savais pas que j'aurais à chanter cette chanson tous les soirs pour le reste de ma vie."

Mais il est loin de s'en plaindre. Comme le vieux pro qu'il est, il a chanté l'hymne à l'amitié de King comme si c'était pour la première fois.

Idem pour les autres hits de cet artiste aux cinq Grammy et aux millions de vente de disques.

Taylor a une touche de prédicateur itinérant, qui a brillé dans "Country Road", avec le partie de violon et les traits de guitare électrique. L'utilisation du pipeau a ajouté de la saveur irlandaise à son monologue dramatique empathique sur "Millworker."

Mais le clou de la première partie fut "Carolina on My Mind», qui rappelé l'affection respectueuse pour la nature de natif de Caroline du Nord.

Sur "You and I", une superbe nouvelle ballade de chambre, Taylor chante les louanges de l'amour à la quarantaine, avec la guitare pedal steel et le piano acoustique comme seuls accompagnement. Il a plongé dans les basses riches de sa voix sur "Handy Man", et a effectué des mouvements hilarants sur "Mexique", tandis que les timbales crépitaient.

Il a même réussi à transformer "Fire and Rain", une chanson très triste, en un hymne triomphal.

La foule, presque composé uniquement de baby-boomers, a rappelé Taylor pour trois encores: "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", "Shower The People" (à visionner dans le prmeier commentaire) et le calme et parfait morceau de clôture: "Wild Mountain Thyme".

Il y aura sans doute de nombreux rappels à venir. Les chansons de Taylor acquièrent une richesse et un nouveau sens à mesure qu'elles vieillissent.

James Taylor comfortably familiar at the Bowl

In the first of his two shows, the veteran singer and songwriter gave a smoothly detailed set.

By BY BEN WENER / POP MUSIC CRITIC Orange County Register

Any Kings fans at the Hollywood Bowl June 7 for James Taylor’s first of two packed shows there, rather than across town at Staples Center where the L.A. team was facing the New York Rangers in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, didn’t have to wait to watch the results via DVR.

As so often happens at his (or really anyone’s) performances, hollered comments from the crowd filled the gaps between songs throughout both halves of his easygoing but exactingly detailed set. Some shouted requests that went unnoticed. Many women (and men) proclaimed their love. A few vocal admirers down front let him know it was their birthday.

Ever-affable Taylor – who after nearly a half-century of performing has long since perfected not only his unmistakable finger-picking fretwork but also Bob Newhart-esque comedic timing – knew exactly how to respond, even if it meant losing his way a little. At one point he began to explain how his smoothed-over yet pumped-up rendition of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” might make a fine birthday tune, only to realize it actually wasn’t next on his list, a deep track from 1981’s Dad Loves His Work was. (“But … but … w-w-we will play it soon.”)

A couple songs later, however, the murmurings reached a boiling point. Initially, JT couldn’t make out what was being hurled his direction. “I think perhaps we make fun of James,” he remarked in a mock-pouty voice, briefly hiding his face. Then the truth came out.

“The Kings won?” he asked. The place erupted.

“That’s fantastic news. Thank you for telling me that. I’ve got just the song for that!”

That got a huge laugh, because of course he doesn’t; his next piece was “Millworker,” a hard-times portrait from 1979’s “Flag,” about a woman toiling in a shoe manufacturing plant in Lowell, Mass. Before he played it, though, he double-checked the news from across town: “That happened just now at Staples Center?” he reiterated. “And we had to be at a James Taylor concert …”

Again the audience roared, louder and longer than they had for the Kings’ victory. And they kept right on cheering the rest of the night – from the inspirational “Lo and Behold” (one of five cuts revived from 1970’s Sweet Baby James, including the title lullaby) to the churning blues of “Steamroller” (another SBJ track) to his soulful redo of “Handy Man” and his two Carole King remakes, his indelible version of “You’ve Got a Friend” and her cityscape classic for the Drifters, “Up on the Roof.”

It took a more robust finale to get people on their feet, first via “Mexico” and “Your Smiling Face” to end the main set, and continuing with the Holland/Dozier/Holland pearl “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” and his own hopeful anthem “Shower the People” in the encore.

For the latter two, his wife, Kim, and son, Henry, joined Taylor’s impressive quartet of backing singers, still led by the mighty pipes of Arnold McCuller. Everything, meanwhile, was conjured by a remarkable band of aces, including Michael Landau on guitar, Blues Brothers saxophonist Lou Marini and an unbeatable rhythm team of drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Luis Conte, whose timbale playing on “Mexico” helped relocate that escapist ditty to Havana.

Along the way, this sprawling gathering – as big a draw as Taylor received when he toured with King for a stunning 2010 tour – was treated not only to lesser-heard catalog nuggets such as “Hour That the Morning Comes” (another gem from “somewhere in the middle distance back there,” about an epic party) but also several freshly penned bits, like the loping “Today Today Today” and the tender “You and I,” suggesting that his first batch of songs in a dozen years may be imminent. “It’s a new tune,” he mentioned before playing the former piece, “though it sounds like the old ones.”

That hardly matters: One doesn’t turn to James Taylor for innovation and unpredictability but rather consistency and comfort. Saturday at the Bowl he scored on both points, delivering his most well-worn material – like “Fire and Rain,” one of the greatest compositions ever written – with both familiarity and slight but detectable changes in phrasing that renewed meaning and underscored the timelessness of his lyrics.

Sometimes, it was a story that reshaped our understanding, as with “Carolina in My Mind,” a signature song from his Apple Records debut in 1968. That one, he explained, came to him in London while feeling “clinically homesick” at 19, despite watching astounded as the Beatles recorded much of the White Album.

Only during “Steamroller,” which lapsed into parody, did his looseness with structure betray his playful intentions. Otherwise, this was yet another superb display from the beloved songwriter – and still more proof that at 66 he’s as ageless as ever.

« James Taylor au Santa Barbara Bowl »
________________________________________

mardi 10 Juin, 2014

Par Blake Harper

Après près d’un demi-siècle de musique, James Taylor pourrait sembler de plus en plus las de jouer ses succès soir après soir. Mais si c’est ce qu’il ressent, il donne très bien le change; son concert au Santa Barbara Bowl de la semaine dernière était une performance sérieuse et indéniablement agréable, alimentée par les mêmes tubes qui ont contribué à lancer la carrière de Taylor en premier lieu.

Jouant plus de deux heures et demie, la voix de Taylor remarquablement soyeuse est passé à travers chaque succès aussi excellents en concert que sur ses albums. Une grande partie ds temps forts du concert eurent lieu lors des grands succès de Taylor, alors qu’il semblait se nourrir de l'énergie du public enthousiaste. L'excitation de la foule a atteint un climax pendant "Fire and Rain", composition dont Taylor chanta chaque vers avec une tendresse sincère que probablement fait même les fans les plus irréductibles ont eu l’impression d’écouter pour la première fois. D’autres moments remarquables furent l’interprétation des classiques comme "Carolina In My Mind", "You’ve Got A Friend" et "Mexico".

Une des plus grandes forces de Taylor consiste en sa capacité à trouver de la puissance dans la simplicité, et cela s’est versé dans tous les aspects du concert de mercredi. Loin des spectacles visuels que de nombreux mélomanes seraient en droit d’attendre de leurs artistes jouant dans les salles en forme d’amphithéâtre, Taylor a opté pour une soirée uniquement de musique. Il y avait des photos et des clips projetés sur les écrans pour accompagner les chansons, comme cette photo d'un couple se tenant la main pendant la belle composition sentimentale "You Are My Only One", mais ce fut à peu près tout en termes de visuels. Heureusement, ces projections furent utilisées avec parcimonie, mais de façon efficace, et, finalement, cela s’est avéré être le complément parfait au style musical acoustique de Taylor. De même, le groupe qui l’accompagnait ont effectué un excellent travail en évitant de lui voler la vedette; leur style moins c’est, mieux c’est a joliment accentué la multitude de talents de l’artiste.

La plupart des chansons que Taylor effectue lors de cette tournée ont été écrites il y a des décennies, ce qui ne fait que prouver l'intemporalité de sa musique. Bien qu’il ne s’agisse de l’artiste scénique le plus flashy ou bizarre, le concert Bowl de la semaine dernière fut un rappel adéquate du talent incontestable de Taylor - et de la raison pour laquelle des millions de gens y demeurent dévoués toutes ces années après.

I was not alive when James Taylor and his self-reflective brand of folk music were most popular. For my entire life, Taylor has been touring the country playing songs that are as familiar to my grandparents as they are to me. My own first experience with James Taylor was finding an old copy of Sweet Baby James amongst my grandma's records and noticing that the writer of these sweet and mellow songs also happened to be a total babe.

Sunday night, a much older James Taylor, one who's somewhat more balding than babely, played everyone's favorite relaxing, folky classics to a sold-out crowd of mostly middle-aged men in Hawaiian shirts at Verizon Theatre. After almost 50 years on the road, Taylor's stage presence is almost as vibrant as it was in 1966, and he brought some of the best musicians in the country to share in an intimate and musically brilliant performance in Grand Prairie.

Taylor's All Star Band was impressive on its own. "Blue" Lou Marini of The Blues Brothers fame was on the sax. Steve Gadd, one of the most talented drummers in the entire industry, played alongside award-winning Cuban percussionist Luis Conte. Taylor's biggest fans likely recognized Jimmy Johnson, his longtime bassist. Even if you've heard Sweet Baby James a thousand times, you've never heard it played by such a talented set of musicians.

Taylor gently opened the evening with "Something In The Way She Moves," which he credited to helping him get his "big break." George Harrison and Paul McCartney first heard Taylor play this song in a small crowd in London, then signed him to their record label. Even at age 66, when you listen to him patiently play this song, it's easy to see what Harrison and McCartney saw in a 19-year-old Taylor.

In his golden years, Taylor is more comfortable as an artist than ever. New tracks of his would fit in nicely with folk acts like Mumford and Sons on the airwaves, but they have one essential difference: Taylor's iconic voice. Even though this show was very high energy, it was impossible to not feel happy and relaxed at the end of the night.

Taylor's voice has held up remarkably well over the years. Listening to him perform live is actually even better than listening to the records, especially on familiar tracks like "Country Roads." Sure, some of these songs are lyrically forgettable, but most of that audience, myself included, would have happily listened to Taylor sing the phone book last night.

On "Millworker," a song about a woman working in a shoe manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania, Taylor was sad, solemn and respectful. Images of factory work displayed on screens behind the band helped emphasize the working class themes and rural roots of these tracks. With this performance alone, it was very clear as to why James Taylor enjoyed such commercial success at the peak of folk music's popularity: he was making some of the best.

In the short pauses between songs, Taylor's personality was on display. He's just like your dad, except he punctuates his dorky jokes, awkward dance moves and cringe-worthy puns with No. 1 hits. "Carolina In My Mind" didn't come until well into the first act. Taylor certainly doesn't shy away from playing the hits, and it felt as if he enjoyed playing this song last night as much as he did when it was written. The guitar picking was as precise as ever, as was his recollection of the homesickness for North Carolina that inspired this track while he was in London for the recording of The Beatles' White Album.

Taylor finished act one of this show with his iconic cover of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend." I think I may have been one of the few people in this audience that actually preferred King's version, but hearing Taylor perform it live changed my mind. She may have written the song, but it will be his forever. There were a few bluesy touches added to this classic and it sounded like he dropped a few "y'alls" in the lyrics for Texan posterity.

After a 20-minute intermission, Taylor eased into the second act with "Stretch of the Highway," one of his more rebellious tracks as evidenced by the tasteful inclusion of the word "poontang." As people filed into their seats, Taylor jammed with his band for a moment, then put the guitar down for "You And I Again," a tentatively named track from his new album that is still in the works. If this song was written recently, it's difficult to differentiate it from his hits from the '70s.

The energy began to pick up in act two with "Hour Til' Morning Comes," a 1981 song from Dad Loves His Work. "Steamroller Blues," a questionable parody of blues music was performed as a joke, complete with ugly blues-singing faces and a few seconds of ridiculous scat-singing. Taylor's attempt at dueling guitars at the end of this performative joke with legendary guitarist Mike Landau was indulgent and probably a minute too long, but entertaining nonetheless.

To be honest, the sheer number of love songs in Taylor's catalog had me expecting that this show was going to be a little heavy-handed with the sentimentality. But it is only in "You Are My Only One" that the cheese factor is uncomfortably high, which probably has something to do with the heartwarming images of happy couples, parents and babies and dog owners projected on the screens. It was also at this point that I first smelled weed being smoked, so props to whoever got their dad the hook-up on a bag for the show.

Between most of the tracks, Taylor likes to talk back to the fans that shout out requests and compliments. He sheepishly turned down a few marriage proposals, and ignored requests from fans to improvise versions of "Desperado" and "Freebird." But once Taylor began "Fire and Rain," the audience fell quiet.

"Mexico" is another crowd favorite. By this point in the show, fans fueled by $16 Tuaca-topped margaritas and tall boys of Bud Light were dancing in the aisles. I also overheard a couple of 21-year old SMU bros, the self-professed "youngest people at this thing," telling a group of wine-drunk middle-aged women that they'd come just to see that one song, and that they'd be leaving to study for a test as soon as it was over. Unfortunately for them and the people sitting nearby, Taylor played Mexico next-to-last.

For the encore, Taylor brought out his tweenaged son Henry for an excellent rendition of "How Sweet It Is" with the entire band and his talented group of backup singers. Unfortunately, the younger Taylor didn't do any solos, so it's impossible to tell if he's inherited his father's honey-coated vocal chords. The elder Taylor let the audience talk him into playing one more song, the aptly chosen "Shower the People."

By the end of the evening, Taylor had assembled a performance that exemplified just how at-home he is on the stage, while showcasing his remarkable skill as a musician and vocalist. While many of the most important musicians of his era have succumbed to flattened vocal ranges or arthritis, it's possible that James Taylor has only gotten better throughout the years.

Il y avait quelque chose d'approprié à aller assister à un concert de James Taylor le jour de la fête des pères.

Un artiste renommée avec un catalogue de chansons rassurantes, apaisantes – un brin paternelle, même -  le concert à guichet fermé de Taylor au Théâtre Verizon ressemblait à un retour au foyer.

Même la voix expressive de Taylor - comme un morceau de bois au grain fin, poli et bien-aimé - était accueillant, délivrant des anecdotes entre les chansons (à un moment donné, il leva la setlist pour assurer les fans des tubes placés dessus) et sonnant doux tout au long du concert.

L'affection du public pour l'homme et sa musique était évidente bien avant qu’elle ne met le pied à l'intérieur du théâtre - la circulation sur l’Interstate 30 Ouest remontait sur un demi-kilomètre de la sortie de Belt Line Road, menant un grand nombre à supporter une attente de presque d'une heure pour se garer - et tout au long de la soirée, il y eut des proclamations incessants d'amour, mêlés avec de nombreuses reprises des chansons à tue-tête et des ovations.

Pendant plus de deux heures et deux parties entrecoupées d’un entracte de 20 minutes, Taylor et son "All-Star Band" de onze membres (qui compte dans ses rangs quelques poids lourds, comme  le saxophoniste "Blue" Lou Marini, le batteur Steve Gadd et  le choriste Arnold McCuller) ont habilement rendus le catalogue du chanteur de 66 ans aux nombreux Grammies avec beaucoup de nuance et une habileté aisée.

Il y eut même quelques morceaux encore-inédits - l'élégiaque You and I et Today Today Today - d'un album à venir prochainement, que Taylor a déclaré vouloir terminer avant sa tournée actuelle, mais "ça va être pour plus tard, J'en ai peur."

Compte tenu de la permanence des hits tels que Fire and Rain, Carolina In My Mind ou  le morceau de Carole King You’v Got A Friend, il est facile d'oublier combien le catalogue de Taylor peut être éclectique Taylor.

Ses chansons pop bucoliques, enracinées dans le folk, sont néanmoins touchés par une gamme complète d'influences musicales: jazz, blues, R & B, rock et country  qui tous ont laissé une marque.

Mais aucun des morceaux ne possèdent le pouvoir qu'ils ont sans les anecdotes derrière eux.

Plus d'une fois dimanche, Taylor a offert des récits directs poignants sur la genèse de, disons, Carolina In My Mind (conçu dans un moment de nostalgie extrême, tout en regardant les Beatles enregistrer ce qui allait devenir l'album blanc) ou Sweet Baby James (dont Taylor a a simplement déclaré: «Cette chanson est arrivée par la fenêtre").

Tout ceci a servi à intensifier l'étreinte familière de classiques bien-aimés, faisant ressembler ce dimanche à une étreinte particulièrement satisfaisante de l'un des grands et des plus modestes artisans de la musique pop.





One thing is clear after James Taylor’s sold-out, full-band concert on Sunday night at Verizon Theatre: His fans see him not only as a performing icon, but as an approachable old friend. You could tell as much by the way they’d yell out awkward requests between songs.

“Mexico!” “How Sweet It Is!”

And the 66-year-old folk legend, in fine vocal form, did his best to acknowledge the screamers by promising to get to their favorites or, at least, shrugging and grinning.  He even held up his oversized set list at one point, just to assure a demanding soul that a particular hit was coming up.

“See? It’s right down here,” Taylor said, with his finger near the song’s title and a strong “duh” look in his eyes. But nobody got too wrapped up in expectations on either side. Taylor, his large band and his four backup singers stuck to the tour’s two-set script but played everything as loosely and organically as they desired.

Drummer Steve Gadd and guitarist Mike Landau were given chances to carry as much weight as their boss on faster-moving selections like “Lo and Behold,” and “Never Die Young,” and the entire band brought the folks to their feet with an extended jam at the end of “Country Road.”

Strings, horns, and wind instruments lent elegance to the affair at times, as did tasteful video and lighting choices. Yet the spotlight and bulk of the crowd’s attention stayed with Taylor as he alternated between his career-making acoustic touchstones and his decidedly schlockier ’80s fare. Amazingly, the people greeted both sides of the singer with equal enthusiasm.

Tears welled and audible sighs swelled when Taylor took his stool and picked out the intros to “Carolina in My Mind” and “Fire and Rain.” He opened the evening with “Something in the Way She Moves” — a sequencing treat for anyone who’s spent hours with the monster-selling Greatest Hits album.  The note-perfect coupling of “Sweet Baby James” and “You’ve Got a Friend? Worth the price of admission, alone.

The rest, then, could be considered icing. Taylor tried out a new, country-ish tune called “Today, Today, Today,” early on, and later delivered a purposefully clench-mouthed rendition of “Steamroller” that lit up the Boomer-heavy crowd. Covers “Up on the Roof” and “Everyday” threatened to become sing-alongs while the Buffett-like tune, “Mexico,” made a group of young, beer-swilling fraternity guys to my right very, very happy.

Taylor was at his most charming and likeable when setting up his hits. The majority of the fans there likely knew that he received his first big break from the Beatles, but his stories of watching them work and writing in their presence still brought freshness and perspective to the material. He relied on his bread and butter as the foundation for the concert, but wasn’t afraid to throw out curveballs and play around with his performance style.

We got the sense Taylor was keeping himself as entertained as the crowd in front of him. Considering the number of years the guy’s been in the game, it’s nice to know he still has that kind of

LE SECOND CONCERT de James Taylor à Red Rocks a été menacée par une averse inattendue menaçante et persistante. Après avoir été infecté par cette musique en 1969, nous espérions encore attraper toute cette magie en dépit de l’anticipation de ne voir que des parapluies en face de nous, et nous avons donc trace notre chemin à travers la pluie jusqu’à l’entrée, ressentant déjà l’amour de fans partageant le même état d’esprit. En dépassant l’homme qui se tenait près du bus de tournée (“Est-ce Walt Fowler?”) évidemment muni de son téléphone portable, il est remarquable que chacun, de manière respectueuse, ait respecté son intimité. Pardonnez-moi la digression, mais avec ou sans sourdine,  le ton et l’attaque de Mr. Fowler est un rappel de Miles.

Fidèle à la fable d’une vie de suivre cette forme et cette culture musicales magiques, la pluie s’est estompée, le ciel s’est quelque peu dégagé et nous nous somme tenu coit alors qu’à une distanc e proche un arc-en-ciel vibrant et quasi-mélodieux s’est peu à peu formé, suivi  d’un second arc-en-ciel mélodieux. Il n’y a plus eu une seule goutte de pluie et le  concert a commencé avec seulement une demi-heure de retard. Comme l’a dit quelqu’un : “On ne peut pas inventer ce genre de chose.”

Vous savez, quand vous vous rendez à un autre de ces concerts, vous ne pouvez vous empêcher de vous rappeler les réunions passes de cette famille mélomane quand en compagnie d’amis chers, d’amour perdus ou simplement de la communauté unique de compagnons de voyage dont les cœurs ont été touchés et parfois encapsulé par le message subtil mais tellement puissant du troubadour nommé James Taylor.

Aujourd’hui, alors que certains d’entre nous approchons de l’hiver du cycle de notre vie, inutile de dire combien de fois encore nous aurons l’opportunité d’avoir la bénédiction de ces concerts et le rappel, avant que nous partions, de souvenirs accompagnés d’une présence persistance palpable.

Rendez-vous à un de ces concerts si cela vous est possible. Il y a des nouveautés et des nouveautés dans les vieux moments qui vous attendent.

Toutes mes excuses de ne pas vous procurer un compte-rendu plus approprié, mais e dépit de mes tendances critiques, comme on dit,  le reste n’est que détails.

Le concert que James Taylor amené à l’Intrust Bank Arena le vendredi soir était un peu comme celui qu'il a joué lors de sa dernière visite à Wichita en mai 2011.

Il a de nouveau attiré une foule de 6000 personnes, la majorité des spectateurs allant de 45 ans et plus. Il a de nouveau voyagé à travers sa bibliothèque de tubes, dont "Carolina In My Mind", "Sweet Baby James" et "Your Smiling Face." Il a de nouveau présenté ces chansons avec des anecdotes sur la façon dont il les avait écrites.

Taylor avait les mêmes choristes, le même groupe et il a de nouveau patiemment signé des autographes en devant de scène au début et à la fin de son entracte de 20 minutes.

Mais Taylor, 66 ans, revient avec sa présence scénique caractéristique, chaleureuse et drôle et sa voix chantante douce et claire, et il a charmé le public une fois de plus.

"Tu es tellement sexy!" a crié un fan peu après le début du premier set.

"A présent, vous êtes juste en train de vous moquer de James" a lancé Taylor impassible depuis la scène, semblant faussement penaud avant de se lancer dans la chanson suivante.

"Voici une chanson. Voici une autre chanson ", a-t-il dit. "Rien d'étonnant à cela, je suppose. Elle ne va pas se jouer toute seule. "

Taylor, vêtu d'un manteau de sport, d’une chemise en denim et d’un jeans foncé, a débuté le concert de deux sets avec "Something In the Way She Moves», qu'il décrit comme n’étant «pas la première chanson que j'ai écrit, mais c'est la première de mes chansons que je suis disposé à jouer en public. "

Peu de temps après  le début du premier set, Taylor s'est écarté de la setlist prévue, disant au public qu'il voulait interpréter une chanson qu'il a enregistré une fois pour un album de reprises.
"J'ai attendu de me rendre à Wichita pour la jouer,» dit-il. "Vous avez probablement entendu ce truc des tas de fois. Voici notre version de "Wichita Lineman." La version de Taylor est peut-être la meilleure jamais réalisée à Wichita depuis que son interprète original, Glen Campbell,  l’a joué à l'Orpheum lors de sa tournée d'adieu en 2012.

Les fans de Taylor sont restés la plupart du temps assis pendant le spectacle, tapant de temps en temps dans les mains au cours de ses chansons les plus optimistes ou prodiguant des ovations nourries pour ses les plus connues.

Quelques fans bruyants ont crié leurs louanges à Taylor alors qu'il tentait d'introduire une chanson. Il s'arrêta et regarda dans leur chemin.

"Désolé, je ne voulais pas vous interrompre," dit-il avec un sarcasme simulé.

Juste avant l'entracte, Taylor réalisé l'un de ses tubes les plus reconnaissables, "Sweet Baby James", datant de 1970, et a confié au public qu'il l’avait écrit pour son neveu nouveau-né qui avait été nommé d'après lui. Il a enchaîné avec sa version du classique de Carole King "You’ve Got A Friend" au cours de laquelle son fils adolescent Henry a rejoint ses choristes.

Le deuxième set a compris une version à haute énergie de "Steamroller Blues», au cours de laquelle Taylor a échangé des plans  de blues avec son guitariste.

Le set comprenait également un «Mexico», optimiste avec trompettes et bongos, et le succès emblématique "Fire and Rain", qui a valu à Taylor une autre ovation debout.

By Clarence Fanto, Special to The Eagle

Nothing says "summer in the Berkshires" more than a James Taylor concert at Tanglewood. Tonight and Friday, Taylor returns for a pair of 8 p.m. performances at the Shed -- annual concerts that have become one of the Berkshires' most anticipated Fourth of July weekend traditions.

The Eagle's Clarence Fanto recently had the opportunity to ask Taylor about the current tour, his upcoming album and what might be in store tonight and Friday.

Q: Though you've taken breaks from touring in the past, what was it like saddling up for the current 40-stop tour? Was it Gene Autry who sang "Back in the Saddle Again" before you and I were born?

J.T.: I think it was Gene Autry who wrote that back in the ‘30s. My Dad loved him. It really is like "saddling up" again each time a tour like this is engaged. I know I've been touring for 40-some years but it always requires the same focus, attention, nerves and just hard work.

Q: You've introduced several new songs I've read about, including "Today Today Today" and another (others?). What do they share in common, in terms of sound, lyrics, message, etc., other than, as you say, "the new ones sound like the old ones"?

J.T.: Yes, we're doing some of the material from my new record which I hope will be released later this year.

My wife (Kim) gets mad when I say that the new songs sound like the old so I try not to use that tired line.
Of course I hope they offer something in the way what paths we choose, what life gives us in terms of throwing us curves as well as gifts.

Q: I believe you've said in the past that songwriting is more difficult when one is happy. Have you found that to be the case while crafting new songs for the album and the tour?

J.T.: I think this is somewhat true. Perhaps not the being happy part, but more the distractions and commitments that come with a full life. Our life here in the Berkshires is so full and we feel such a part of a real community here. And our boys have a very busy life independent from us now in terms of sports and other school activities. We also try and make time to do a certain number of benefits so we can give back.

Q: Also, I recall (hopefully, accurately) that your new songs are about mid-life love and happiness? Can you elaborate on that?

J.T.: I think you're referring to the song "You and I Again," which is in the second set.
Yes, I have to say that it's an unabashed love song about Kim and the fact it took us well into adulthood to find each other. It's also the first song I've ever written on piano. Larry Goldings helped develop the keyboard part and Michael Landau plays a beautiful acoustic guitar on it.

Q: I understand Henry [James' son] has joined Kim on backup on some stops. How has that family-shared experience been for you, Kim and Henry?

J.T.: Kim brought the boys out on tour as soon as they were out of school and they joined us in LA.
Henry has been studying guitar and voice with a wonderful musician who teaches at BCD (Berkshire Country Day School) named Jon Suters. He's been playing acoustic and learning some classical guitar as well.

So it was really a natural thing for him to be interested in joining us on stage. He knows most of the songs and my wonderful singers -- Arnold McCuller, David Lasley, Kate Markowitz and Andrea Zonn -- took him under their wing and taught him a lot.

Kim is a natural singer. However, she broke her ankle while out for a run in Chicago. So Henry has been going it alone while Mom is recovering!

Rufus [James' son] does not enjoy the experience of singing with the band. He's adamant about cheering everyone on as an audience member.

Q: Can you share any details at this point on the anticipated release of the album? Is there a title? Will it be a download and/or CD? Is it self-released or on a label?

J.T.: It will be a CD and it will be released on a major label but not quite ready to announce it yet.

Q: At a youthful 66, are there any aspects of touring and concertizing that are more challenging than in the past?

J.T.: In some ways, I feel in better shape than I've ever been. This year I've had to keep my voice in top shape for the recording and I've made sure to do a long vocal-warmup every day. Now that the tour has started, I can back off this a little since I'm using my voice for close to three hours a night.
The hardest aspect of all of this is having to travel so much and be away from home. That gets harder and harder.

Q: I see from reading reviews that the "commenters" from the audience have been doing their call-outs, perhaps more and more. You always seem to have a quick comeback line. Are you at all bothered by that type of audience feedback?

J.T.: When Kim first started coming to shows, she was quite appalled by this. Of course coming from a classical music background, it would not be appropriate for audience members to be shouting comments between movements of Mahler's 5th!

But I love reaction from my audience. I feel very blessed to have such a loyal but also considerate and wonderful group of fans. I like to know people are out there reacting to songs or shouting requests. It makes for a much better show when there's feedback like that!

Q: At Tanglewood, which you've described as your favorite place to perform, without giving away too much, anything you can share about what the audience can look forward to, in terms of the set-mix, new songs, favorites, and other elements you might care to mention?

J.T.: Performing at Tanglewood has always been a highlight. Looking out from the stage to that natural canopy of trees and the expanse of lawn -- it's heaven. Now that I've really made my life here, it's a great luxury and thrill to be able to perform in one's backyard. Of course it's also a little extra pressure to perform in one's own hometown -- because you have to face everyone afterwards!
I hope our Tanglewood audience will like this show. There are some new songs and yes, plenty of familiar old ones too. It really features this extraordinary band I'm so lucky to have.
I hope people who don't have tickets will still be able to get onto the lawn! I think that Lenox and Stockbridge are wonderful to stay flexible for these concerts. I feel a lot of support from everyone at Tanglewood. I only hope that as an institution, it doesn't feel it needs to become more bureaucratic and less open and relaxed. It's a unique and beautiful place, our Tanglewood!

Original article ici http://www.torontosun.com/2014/07/25/james-taylor-pure-perfection-in-to


Show du 24 juillet au Molson Canadian Amphitheatre de Toronto

TORONTO -


La seule chose plus engageante qu'une nuit d'été confortablement fraiche au bord de l’eau à Toronto est le son de la voix veloutée de James Taylor.

Cet instrument particulier ne vieillit décidément pas et peut apparemment encore attirer une foule importante après plus de 40 ans dans l'industrie musicale étant donné le concert à guichet fermé au Molson Canadian Amphitheatre et la foule venue écouter jeudi soir James Taylor, 66 ans, livrer plus de deux heures de concert bourré de tubes et quelques nouvelles chansons, dont une écrite à et à propos de Toronto (voir la vidéo plus bas).

La soi-disant, "soirée inoubliable", mentionnée dans les paroles de la chanson, "est réellement arrivée à mon percussionniste», a expliqué Taylor, encore maigre et dégingandé, et habillé d’un blazer bleu, d’une chemise à carreaux et d’un jeans - une tenue qui faisait bien ressortir ses yeux bleus.

Oui, Sweet Baby James est au milieu de l'enregistrement d'un nouvel album très attendu - son dernier était Covers en 2008 - et a choisi de partager quelques morceaux avec la foule réceptive dont une intitulée Today Today Today et cet air centré sur Toronto dont je n’ai pas bien compris le titre, mais qui comprend dans les paroles «Ô Canada».

Ouvrant le concert une chanson favorite des fans "Something in the Way She Moves", Taylor a déclaré en plaisantant qu’il s’agissait d’un bon brise-glace de concert pour lui après qu’il l’ait interprété en face de Paul McCartney et George Harrison en 1968 avant qu'il ne signé sur Apple Records pour sa grande percée.
"Je sais que je peux la jouer lorsque je suis nerveux" a-t-il lancé.

Oui, en plus d'avoir un catalogue impressionnant et une voix incroyable, Taylor est également drôle et semble vraiment à l'aise sur scène et avec son public.

Par exemple, alors qu’il introduisait sa chanson, Millworker, extraite d'une comédie musicale de Broadway intitulée Working qui a dû stopper au bout de cinq jours, il a lancé: “I’m afraid it didn’t (work).” ". J'ai peur que cela n’ait pas (marché)"

Et à propos de l'entracte qui séparait ses deux sets, Taylor a lancé: "Je ne sais pas pourquoi nous faisons cela. Nous nous contentons de nous placer de l'autre côté du rideau pendant 20 minutes ! "

Épaulé de son All Star Band, qui s’étend à 10 musiciens, parmi lesquels la légende de sax Lou Marini (des Blues Brothers), le spectacle était extrêmement pointu en expertise musicale, en longues impros, en harmonies magnifiques le tout joué sur une scène dominée par des lumières en forme de gratte-ciel de chaque côté de Taylor et un écran vidéo massif à l'arrière.

Le premier set proposait des classiques du singer-songwriter élevé à Chapel Hill, en Caroline du Nord, dont les odes familiales à la ville natale Country Road, Carolina On My Mind et Sweet Baby James ainsi que sa célèbre interprétations de la chanson de Carole King, You’ve Got A Friend, qu’il se rappelle avoir entendu pour la première fois lorsqu’ils se produisaient tous les deux au Troubadour de Los Angeles, la chanson l’inspirant de l’apprendre sur le champ.

«Je ne savais pas (alors) que je devrais la jouer tous les soirs pour le reste de ma vie» ajoute-t-il.

Dans le deuxième set, les étincelles du rythme couvrèrent « Handy Man » et sa composition « Shower The People » se révéla glorieuse, grâce aux harmonies à trois voix de ses choristes Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, et Andrea Zonn (également au violon), tandis que Taylor se montra à son plus déchainé sur Steamroller Blues.

La chanson la plus poignante de toute la soirée fut, sans surprise, le classique de Taylor, Fire and Rain, et la participation du public atteint son apogée alors que le concert prenait fin avec Mexico, Your Smiling Face et la reprise de Marvin Gaye « How Sweet It Is » avant qu’il n’achève le concert avec un superbe traditionnel écossais.

Tout simplement savoureux du début à la fin.