REPRISE DE LA TOURNEE JT/JB octobre novembre decembre

Suivez pas à pas la reprise de la tournée commune JAMES TAYLOR/ JACKSON BROWNE (photos, vidéos, compte-rendus)

James Taylor et Jackson Browne prennent tellement de plaisir lors de leur tournée estivale commune qu'ils l'ont allongé de 28 nouvelles dates aux USA d'octobre à décembre 2021 !





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James Taylor, Jackson Browne did more than let their songs do the talking in New Orleans



When James Taylor and Jackson Browne finally made it to New Orleans, they made it count.

They were initially scheduled to stop at the Smoothie King Center on May 15, 2020. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the show was postponed first to May 14, 2021, then to Saturday.

“I didn’t really believe we were going to get back here,” Taylor said early in Saturday's show.

The Smoothie King Center wasn’t full. Patches of the upper deck were empty, and its rearmost sections were hidden behind black curtains.

But the crowd was large enough to ensure Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana received what was likely a six-figure donation, as Taylor and Browne donated the show's net proceeds to Hurricane Ida relief efforts.

And the crowd was large enough to make a racket when Taylor and company did the same, as in “Steamroller,” his parody of wannabe blues bands that has taken on a life of its own as a concert showstopper and showcase for his formidable musicians.



A spry 73, Taylor alternately stood or sat on a stool, presiding over the sometimes boisterous audience with wit, warmth and on-point comedic timing. When someone shouted, “We love you!,” he deadpanned, “It’s strange, because we don’t know each other.” When song titles were hurled at him, he replied, with bone-dry delivery, “Those are some excellent suggestions, really.”

His tightly constructed, logically assembled 17-song, hour-and-45-minute setlist covered a lot of ground, with the affable Taylor guiding the way. His able-bodied band fleshed out three-dimensional arrangements.

Electric guitarist Michael Landau and keyboardist Larry Goldings cut loose on "Steamroller." Lou Marini, a veteran of the Blues Brothers, lit up "You Make It Easy" with a tenor sax solo. Backing vocalist Arnold McCuller absolutely elevated "Shower the People."


Fun fact: this was esteemed drummer Steve Gadd’s second appearance at the Smoothie King Center in a month. He was one of the two drummers in Eric Clapton’s band on Sept. 18 for what was the arena’s first concert since the start of the pandemic 18 months earlier. As he did with Clapton, Gadd did more than simply supply the beat. His fills and accents shaded in the songs.

If "Steamroller" was heavy and loud, "As Easy as Rolling Off a Log," a ditty Taylor first heard as a child via the 1938 Merrie Melodies cartoon short "Katnip Kollege," was as light on its feet as it should have been.

His recording of it appeared on his 2020 covers album "American Standard," released just as COVID-19 hit. The timing of the album wasn't optimum, he noted wryly: "We led it by its little hand, took it to the marketplace and dropped it down a well."

His production was as tasteful as his songs. A large faux oak spread its branches from the left side of the stage above a video wall. Dozens of lights yo-yoed up and down, changing colors to suit the songs. They were autumn-hued for "Copperline," deep blue and green to match a lyric in "Sweet Baby James."

Much of Taylor's best work dates back decades, with the cultural references to prove it. "Line 'Em Up," he explained, was inspired by the scene at Richard Nixon's final White House exit. "That's Why I'm Here" was written in the early 1980s about the death of Taylor's friend John Belushi. But it now reflects "what it feels like to finally be able to get back out and work again after these last couple years."

To wrap up the regular set, the band swung through “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),” Taylor’s hit 1975 remake of a Motown composition that had been a hit for Marvin Gaye a decade earlier.



In the encore, opening act Jackson Browne returned to the stage, returning the favor Taylor had done by sitting in for two songs during Browne’s set (including a spirited "Running On Empty" finale). Browne sang “Take It Easy,” the early Eagles hit he co-wrote with Glenn Frey, and stuck around to help on the Carole King composition “You’ve Got a Friend.”

The rest of the ensemble then left Taylor alone onstage with his son Henry, who served as one of four backing vocalists. They sat on stools, Henry with the green electric guitar his father had wielded for “Steamroller,” the senior Taylor with an acoustic. In a sweet moment, Henry corrected the placement of the capo on the neck of James’ guitar.

They then harmonized on and picked their way through the ballad “You Can Close Your Eyes,” a song James wrote 30 years before Henry was born. Originally, such lyrics as “you can sing this song when I’m gone” were addressed to a lover and referred to a temporary absence.

But with James and Henry side by side, the context was different. Here was a father thinking ahead to a time, drawing ever nearer, when he would leave his legacy to his children.

That James Taylor’s compositions still find fresh meaning speaks to their strength, and to the enduring appeal of their creator.

Legends James Taylor and Jackson Browne return to the Big Easy just as the canceled Jazz Fest was slated to wrap up to an excited crowd, eager for a full-blown concert at the Smoothie King Center last Saturday night. Not wanting to keep the fans wanting, Jackson Brown and his band strolled onto stage at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

Browne went straight into the show without any introduction or fanfare. While the crowd welcomed many from his new album, Downhill from Everywhere, they cheered past hits including "Rock Me on the Water" and "The Long Way Around," and "Doctor My Eyes."

"Seeing [New Orleans] coming in from the airport, I was flooded with memories of the crazy sh*t I've done in this town," Brown admitted to the audience between songs. "It sorta escalates every time." The crowd enthusiastically welcomed him back.

Sported a greying beard, the all-black clad Browne swapped guitars for each song, while also periodically jumping on a Yamaha piano. His relaxed vocal consistency was accompanied by backup vocalists Alethea Mills and Tiffany Cross—a new addition to the tour whose attitudes, strong voices, and smooth elegance was fitting for the New Orleans crowd.

An hour into the set, Browne introduced his "good friend, James Taylor," who shared the stage with Browne for a duet of "The Pretender," and then backed him on guitar for Brown's iconic "Running on Empty" to a standing ovation.

After a break to reset the stage, Taylor took over. "So glad to be back in NOLA!" Taylor said. "For the longest time, I didn't think we'd get back here."

Taylor's strong voice transcended the decades as he launched into his deep reservoir of hits, starting with "Country Road" to wild applause. Fans sang along to "Copperline," "Mexico," and his humorous Nixon-era song inspired by the disgraced presidents' exit, "Line 'Em Up," among other standards.

The new set's backdrop enhanced lyrics with dramatic video visuals and choreographed leaf-shaped lamps glowing multiple colors to complement each tune.

Taylor traded the acoustic guitar for electric ("an improvement over gas and steam powered guitars") for "Steamroller Blues." The band was enhanced with jazz greats Larry Goldings on piano and saxophonist "Blue" Lou Marini, well-known from "The Blues Brothers" band. Here, Taylor was noticeably more relaxed, clearly having fun as he fanned his signature cap over Golding's keyboard, ostensibly cooling the heat, while vocalist Walt Fowler belted background, and the New Orleans-appropriate rifts had the band dancing. The home-town crowd cheered its approval.

The crowd yelled songs Taylor referred to as "excellent suggestions" from the floor, though he graciously dismissed them for his new release of a cover of the 1920's "As Easy As Rolling Off a Log," resurrected from a Merry Melodies cartoon. The tune was from his new album, released the same week COVID struck, he compared to "dropping them down the well."

He wrapped up the show with "Fire and Rain," "Carolina in My Mind," "Sweet Baby James" (accompanied by another son, Henry Taylor), and closed with his iconic, "How Sweet It Is."

Not to be outdone by Taylor and Browne's talent, the show was effectively a Hurricane Ida relief benefit concert, with notices posted explaining all proceeds from their performances were to be donated to Louisiana's Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. Nice to know they still walk the talk...and the song.

For GenX-ers like myself, now is truly the twilight of the artists who were more or less ubiquitous when we were growing up. It isn't just that half the Beatles are long dead, or that our only recollections of Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison are via ancient footage, but also how many of our favorite acts of yore are packing it in once and for all.

It's a topic I touched upon in my review of Paul Simon's farewell show, but the phenomenon has snowballed in recent years. Understandably so, given the aging of these Boomer stalwarts. In addition to Simon, recent years have seen/will see the retirements of Joan Baez, Bob Seger, Genesis, Lynyrd Skynyrd Elton John, and KISS(?)

But don't put James Taylor or Jackson Browne in that category. The two, both in their 70s, have released albums recently (Browne's Downhill from Everywhere came out this year, Taylor American Standard in 2020) and show no signs of calling it quits. That point was made — if not emphatically so — last night at the Toyota Center, where each singer-songwriter leaned heavily on the nostalgia factor in front of a [ - ] Sunday night crowd.

Browne has over 50 years of songs to draw upon, and was actually the headliner the last time he came through town. His set list this time was necessarily more abrupt, but even an arena environment can't dilute the urgency of his more powerful message songs, or the melancholy of his (many) songs about failed love.

He took the stage noting this concert had been "a long time comin'," not coincidentally leading into "I'm Alive," from the 1993 album of the same name. The set was a bit abbreviated, as befits the opener, and Browne himself remarked how "spooky" quiet the crowd was.

Blame that on his tendency to be democratic in his song choices (I'd like to hear "Lawyers in Love" performed live, just one time). Or perhaps it's how he's always managed to camouflage his darker themes in pop trappings, themes that take on an added poignancy as he (and his crowd) ages.


The crowd certainly perked up when Taylor emerged to join Browne for "The Pretender," setting the tone for the rest of the evening. Last night's opener has always struck more of a chord with me personally, while Taylor seemed to come across as more of an elder statesman. Blame Browne's perceived Los Angeles insouciance against what Garry Trudeau once described as "that Martha's Vineyard sound," or how Taylor's music seems lodged squarely in the 1970s.

If it ain't broke, as the saying goes, don't fix it. Taylor and his All-Star Band (including "Blue" Lou Marini on sax, Michito Sanchez and Steve Gadd on percussion/drums, and Taylor's son Henry on backing vocals) eased through a familiar set, punctuated liberally with the expected hits while only showcasing one cut off American Standard (the Johnnie "Scat" Davis cover "As Easy as Rolling Off a Log").

The show was a little front-loaded with anecdotes, as Taylor set a scene for "You Make it Easy" (a smoky bar at 2:30 a.m., when one's judgment is always at its finest), or talking about his Carolina upbringing for — wait for it — "Copperline." Maybe I've missed out, but surely there are stories to tell about the big hits? The back half of his set seemed almost rushed by comparison.

And then there was "Steamroller."

It's been a staple of his live sets since 1969, but traditions aren't always a good thing. Kind of awkward back then, Taylor's grimacing and mugging last night threatened to discombobulate the entire affair. Fortunately, "Fire and Rain," "Carolina in My Mind," and the others were right around the corner.

Taylor's production was surprisingly elaborate, with an engaging video presentation and a giant oak tree that loomed over the stage with multi-colored lanterns that dipped and rose as the music required. It served its purpose, conferring a pastoral, comforting presence on music that's already pretty soothing.

The singer also enjoyed some back and forth with the audience, responding to repeated cries of "I love you" with reminders that he's happily married (third time's a charm) and wisely not pursuing a conversational thread about his Red Sox and the Astros.

But this wasn't a crowd spoiling for a fight. Indeed, judging by the reaction to the closing numbers, and to Browne joining for an encore that included "Take It Easy" and "You've Got A Friend," both artists proved they still have what it takes to bring the house down. Not that there's any way to tell how much of that was a reaction to finally getting to see this show after it was postponed twice due to COVID.

Judging by the attendees, a lingering pandemic was less of a priority than filming large chunks of the show with the flashlight app on full blast.


Personal Bias: My parents had a copy of Sweet Baby James, as required by the Articles of Boomer Confederation. I still prefer his Simpsons appearance.

The Crowd: Old and bald enough it could've been a James Taylor cosplay convention.

Overheard In The Crowd: "Free Bird!"

Random Notebook Dump: "Who the fuck still yells 'Free Bird!' in 2021?"

James Taylor’s best songs have always felt as if you knew them before first hearing them. The stories told in his lyrics, often underlined by his naturally melancholy vocals, have felt like a warm blanket on a cold night for more than five decades now. It is with that sort of reverence for his own material, that he took a nearly full Dickies Arena crowd down memory lane Tuesday night during a one-hour, 45-minute, 17-song set filled with his most well-known songs since his 1968 self-titled debut album.

Taylor, who was backed by a seven-piece band (and sometimes eight), and four background singers, still has that uniquely solemn voice, even if it has thinned a bit at 73. The show was originally scheduled for May 18, 2020, but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the show was clear before Taylor ambled on stage with his trademark Brixton flat cap, dark sports coat and slacks. A montage of fans and amateur musicians testifying to Taylor’s songwriting career played on video as fiddle player (and background vocalists) Andrea Zonn helped build the tension with percussionist Michito Sanchez and drummer Steve Gadd before Taylor made his way to center stage for the opener “Country Road” from 1970 release Sweet Baby James.

Four of the 17 songs came from that album, including the title track, “Fire and Rain,” and “Steamroller Blues.” Taylor was in a lighthearted, playful mood, which he showed early. After saying hello to Fort Worth, he added, “Some Dallas [people], too, I think, in there,” he said to some playful backlash from some in the audience. “It stands to reason. I’m just saying. I don’t want to start anything.”

He then pointed out that his hometown Boston Red Sox are playing a Texas baseball team from down south in the ALCS. “I don’t want to start anything there, either,” he quipped. “It’s a minefield.”

That drew some good-natured booing from a few Texas Rangers fans in attendance for even his mere mention of the Houston Astros. But Taylor had nothing to worry about. He smoothly segued from one song to the next, offering insight about the meanings and origins of some of his hits and lesser-known gems, including “That’s Why I’m Here,” the title track from his 1985 album. It was written in the aftermath of the 1982 drug overdose death of his friend, actor and comedian, John Belushi. “For me, it was a big event, it was a real shock. But it also, as they say, it shocked me sober,” said Taylor, who had his own well-known battle with addiction. “It sort of woke me up.”

He dedicated the song to “anyone who is in recovery tonight,” to a big cheer from the crowd. He quickly added, amusingly, “we still have plenty of songs for those of us who are still [expletive] messed up, too. That’s fine, too.”

He explained how former President Richard Nixon inspired the 1997 song “Line ‘Em Up” and how “Sweet Baby James” was written for his nephew, who was named after him.

His Son Henry Taylor, 20, was one of four background vocalists, including Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, and Zonn. Early on, when the four vocalists spread out across the front of the stage during “Mexico,” the show briefly had the air of a church rock band.

“Sometimes you have to say, ‘Woo.’ It’s like a human bark,” Taylor said after hearing a few from fans between songs.

Saxophonist Lou Marini shined on “You Make It Easy,” and the entire band, including keyboardist and trumpet player Walt Fowler, guitarist Michael Landau, pianist Larry Goldings, and bassist Jimmy Johnson all took turns jamming during an extended “Steamroller Blues.”

The main set closed with a flurry of smash hits that had fans, many of whom have grown gray or bald (along with Taylor), singing along. “Sweet Baby James,” “Fire and Rain,” “Carolina in My Mind,” “Shower the People,” and “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)“ came one after the other, the last including a video montage of personal family snapshots over the years.

Jackson Browne, who played an 11-song, hits-filled set as the opener, returned during Taylor’s encore to do “Take It Easy,” the Eagles’ hit that Brown wrote with Glenn Frey. It was a more laidback, Taylor-ized version of the song, but it still had fans excited as he and Brown took turns singing.

Taylor closed the show with Carole King’s classic “You’ve Got a Friend,” a song that Taylor has made his own since its release in 1971, with Brown and his wife Kim Smedvig adding to the background vocals.

Many fans, apparently past their bed time at 10:30 on a Tuesday night., headed for the exits before, during and after “You’ve Got a Friend.”

But they missed one of the most poignant moments of the entire show. Taylor, with acoustic guitar, and son Henry, with electric guitar, sat on stools for a duet on show closer “You Can Close Your Eyes.”

It was a sweet, familial touch for a show steeped in deeply-held memories for both performer and fan.

Whether walking down a country road or running on empty, few people in the 1970s would have bet that two of the era’s most popular and revered singer-songwriters would still be touring and recording, five decades later, in their 70s.

But James Taylor and Jackson Browne have defied the odds. Their joint 2021 concert tour — postponed from last year because of COVID-19, which Browne contracted and has recovered from — includes a Nov. 1 performance at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

Taylor’s and Browne’s best songs have become part of the fabric of American life for millions, shared with children by parents and grandparents. Transcending nostalgia, their music’s cross-generational appeal is a matter of record.

Witness Browne’s guest vocal spot early this year on Phoebe Bridgers’ song, “Kyoto.” (Bridgers, 27, returned the favor by appearing in the video for Browne’s recent video for his song, “My Cleveland Heart”).

And witness Taylor’s duets with his partial namesake, Taylor Swift, at her 2011 Madison Square Garden show. More recently, the elder Taylor’s 2020 appearance as a Mega Mentor on the music TV series “The Voice” saw two contestants young enough to be his grandkids react with “pinch me!” giddiness when they met him.

Undeniably, the majority of Taylor’s and Browne’s concert audiences still skew primarily toward the baby-boomers who grew up with them. Their status as two of the quintessential singer-songwriters of their generation remains largely undiminished, half a century later.

Taylor’s and Browne’s continuing careers make them notable exceptions to the rule when it comes to the array of solo artists who rose to prominence in the 1960s and early ‘70s.

Some of those artists have retired (Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Bob Seger), while some are no longer able to perform because of health reasons (Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Linda Ronstadt).

Some have persevered as cult artists (Garland Jeffreys, Eliza Gilkyson, Loudon Wainwright III). Others have died (John Prine, Bill Withers, former San Diegan Jim Croce and far too many more).

That Taylor and Browne, both 73, have endured is a testament to their perseverance, good fortune and the continuing allure of such classic songs as Taylor’s “Fire and Rain,” “Sweet Baby James” and “Millworker,” and Browne’s “The Pretender,” “These Days” and “Lives in the Balance.”

To put their longevity in perspective, The Beatles were still going strong when Taylor’s first solo album was released in Europe in December 1968. It came out, incidentally, on The Beatles-owned Apple Records label and Paul McCartney and George Harrison both performed on the album. Taylor was 20 at the time.

Browne made his recording debut in October 1967 as an accompanist on the first solo album by former Velvet Underground singer Nico. The album featured three of Browne’s songs, “These Days,” “Somewhere There’s a Feather” and “The Fairest of the Seasons.” Browne was in his late teens at the time.

It was just a few years later that Taylor and Browne struck gold — and then platinum — with a succession of hit singles and albums. Taylor’s global album sales now top 100 million, while Browne’s tally is closer to 20 million. Together, they helped fuel the “sensitive singer-songwriter” boom of the early 1970s with which both their names have been inextricably linked ever since.

Both of these now-graying troubadours struck a resounding chord, whether contemplating intimate matters of the heart, life at large, or the beleaguered state of the world around them.

Both Taylor and Browne have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — Taylor in 2000 by Paul McCartney, Browne in 2004 by Bruce Springsteen — and into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Both have regularly donated their time to causes near to their heart, both before and after performing at 1982’s The Concert for Nuclear Disarmament in New York.

Browne’s 1986 album, “Lives in the Balance,” was his pointed musical response to the Reagan presidency — and his first to sell under a million copies. His next, 1989’s “World in Motion,” intensified his political focus. It was his first album to sell under 500,000 copies.

“I’ve spent my life being in touch with human rights and environmental issues, and now they are the same issues,” Browne told the Union-Tribune in 2018. “We all have a right to live in a healthy and safe environment.”

Not resting on their laurels

For listeners who grew up hearing them, Taylor’s and Browne’s most beloved songs offer welcome return trips down memory lane. But neither is resting on their laurels and both have continued making new albums. Since 2002, Browne has released seven albums and Taylor eight, most recently Browne’s “Downhill from Everywhere” (which came out in July) and Taylor’s “American Standard” (which came out last year).

Granted, the days when Taylor and Browne regularly scored Top 40 hits and sold millions of records are now decades past. But both have sustained loyal audiences for their respective concert tours, albeit smaller venues in general for Browne. Taylor, conversely, can still fill large amphitheaters and even stadiums.

Of the two, Taylor has the warmer and more reedy voice, Browne the more plaintive.

Taylor’s supple singing can sound contented or restless, hopeful or regretful, providing a welcome aural balm of comfort and reassurance in even the most turbulent times. Browne tends to be more somber, as befits an artist of conscience whose newest songs find him addressing his mortality as well as the plight of migrants and the ever fragile state of the environment.

Of course, only time can tell how much longer the road will go on for Taylor and Browne, whose joint tour concludes Dec. 13 in Buffalo, N.Y.

But the opportunity to hear them perform full sets with their respective bands on their first-ever national concert trek together is a welcome one. So is the opportunity to hear them sing together in harmony on such favorites as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “The Pretender” and “Take It Easy” (which Browne co-wrote for the Eagles).

Taylor recently acknowledged he had been contemplating retirement shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began. He has since changed his mind and has decided to continue performing as long as he is able.

Taylor’s rationale is perhaps best explained by the chorus on the lilting title track of his 1985 album, “That’s Why I’m Here,” specifically: Sing it tonight, tomorrow and everyday / That’s why I’m standing (that’s why I’m here) / Oh, that’s why I’m here.

Jackson Browne on music as activism

What distinguishes music from social and political activism for Jackson Browne? Nothing, as Browne told the Union-Tribune in a 2018 interview.

“First of all, rock ‘n’ roll is about freedom,” Browne said at the time. “Whether you’re a teenager who wants to be free, or a person who loves the blues and is beginning to sing, you come to understand what these (rock and blues) songs are about. They’re born of a kind of suffering and the oppression of an entire race over a long period.

“What happened for me is that the first time I heard R&B, it was being played in a room by a bunch of people who were laughing and dancing. I also heard it on the radio in my own White community and loved it. But the first time I heard it was at a party after a Congress of Racial Equality meeting. It was full of Black people, all older than me. I was 14 or 15...

“But there was not just (a devotion to) Civil Rights in our house. We listened to almost nothing but Jimmy Smith (jazz) organ records and (gospel music by) the Staple Singers. So music was very connected with political change in my house. As a kid, growing up, many of our musical heroes were Black — with Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald foremost among them— and Django Reinhardt, too, who was a gypsy.

“So, there was a commitment to racial justice in the house I grew up in. If you want to say where it began for me, it began with my father saying how much better the world was because of these great artists and activists.”

James Taylor on bucking the odds

James Taylor overcame his addiction to heroin four decades ago. Clean and sober ever since, he is keenly aware how fortunate he is to be alive, let alone thriving, as Taylor emphasized in a 2001 Union-Tribune interview.

“I know very well that I’m lucky to be alive,” he said. “Of course, everyone can say that, unless you’re dead. But I mean, specifically, there are half a dozen sort of episodes I shouldn’t have stood up and walked away from ...

“Was it meant to be, or fated? I certainly feel everything happened the way it was supposed to. I regret having wasted as much time in my addiction as I did. But in one way it probably saved my life — a very risky way. It was sort of a way of self-medicating and allowed me to live in my own skin.

“I didn’t mean this to be an interview about substance abuse. But people who have a real run-in with these things, and have it turn into a problem, they are not doing it consciously. They are doing it because there is some desperation involved...

“My job is being an entertainer. But the thing that I do, and then bring to my job, is a kind of self-expression, a kind of self-navigation ... “I heard someone say the other day, at a (12-step) meeting: ‘That’s when I received the gift of desperation.’ And that was an interesting thing; a blessed burden, or the gift of desperation, that allowed them to finally get out of their rut.

“To me, I was given the gift of desperation. It resulted in my coming up with a way of expressing things for myself that I found very helpful, and it turned out other people could use it, too. And then I developed a craft that allowed me to do other things than just healing work (with music). I was able to do celebratory, or humorous, or angry, or other songs that turned out to be good, too.

“So as a result, I just got sort of led into this thing. The point is, it came from satisfying a very personal need, through me. And through a very difficult, and at times hazardous process, I found a way to put it in front of the public, in a limited way...

“A lot of the material I write tends to be about solace, and tends to have an element that’s in some cases soothing and in other cases about dealing with difficulty and accepting it, somehow. You could say there’s a specific sentiment to what I write — sort of hymns for agnostics — in a very non-specific way. And it’s worked well.”

Did you know?

James Taylor and Jackson Browne were both romantically involved with Joni Mitchell at separate times in the 1970s. Taylor came out unscathed, at least physically speaking. Not so Browne, who — in a 2005 interview with the Dallas Morning News — charged that Mitchell had twice physically attacked him. Either way, he is the unmistakable target of Mitchell’s scathing 1994 song, “Not to Blame”

By Peter Larsen Orange County Register | October 31, 2021

Singer-songwriter James Taylor had big plans for 2020 before, well, you know. There was a new album of standards, which arrived on February 28 of that year.

“Exactly the same week that COVID came out,” he wryly noted at Honda Center on Saturday before playing a number from off that record. “Sort of like dropping a record into a well.”

And there was a tour with Jackson Browne that was originally set to reach Southern California in the summer of 2020.

“Sometimes it was doubtful we’d ever get back here to you,” Taylor said after opening his headlining set with “Country Road.”

Jackson Browne performs at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday, October 30, 2021. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Better late than never, though, for after all that’s occurred since the pandemic turned the world upside down, what better balm for the soul than the warm embrace of the music made by Taylor and Browne, both of whom at 73 remain among the greatest American singer-songwriters of their generation.

In a two-hour show that delivered 17 songs and nearly that many dad jokes, Taylor was terrific. The concert, which featured a dozen musicians and singers in his All-Star Band, started out gently as the singer and the songs reintroduced themselves to the fans who filled the arena.

Early highlights included “Copperline,” a song inspired by his North Carolina upbringing, “the musical version of a landscape painting,” and “That’s Why I’m Here,” a song inspired by the drug overdose death of his friend John Belushi, which in turn inspired his own recovery from addiction.


“Mexico,” which it’s lilting Latin rhythms, rocked sweetly, before “Steamroller” saw Taylor strap on a Carolina blue Fender Telecaster, the state of the art as far as guitars go, Taylor joked.

“A vast improvement on the gas- and steam-powered guitars that proceeded it,” he said before the song kicked off. “Actually, we were playing in Pennsylvania recently, and you’d be surprised at how many horse-drawn guitars are still in use there.”

He apologized for that one, but the audience was still laughing as the bluesy number rocked out with keyboardist Larry Goldings adding organ swells beneath the horn stabs of saxophonist Lou Marini and trumpeter Walt Fowler.

The heart of the show arrived shortly before the end of the main set with the usual pairing of “Sweet Baby James” and “Fire and Rain,” two of Taylor’s most beloved songs. Both are gentle, the first a lullaby, the second a lament, filled with a kind of wistful yearning that things will be good, life will get better.



After a standing ovation for “Fire and Rain,” the melancholy lifted for a trio of more hopeful, happy songs. “Carolina In The Morning” featured lovely harmonies from the five backing vocalists, which included Taylor’s young son Henry. “Shower The People” and “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” closed out the main set.

The encore delivered four songs, which included opening act Jackson Browne returning to duet on “Take It Easy,” a hit for the Eagles written by Browne and that band’s Glenn Frey. Browne and Taylor’s wife Kim stuck around to add backing vocals on Taylor’s cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend,” which 50 years ago gave him his only No. 1 hit.

After everyone but Taylor and 20-year-old Henry left the stage, father and son delivered a lovely version of “You Can Close Your Eyes” to close out the night.



Browne had opened the show at 7:30 p.m. sharp while many fans were still not in their seats. Those that were got 13 songs in a little more than an hour that he and his band were on stage.

“Somebody’s Baby” opened his set, with Browne’s voice, like Taylor’s, as strong and clear as ever. Raised in Orange County, mostly in Fullerton, Browne introduced “Barricades Of Heaven” as a song written as he first left home — “that time in my life as I tried to figure out how to go where I wanted.”

He joked often with the crowd about his Orange County adolescence. After introducing steel guitarist Greg Leisz, who was terrific throughout the set, Browne noted that they’d both gone to the same high school.

“I’m not gonna tell you what high school I went to on account of local rivalries,” he added. Don’t let him know we told you: It was Sunny Hills in Fullerton.

“Fountain Of Sorrow,” from the 1974 album “Late For The Sky,” was a standout early in his set. Browne also played a pair of songs that reflected his long-held beliefs and concerns about life in the modern world. “Downhill From Everywhere,” the title track of his new album, addressed environmental concerns, while that album’s “The Dreamer,” cowritten with Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and sung in both English and Spanish, pleaded for kindness for immigrants

The last third of his set delivered most of the songs fans hoped to hear, starting with the rock ‘n’ roll of “Doctor My Eyes” followed by “Late For The Sky.”

Taylor came out to join Browne for a duet on “The Pretender,” and like Browne two hours later, stuck around to join the backing vocalists on “Running On Empty,” which wrapped up Browne’s set with most in the audience on their feet and singing along.

BROWNE? TAYLOR NOT RUNNING ON EMPTY AT ALL



By TIM CURLEY INDEX-TRIBUNE MUSIC WRITER
November 5, 2021, 2:48PM

Big Time Rock and Roll in the COVID era

The Jackson Browne/James Taylor concert Oct. 29 at the shiny new Chase Center in San Francisco was the first big show many in the audience had attended since the onset of COVID. Both front men made mention of how very pleased they were to be performing again in front of a live crowd. “I didn’t think we’d ever do this again,” Taylor said.

With regards to attending the show in the days of COVID, the experience at Chase was thorough and efficient. All ticket holders were required to show their personal IDs and a valid digital vaccine card. These were all checked at the doors before being allowed in, as well as the now de rigueur pass through a metal detector.

Wearing masks was also required. Friendly ushers were ever vigilant, weaving through the seats with keen eyes peeled for a visible mouth. These smiling scofflaws (a modern version of John Prine’s “Illegal Smile”?) were gently reminded to don a mask, and it seems all complied peacefully.

It must also be said that the staff at Chase, from security guards to ticket takers to elevator operators, was remarkable friendly and helpful. Management at the DMV should take note.

Jackson Browne and James Taylor brought their bands to San Francisco to play at the Chase Center last Friday night. Taylor had a whopping 13-piece band in tow, while Browne had nine pieces, including local musician, pianist and Sonoma resident Jason Crosby.

Jackson Browne began his set with “Somebody’s Baby,” a hit for him from 1982’s “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Pianist Crosby was situated far stage right, wearing black and his tell-tale grin. Browne replaced Crosby at the grand piano for the first verses of “Fountain of Sorrow,” while Crosby stood in the shadows. Mid-song, without missing a beat, Crosby reclaimed his rightful place on the piano bench and played a lovely solo over the verse and chorus as Browne moved to acoustic guitar.

Browne peppered his set with crowd favorites and songs from his new album, “Downhill From Everywhere.” He included a song called “The Dreamer,” written by Browne and East Bay resident Eugene Rodriguez. The song, sung partially in Spanish, is about the life of Lucina Rodriguez, who came to the United States when 11 years old to join her father and seek a more promising life. Both Rodriguezes are involved with the Los Centzontles Cultural Arts Academy, in San Pablo. Like our own La Luz, they strive to preserve Mexican culture and music.

Lucina Rodriguez said, “Jackson has been every involved with our Academy. We enjoy him very much, he is a great person. I am very grateful that Jackson includes this song in his sets.”

Browne introduced the big star for the night, James Taylor, and he joined Browne and his band in renditions of “The Pretender” and “Running on Empty.”

After a fascinatingly expeditious, NASCAR-like set and back line (drums, amps, etc.) change, Taylor and his troupe took the stage. They ran through a wonderfully familiar set of what are now American standards, including “Carolina on My Mind,” “Country Road,” “Shower the People,” “Sweet Baby James” and “Fire and Rain.”

Taylor’s songs were easily enjoyed and gorgeously played by his band, which includes legendary drummer Steve Gadd, and Taylor’s son Henry singing backup vocals.

Both Taylor and Browne are chatty frontmen. They are both warm and inviting, and through their words the 18,000-seat cavern was magically morphed into a comfortable, homey living room.

During a chat with the audience, Taylor held an electric guitar and pondered its significance in the cannon of rock music. He made mention that it was a “vast improvement on the gas and steam powered’ versions previously available. Taylor and his band then launched a thunderous “Steamroller.” He has said the song “takes longer to play than it took me to write it” and this version took over six minutes and featured sizzlin’ solos by almost all members of the band.

Taylor brought out Browne for the encore, a rollicking version of the Browne/Eagles hit “Take It Easy.” That was followed with a song Taylor wrote with another legend, Carole King, “You’ve Got a Friend.”

The concert was exceedingly satisfying for the music lovers in the crowd and was a rare treat. Browne and Taylor are both members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They act as statesmen, helping to connect with the next generations. Both artists add an undeniable richness to the musical neighborhood. The soundtrack of the lives of those 18,000 people includes lots and lots of Browne and Taylor songs.

Browne has evolved into a cool uncle type, one who is always given a seat at the family dinner table because he brings such interesting and entertaining stories. The fact that you’ve heard many of them before doesn’t diminish their importance to the gathering.

Browne’s first album was released almost 50 years ago, and the passing of those eventful years is apparent on Browne’s once boyish face. Veronica Napoles, chairperson of the Sonoma Cultural and Fine Arts Commission and a veteran of hundreds of live concerts, was in the crowd Friday night. She loved the show, calling it “excellent.” About Browne, she said, “Jackson Browne’s voice is clear…although when he first stepped on the stage, I thought he was Kenny Rogers!”

Taylor, whose “Sweet Baby James” was released in 1970, has also aged comfortably. He is like a cardigan sweater, warm and cozy, that you unbutton occasionally to let in some cool air. No, Taylor is actually more like a cardigan wearing, rockin’ and rollin’ Mr. Rogers. His stage persona is friendly, kind and generous. He offers bits of wisdom through his banter and songs that are easily enjoyed. Any musician, or any listener, would be hard pressed not to join in the session with James Taylor.

Local music lover Steve Meloan was also in attendance and offered this appraisal of the evening, “Hearing these two and their songs made it feel like my generation's time and memories and music might somehow last forever. Of course, it won't, but for that one evening, it almost seemed possible.”

Jackson Browne and James Taylor are American musical treasures. Sonoman Jason Crosby is one lucky duck, living the opportunity of a lifetime to tour with these guys.

More about Crosby as the tour unfolds, now scheduled to run through the Summer of 2022. Running on empty? Nope, there’s plenty left in the tank.

Olivia Sebesky designed the projections for James Taylor’s recent tour, which continues into 2022. Collaborating with creative/lighting designer Nick Whitehouse and production designer Josh Zangen, Sebesky's images illustrate the narratives in Taylor’s songs. Live Design chats with her about the tour.


Live Design: What is the overall design concept for the show? What was the brief from James Taylor?

Olivia Sebesky: The overall design centers around the concept of James playing a concert inside a beautiful forest. This story is told through scenery, video, and lighting. The stage right side of the set features a giant scenic tree trunk that grows up and out into the sky. The foliage is all created by animation on the LED wall behind the tree, and a cluster of kinetic LED lights built to look like leaves float up and down and change color to match the scene. Additionally, the show begins with a floating projection silk that tapers up from the deck to feel like a long, winding, road flowing into the distance. On this surface, we feature a projection montage of James Taylor’s fans, which tells the story of how James Taylor’s music can bring people together from all over the world, and how healing music has been during the pandemic. The show begins with a flourish of projection and sound design to magically reveal James on stage in a single spotlight, strumming the first few notes on his guitar. Each song has its own visual narrative, supported by animation and lights. A few of these visuals include animated timelapses of the magical forest from fall to winter, a nostalgic collage of postcards, family photos and memories of James’s life on the road, blooming magnolias, and a smoky dusky sky. The entire show was conceived by our brilliant director, Amy Tinkham. She worked with James for weeks to come up with a story and concept that would really speak to his life and journey as an artist.

LD: Can you talk about the video design from two angles: The gear used and content creation...how and what??

OS: The video design was built in both 2D and 3D using After Effects and Cinema 4D. I used 3d elements to build the forest, which allowed me to create really beautiful effects with lighting and shadow. All of the animations built for the sky, the clouds, and the time lapses were composited in 2d and manipulated in After Effects. In terms of gear, the rear 9mm LED wall has a relatively low pixel count, which gave me a lot more flexibility in terms of render time. We hung a Barco Projector on it’s side to achieve the projection throw onto the silk. LED and projector supplied by PRG. Video kinetic leaves and scenic tree were fabricated by TAIT.

LD: How did you collaborate with the production design and lighting designer (Nick Whitehouse?)... in terms of color, intensity, convergence, etc.

OS: I have had the privilege of collaborating with Nick Whitehouse (creative director) and Josh Zangen (production designer) for many years. Fortunately this allows for a great deal of shorthand, and we often find ourselves making visual choices simultaneously in response to the others that really just work. It’s pretty unusual for us to strongly disagree on design choices. Everything we do is in service of making James look amazing, and to serve the music. With that goal in mind, the most beautiful and cohesive choices for the stage picture come naturally.

LD: Any challenges of working in the pandemic environment?

OS: For most of the team (including road crew, catering, management, and design) this was the first show back since March 2020. So I think we all felt a bit rusty and we had to rebuild that trust and bond that was once so fluid. Most of the challenges had to do with logistics in materials and gear - we can no longer rely on the speed of delivery and production that we used to. Aside from that, James Taylor’s team was fantastic on Covid safety and really made sure everyone stayed safe. Everyone wore n95 masks during the entirely of tech and continue to do so during performances.

LD: What do you like best about your work on this show, it looks great!

OS:Through this design, I believe we were able to create a level of physical depth on stage that is rare in concert design. We are so often limited to only virtual depth that can be created through the motion graphics on the LED wall. In this scenario, we had so many levels—the LED wall, the hanging foliage borders, and the sculptural tree, the kinetic lights , the projection silk, and the lighting design. It felt much more like designing a theater production, which was a really special return to my roots as a designer.

Nov 11 2021
Amalie Arena
Tampa, FL, United States

James Taylor and Jackson Browne sail through breezy Tampa set at Amalie Arena

By Gabe Echazabal for cltampa.com

 
What happens when a pair of 73-year-old men walk into a hockey arena and take their places, front and center, to welcome a packed house? An audience gets the ability to revel in the rich song books each septuagenarian has to offer. And that’s exactly what occurred on Thursday night when soft-rock heavyweights James Taylor and Jackson Browne brought their package tour to Tampa’s Amalie Arena.

Based on the average age of those who filled nearly 8,300 seats for this double-bill, audience members have more than likely been buying records since these singer-songwriters made their initial musical impact many years ago. In true attestation of the timelessness of the music each performer brought to the stage, those who filled the seats enjoyed a night of familiar tunes, quips, anecdotes, and sheer entertainment from headliner Taylor and show opener Browne.


A prompt 7:30 p.m. kickoff allowed plenty of time for both singers to delve into substantial sets that highlighted their longevity in the music business. Browne’s once dark brown locks have been replaced with shades of gray and he now sports a whitish beard but, otherwise, his delivery shows no signs of age whatsoever. Launching his set with his catchy, poppy contribution to 1982’s Fast Times at Ridgemont High film soundtrack, “Somebody’s Baby,” Browne instantly gave attendees, many still filing in at the time, a familiar nugget to get things started. Dressed in a simple denim jacket, button-up shirt and jeans, Browne resembled many of the guys who filled the seats of the arena. With the accompaniment of a full band backing him, Browne’s songs benefitted from fuller arrangements in contrast to the typical solo, acoustic performances he’s offered on his recent tours. Additionally, the two impressive backup singers that rounded out his group, Alethea Mills and Tiffany Cross, added plenty of rich, warm tones to Browne’s set. Still boasting strong pipes and recalling his smooth, earnest vocal stylings, Browne sailed through a 70-minute set that included plenty of familiar tunes and a few new selections from his most current release, 2021’s Downhill from Everywhere.

Switching between acoustic and electric guitars, Browne navigated with ease and added some spoken interludes between songs to greet and thank the audience for coming out to the show throughout his set. Most poignant was his lead-in for his 2017 single “The Dreamer”; discussing the plight of a friend of his who migrated to this country, Browne acknowledged those who come to America to start new lives in the States. The song—inspired by Dreamers, undocumented immigrants protected from potential deportation from America—finds Browne touching on political and human rights issues which both often surface throughout his songwriting. With verses sung entirely in Spanish, the song’s message of hope and opportunity was felt despite any language barrier.

On a lighter note, Browne joked about the romantic breakup that inspired him to write the gorgeous 1974 ballad “Fountain of Sorrow” while sitting at a baby grand piano to play it. His jaunty take on his very first hit single, “Doctor My Eyes,” drew raucous applause from the audience and was extended to include some tasty electric guitar work courtesy of longtime veteran musician Val McCallum. However, it was the appearance of the night’s headliner during the opening set that drew the heartiest response.

“Say good evening to James Taylor!” Browne announced as the main act entered the stage to join Browne’s sturdy band. Sporting his familiar newsboy cap, a blazer and blue jeans, Taylor took his place centerstage with his opener. Both singers then traded lines and harmonized together for “The Pretender,” one of Browne’s best-known and most beloved songs. To close his set before thanking the audience for arriving early enough to hear him play, Browne relied on his signature song, “Running on Empty'', to get the audience to its feet and to sing along with him. Still onstage for the final number, Taylor this time took residence behind Browne to add backing vocals to the familiar choruses of the song.


A short break used to overhaul the barren stage set Jackson played in front of brought a large, faux oak tree with an assortment of light bulbs hanging from it as part of the décor. Opening with a video montage of fans singing and delivering their renditions of some of his classics, Taylor soon after reappeared on stage to start his headlining set. Boasting a large band that included fiddle player and backup singer Andrea Zonn and legendary drummer Steve Gadd, Taylor dove headfirst into familiar territory with “County Road,” a single from his breakthrough 1970 album, Sweet Baby James to start his 100-minute set. While starting out sounding a bit thin and frail in the vocal department, it wouldn’t be long before Taylor would fall into his more recognizable, signature vocal tone and timbre.

In brutal honesty while discussing the perils of addiction, Taylor recalled his late friend and former “Saturday Night Live” star John Belushi and the role substance abuse played in his demise. Taking that event as a wakeup call, Taylor described that “pivot point” in his life as the catalyst for cleaning up his own act. As the hanging lights on stage dramatically changed colors and slowly bobbed, Taylor’s vocals were at full strength for this personal, poignant portion of the show.

Now joined by a total of five backing vocalists (including his 20-year-old son Henry), Taylor continued to remind audience members of his vast and fruitful catalog and of his dominance of radio airwaves throughout the 1970s. A sparkling, near-perfect version of “Mexico” soared thanks to the multi-layered harmonies his crew of vocalists laid on it.

Taylor’s wry wit and humor was evident throughout the evening, too. As audience members yelled out song requests, the singer, now perched on a stool at the foot of the stage, bent down to retrieve his jumbo-sized, handwritten setlist and held it up for all to see. “It’s coming up,” he announced, referring to the title the audience member had requested. “I’ll let you know” he continued and was met with a sea of laughter from the audience.

When mentioning his most current album, 2020’s American Standard, Taylor acknowledged that the record came out while COVID initially hit.

“It was like throwing an album down a well” he joked, referring to the effect a nationwide pandemic can have on the promotion and success of a new album. Nonetheless, he delivered an exquisite take on one of its tunes, “As Easy as Rolling Off a Log,” which has its origins as part of a 1930s Merrie Melodies cartoon. The bouncy jazz-swing tune brought a welcomed variant to the night’s mostly softer balladry and showcased Taylor’s expressive vocals brilliantly. A bonus was seeing scenes from the original cartoon reel beamed on the stage video screen as the song was played.

Breaking out his own arsenal of signature songs towards the end of his set, Taylor effortlessly poured out radio staples like “Fire and Rain,” “Carolina in My Mind,” and his take on “How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You),” a song Marvin Gaye originally recorded, which Taylor turned into a monster hit in 1975. A montage of family photos flashed on the projection screens for that one which gave it a more personal feel.

Returning the favor, opener Jackson Browne joined the festivities for Taylor’s encore and the pair again traded lines and verses for a few numbers. This time, it was “Take it Easy,” a song popularized by The Eagles and one Browne co-wrote with late Eagles singer-guitarist, Glenn Frey, that the men duetted. A corny, ham-fisted (and obviously staged) ploy to play one more song followed. “I hope that looked spontaneous!” Taylor deadpanned before delivering an emotive version of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” on which Browne lent his backing vocals to round out the choruses.

To cap off the triumphant night, Taylor and his son sat, side by side, each playing a guitar, and dispatched a haunting, sparse version of “You Can Close Your Eyes,” one of the standout tracks from his 1971 album, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. Whether intentional or not, the move fittingly proved that Taylor’s music and sound is truly timeless and that a great song can transcend time and generational gaps brilliantly, a theory every one of his longtime fans would willingly agree.

Greenville, SC (11/16/21) – I truly believe the time of musical legends is a bygone era. Today’s music scene is more about pushing out quick singles over computer made music. That being said, when you have a chance to go see an icon whose career has spanned decades you should go see them. That’s what makes tonight’s show extra special because James Taylor and Jackson Browne have teamed up together for their current tour. Having both artists together on one night is like a dream come true for music lovers. For many in the crowd at Bon Secours Wellness Arena tonight’s show is like a nostalgic trip back in time reminiscing through memories as the soundtrack of days gone by is played out on stage. For others it’s a chance to see and hear music live from artists their parents have told them about or introduce a younger generation to a fading appreciation of real music.



Jackson Browne pleased listeners with classic hits such as “Somebody’s Baby” and “Doctor My Eyes.” James Taylor provided hit songs like “Country Road,” “Carolina In My Mind” and “Fire and Rain.” Browne also mixed in “Downhill From Everywhere” which is the title track of his latest album of the same name released in July of this year and also “The Dreamer” from the album as well. James also featured a new song,” Its’a As Easy As Rolling Off A Log” from his latest album titled “American Standard.” Taylor’s set would feature a band of notable musicians joining his performance including Latin percussion player Michito Sanchez and trumpeter and keyboardist Walt Fowler added nice layers to the live performance. Each set would see the other artist join in for collaborations as well. Taylor would join Browne for hits “The Pretender” and “Running On Empty.” Taylor’s set went on to have Browne join him for a cover of “Take It Easy” by The Eagles, a song which Browne co-wrote with Glenn Frey. Taylor’s wife Kim joined Browne adding vocals to the Carole King classic “You’ve Got A Friend In Me.” Taylor’s son Henry would also take to the stage singing along with his dad for “You Can Close Your Eyes.”



A night filled with great musical moments was also filled with many great stories and laughs from both artists. Exiting the venue you could hear the chatter of fans as they spoke of their favorite moments from the nights show. For more info on each artists upcoming performances.

Two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers — James Taylor and Jackson Browne — shared the stage at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on Monday night for an evening of the sort of extremely mellow folk rock that made the men famous in the ’70s.

Taylor and Browne — who are both 73 — continue to record new music to this day, but Monday was mostly about the familiar oldies that held the crowd of about 10,000 in a quiet rapture.

Browne kicked off his 70-minute set with “Somebody’s Baby” at 7:30 p.m., a time when a significant number of fans were still making their way into the arena. (The concert required proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test and while venue staff appeared to be doing a great job, some concertgoers slowed lines down as they fumbled for their vaccine card.)

From there, Browne worked his way through his set at a leisurely pace, occasionally chatting with the crowd between numbers. Back in July, Browne released his 15th album, “Downhill from Everywhere,” which just earned a best Americana album Grammy nomination. He played three songs from the record and while they didn’t get a huge reaction, they did fit in quite well with Browne’s otherwise laid back sonics.
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By the time Browne got to his 1977 hit “The Pretender,” Taylor emerged from the wings to join him and stuck around for Browne’s finale, “Running on Empty.”

After a 30-minute intermission, Taylor returned to the stage with his 13-piece band, which includes five backing vocalists, one of whom is Taylor’s 20-year-old son Henry. As he usually does, Taylor built the set around his 1976 “Greatest Hits” compilation, a staple of boomer record collections and Taylor’s best seller by a wide margin. “Mexico” was the first to show up, four songs in, and it brought a much-needed boost of energy to the stage, where Taylor often sits and tells rambling stories and dad jokes between numbers.

Midway through his performance, Taylor performed his only new song of the night and, well, it actually dates back more than 80 years. Taylor’s most recent album, “American Standard,” is filled with what he told the crowd were popular standards that everybody knows. And then he went ahead and played the most obscure track on the record, “As Easy as Rolling Off a Log,” a song written for a 1938 “Merrie Melodies” cartoon. (Taylor also noted that “American Standard” came out just before the pandemic lockdown and joked that it felt like he was dropping his baby down a well.)

For the end of his main set, Taylor pulled out the big guns with a run of “Sweet Baby James,” “Fire and Rain,” “Shower the People” (which inspired the crowd to clap along), “Carolina in My Mind” and “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You).” Given that the Beatles have zoomed back into the pop culture conversation thanks to the just released, nearly nine-hour docuseries “Get Back,” it was kind of a surprise Taylor skipped “Something in the Way She Moves.” Taylor landed his first record deal in 1968 after playing the song for Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Not only did the Beatles sign him to their Apple Records label, Harrison used the song’s title as the inspiration for “Something.”

For the encore, Browne rejoined Taylor for a run through the Eagles’ “Take it Easy” (a song Browne wrote with Glenn Frey) and Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” capping off what’s likely to be the year’s most polite Twin Cities arena show.

As the years roll on, James Taylor has evolved into the Mr. Rogers of rock 'n' roll.

Kind, gentle, patient, compassionate, reassuring.

He sings about friendship, loneliness, sweetness, smiles and dreams.

Taylor's music and persona are as comfortable and comforting as Mr. Rogers' cardigan and sneakers. And as familiar.

In his return Monday night to Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, the ever-relaxed Taylor wore an untucked polo shirt and a newsboy cap. Under a giant tree, he welcomed 10,000 baby boomers to his neighborhood, be it country roads in Carolina or snowy highways in Massachusetts.

It was an immaculately pleasant performance, punctuated with dad jokes and elegantly arranged soft-rock.

At 73, Taylor has become an endearing host, telling the Minnesota fans that he feels he knows the Twin Cities well because he's read and reread all of author John Sandford's novels, which take place in the Cities. "It's actually not very accurate," he joked of the books' portrayal of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Between light-hearted backstories about his songs, Taylor focused on the tunes that made him the quintessential 1970s singer-songwriter. The back-to-back renditions of the lullabye "Sweet Baby James" and the tormented "Fire and Rain" were highlights, beautiful in their understated simplicity. Also standing out was a jazzy treatment of "Country Road," framed by Andrea Zonn's fiddle.

Taylor showed his love of interpreting other people's material, including the crowd-stirring Marvin Gaye hit "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" and the gently jazzy "As Easy as Rolling Off a Log," a 1920s ditty from Taylor's 2020 album, "American Standard."

Actually, there were only a handful tunes in the 110-minute set that Taylor recorded after the 1970s, including the raison d'etre "That's Why I'm Here" (1985), the childhood reflection "Copperline" ('91), the mild social commentary "Line Em Up" ('97) and a choral treatment of the prayerful encore "Shed a Little Light" ('97).

The master of soft rock stepped out of Mr. Taylor's neighborhood and kicked out the jams on "Steamroller," his mock blues number during which he did a duck walk with his electric guitar and vocally mimicked old blues singers.

Like Mr. Rogers, Taylor welcomed a visitor to his neighborhood, Jackson Browne. As part of Taylor's encore, they harmonized on "Take It Easy," a song Browne wrote "back in the last century" (according to Taylor) for the Eagles. It was almost as fun as when the Eagles did the tune at Xcel Center in October.


Browne then stuck around to sing backup on the inevitable "You've Got a Friend." This was the third consecutive time at the X that Taylor invited another Rock & Roll Hall of Famer to open. On Monday, the mostly downbeat Browne wasn't quite as exciting as Bonnie Raitt in 2018 or Carole King in 2010.

No longer wearing his hair like a sheep dog, the gray-bearded southern California singer-songwriter, 73, dipped into three political songs from this year's album "Downhill from Everywhere." The best of which was "The Dreamer," about a Mexican immigrant but Browne said he always thinks of his Norwegian grandmother when he sings it. She migrated to Minnesota.

"I'm glad she did," he said, mentioning his mother was born in St. Paul, "because I get to sing in English instead of Norwegian."

Browne sparkled on his more famous tunes, including the poignant "Fountain of Sorrow," "Late for the Sky," the rocking "Running on Empty" and "The Pretender," for which Taylor joined him. That's what friends are for.

ASHWAUBENON - A Tuesday evening spent in the company of James Taylor and Jackson Browne was all comfort and joy — a warm embrace from a couple of old friends.

Like so many things treasured and cherished, it was made sweeter not just by the passage of time, but in particular, the times of the last two years.

If getting whisked away to “Carolina in My Mind” felt like a dreamy escape in 1976, imagine how good it sounds 2021. If there were ever days to be reminded that when nothin’, nothin’ is going right “You’ve Got a Friend,” maybe it’s during a pandemic. “Running on Empty”? Practically a national theme song these days.

It was Taylor’s third visit to the Resch Center, and his first since a sold-out show in 2018 when he brought along Bonnie Raitt. He talked about what it means to be back onstage after touring came to a halt in early 2020 when he introduced “That’s Why I’m Here.”


“The last verse of this song sort of, well, it’s really about you and how it feels to be back out on the road finally. We never knew whether or not this was going to happen at all a year ago,” Taylor told a crowd of mostly baby boomers who nearly filled the arena. “People have been really patient. Thanks for coming out tonight and letting us play. It means the world to us.”

Whether singing or telling stories or telling jokes about horse-drawn guitars, there’s something soothing, a calmness, about James Taylor, dressed in his plain tans and grays and a newsboy cap, on a stool with a guitar in hand. Everything outside the beam of the spotlight just melts away.

His performance of “Sweet Baby James” was as poetic as the story he told of writing the lullaby on on his way to North Carolina to see his newborn nephew for the first time.

“That song just kind of blew in the window,” he said.

And so it goes with Taylor. At 73, he makes it all look easy, from the beautiful “Country Road” to open his 17-song set to a bouncy “As Easy as Rollin’ Off a Log” from 1927 off last year’s “American Standard” album to turning up the heat and strutting across the stage on “Steamroller Blues.” His marvelous 10-piece band, which includes his son, Henry, as a vocalist, was always at the ready to shine, most notably Walt Fowler on trumpet and Lou Marini on saxophone countless times and the fiddle work of Andrea Zonn on "Copperline.”

Nearly every song got an introduction from Taylor. Some were serious, like how his friend John Belushi’s death inspired the second verse of “That’s Why I’m Here” and proved to be a wake-up call for Taylor’s own recovery. He dedicated it to anyone in the audience in recovery, and then quipped, “But not to worry, we’ve still got plenty of songs for those of us who are still (expletive) up.”

Taylor tours with some of the most gorgeous staging on the road, picturesque landscapes and places that transport audiences along with the music. A large tree anchored the backdrop, as seasons, fields and woods changed behind him, a series of teardrop pendant lights moving up and down like fall leaves for one song and dancing confetti in another.


If it takes a great singer-songwriter to tour with one, there's no more perfect match than Taylor and Browne, both Rock and Roll Hall of Famers in their 70s. Browne’s 70-minute set was equally warm-hearted, thoughtful and laid back.

His voice sounded impeccable in the Resch. Even Browne noticed. “It does sound good in here,” he told the crowd, thanking his crew for their work during times when “everything is so much harder.”
Jackson Browne performs Nov. 30, 2021, at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wis.


He opened with a classic, “Somebody’s Baby,” and followed it up with what he called “a middle-old song,” 1996’s “Barricades of Heaven.” He dipped freely into music off his 15th studio album, “Downhill from Everywhere,” released in July. His history of social activism was fully on display in a poignant “The Dreamer,” about immigration, the effect of plastic on oceans in the title track and racial justice in “Until Justice Is Real.”

He too chatted often between songs. He made a point to mention he had friends in the crowd from Door County from his years playing Steel Bridge Songfest in Sturgeon Bay, an event founded by Green Bay native Pat mAcdonald. He seemed both touched and amused that someone had gifted him a care package backstage filled with cheese curds, chocolates and other local goodies.

“Very Wisconsin,” Browne said.

He sat at the piano for “Doctor My Eyes” and an achingly intimate “Late for the Sky." He called out Taylor to join him in singing “The Pretender," and the gracious headliner stuck around to sit in with the band on “Running on Empty.”

Browne would return the favor later in the night to come back out and sing “Take It Easy” with Taylor, getting one of the biggest receptions from a crowd that was generous with standing ovations all night.

Having two legendary performers on the same bill is generally no guarantee that they’ll perform together. But a special feature of Saturday night’s James Taylor/Jackson Browne concert at Enterprise Center was that the iconic singer-songwriters — Rock and Roll Hall of Famers both — actually sat in and sang together, playing both lead and support roles.

Taylor strolled onstage near the end of Browne’s 70-minute opening set to share vocals on one of Browne’s signature songs, “The Pretender.” “‘Scuse me while I pinch myself,” Browne quipped afterward. Taylor then stuck around to sing backup on “Runnin’ on Empty.”

Later, Browne joined Taylor to lead the latter’s All-Star Band through the Eagles’ hit “Take It Easy,” which Browne co-wrote with the late Glenn Frey, and remained onstage while Taylor sang “You’ve Got a Friend.”

Those were the concert’s primary highlights, but they weren’t the only ones. Both performers have deep catalogs of hits and fan favorites, many of which were heard by evening’s end.

Browne peppered his set with songs he’s been singing for decades, including “Doctor My Eyes,” “Fountain of Sorrow” and “Somebody’s Baby” but gave over a large portion of his performance to more recent songs.

In July, he released “Downhill From Everywhere,” his first collection of new songs in seven years. He performed the album’s title track as well as “The Dreamer” and “Until Justice Is Real,” each of them commenting on topical issues, including environmentalism, immigration and — as the title indicates — justice.

But it was a few lines from 2014’s “The Long Way Around” that hit the hardest, given that there’s yet another senseless school shooting in the news. “It’s never been that hard to buy a gun,” Browne sang. “Now they’ll sell a Glock 19 to just about anyone/The seeds of tragedy are there/In what we feel we have the right to bear.”

Whether many in the large crowd took those lyrics to heart is up for grabs, of course, but Browne has been telling hard truths about himself and about us for half a century now and his words are still worth heeding.

Browne was backed by a seven-piece band that included standout guitarists Greg Leisz and Mason Stoops and vocalists Tiffany Cross and Althea Mills. Between songs, he spoke warmly about St. Louis, saying he had many good memories of the city: “The guitars I bought here, the speeches I heard here, the shows I did here at the Mississippi River Festival,” he said.

Taylor, too, has been performing here for decades, and despite his avuncular presence, penchant for between-song dad jokes, and mellow rock aesthetic, his songs are about intensely personal and occasionally political struggles.

Early in his 110-minute set, Taylor talked about how a verse of “That’s Why I’m Here” refers to the death of his friend John Belushi and how that sad event served as a wake-up call about his own drug abuse. He dedicated the song to anyone in recovery, joking that he also had plenty of songs “for those of us who are still (expletive deleted) up.”

Taylor’s 12-piece All-Star Band is aptly named, as it includes famed side musicians such as drummer Steve Gadd, guitarist Michael Landau, keyboardist Larry Goldings and saxophonist “Blue Lou” Marini, as well as longtime backing vocalists Arnold McCuller and Kate Markowitz, plus Taylor’s 20-year-old son Henry.

The group appeared in various configurations as Taylor played through the classic numbers “Country Road,” “Mexico,” “Sweet Baby James” “Carolina in My Mind” and, of course, “Fire and Rain.”

When an audience member called out for the latter tune — which obviously would be performed at some point in the show, Taylor deadpanned, “We will do that, yes.”

Holding up his setlist, he added, “I wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget.”

Ouch.

Taylor offered one song from his 2020 album “American Standard,” which he noted was released “the same week as COVID.” Not being able to tour to promote the album, he said, made him feel like he was “dropping his baby down a well.”

The song, an obscurity called “Easy as Rollin’ Off a Log,” was taken from an old Merrie Melodies cartoon, “Katnip Kollege,” part of which unspooled on the video screen while he sang.

The set closed with “Shower the People,” which, as always, allowed McCuller a welcome moment in the spotlight, followed by Taylor’s hit cover of Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You).”

Besides the appearance by Browne, the encore included Taylor’s Martin Luther King tribute, “Shed a Little Light.” He capped off the evening with “You Can Close Your Eyes,” a duet with his son Henry.

Taylor and Browne are perhaps getting a little long in the tooth — they’re both 73 — but the familiarity of their presence and the overall pleasantness of the concert hopefully didn’t mute the messages conveyed by both artists and their still-vital songs.