At BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: “This tune begins with a walk down a dirt road and ends with me driving a tank.” James Taylor made this remark about his song “Country Roads,” but the comment could have applied to his entire Milwaukee concert. The unmistakable sound of Taylor’s beautiful ballads was a constant throughout the evening, but so were some hard-driving moments that added momentum to a distinctive night of music.
The first set included a new song about “Today” and recognizable album tracks including “Lo & Behold” and “Copperline.” Engaging from the start, Taylor opened with “Something in the Way She Moves,” which was his 1968 audition piece for Paul McCartney and George Harrison. “Paul liked it enough to sign me to Apple Records,” Taylor remembered, “and George liked it enough to go home and write it himself.” Many have pointed to this bit of plagiarism by Harrison, but the original songwriter now only laughs about it.
Pleasant as these first songs were, it wasn’t until the band hit a groove on Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” that the evening really took off. The 10-piece ensemble then locked-in on “Sweet Baby James,” “Carolina on my Mind,” and the first set’s closer “Shower the People.” Interspersed between the music was Taylor’s narrative about the background of each selection A seasoned stage professional, Taylor knew to keep the stories short and upbeat; his audience had come for the songs.
James Taylor is on a lengthy tour, but his voice is as clear and recognizable as if you were playing one of his early albums. He seemed genuinely pleased to be in Milwaukee, even taking time to set down his guitar and don a Brewers jersey. “They’ll never forgive me at Fenway Park for this,” he joked. The occasional declaration of love came from individual audience members. Taylor smoothly dealt with each impassioned pronouncement, humorously deflecting the amorous calls with self-deprecating quips.
When a flurry of specific song requests was shouted simultaneously, Taylor smiled and said, “It’s odd. I feel like I am in some sort of a bidding war.” After more shouts, he concluded: “I don’t mind it, but it’s odd.” Not many of these requests went unfulfilled during the two-and-a-half hour concert. As the second set progressed, “Handy Man,” “Stretch of the Highway” and “Only One” were performed, as was the blues-genre exercise “Steamroller,” with Taylor strapping-on an electric guitar and giving his band some room to solo.
The backing group featured Lou Marini on reeds and Steve Gadd on drums. The names may not be familiar, but you know their work. For Gadd, think of the opening drum pattern on Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and the drum breaks on Steely Dan’s song “Aja.” For Marini, get out your live Blues Brothers album (or watch the movie again).
Michael Landau played electric guitar in Taylor’s backing ensemble; Jimmy Johnson served as group’s music director and played electric bass. Fiddler Andrea Zonn gave several tunes a folky and occasionally Celtic feel, while Walt Fowler’s trumpet added some brass to the mix and Luis Conte’s percussion added texture. Various keyboards were played by Larry Goldings, and a terrific vocal trio included Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, and fiddler Zonn.
This headliner can afford to take a quality band with him on the road, and the musicians served their leader well. Each song of the evening was perfectly orchestrated and executed. And fortunately, even in a structure designed for basketball, the sound of this concert was excellent; every musician could be heard.
James Taylor is now 66 years old. During his time in the music industry, he has experienced unbelievable highs and unenviable lows: His songs were praised by the Beatles, and his work was briefly dismissed by both the rock press and a once adoring public. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and appeared on the cover of Time magazine, and he was institutionalized for mental health issues. He was every young woman’s fantasy date, and he was simultaneously a heroin addict.
But fans who attend the current tour care little for bright Beatle accolades or about dark corners in this performer’s past. They care about James Taylor, who they see as one of their own — a talented survivor of a turbulent era. This was profoundly evident when the songwriter unveiled his best-known composition. With no spoken introduction, he played an introspective guitar line from which the opening notes of “Fire and Rain” slowly emerged. After singing this song at virtually each of his concerts for the past 40 years, it seems remarkable that Taylor is able to keep it fresh. This great song evidently speaks to its writer as well as to his audience.
As expected, the second set finished strong, with “Up on the Roof,” “Mexico” and “Your Smiling Face.” Some gems were saved for the encore which, interestingly, consisted entirely of songs not penned by Taylor. These included the Irish ballad “Wild Mountain Thyme,” Marvin Gaye’s, “How Sweet It Is to be Loved by You,” and Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.” But if James Taylor did not write these numbers, he certainly made them his own — just as he did with the Milwaukee audience on this memorable Tuesday night.
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