Reviews
Artist: Carole King And James Taylor
Album: Live At the Troubadour
Label: UMTV
Tracks: 20
Website: http://www.james-taylor.com
In November of 1970 James Taylor and Carole King first performed together at the Troubadour on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California; both barely known at that time. On their return to the club for a two-week run in 1971, their lives were somewhat different. That summer Taylor's "Fire and Rain" was at the top of the charts and King's landmark Tapestry was fast making her a star. Thirty-six years later, in November 2007, James Taylor, Carole King and, amazingly, members of their famed original band, "The Section" (guitarist Danny Kortchmar, bassist Leland Sklar and drummer Russell Kunkel) returned to the Troubadour for a three-night, six-show run to celebrate the venue's 50th anniversary. Those historic shows are what inspired Live at the Troubadour, a very special CD/DVD set. After all, what better way to celebrate such an event?
Featuring 15 songs and 75 minutes of crystal clear performance, it is hard to believe you aren't actually in the audience of those iconic shows, as you watch or listen. Including the duo's most loved songs, such as "So Far Away," "It's Too Late," and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" as well as "Carolina in My Mind," "Sweet Baby James," and "Fire and Rain," it really is an incredible recording. Considering that it is decades since the two played together, it really could have been last week, so easily do they work together and so relaxed are they together on stage; testament to the transcendent quality of their friendship, of which King speaks in the liner notes. Speaking of that friendship, I learned an interesting fact from this release; Carole King wrote You've Got A Friend she was working on Tapestry and in what can only be deemed an act of friendship, she offered Taylor the first opportunity to record it. Perhaps that was the event that sealed their friendship all those years ago?
Aside from their obvious friendship, their harmonies are exquisite, only enhanced by brilliant musicianship from that original 1970s band. That's not to mention King on piano and Taylor on acoustic guitar. Who would believe to hear her sing that Carole King is now sixty eight years old?! The order of the songs works really well, both on the CD and the DVD and was obviously well thought out. Standout tracks, perhaps, include Fire and Rain, Carolina in My Mind, Somethign in the Way she Moves, Smackwater Jack (not previously a favourite of mine, but great live) I feel the Earyh Move and You Can Close your Eyes.Kunkel's record engineering has ensured great sound and visual quality on both discs. However, perhaps the greatest magic of this set is its timeless and universal appeal; those who saw the shows the first time around will be catapulted back to those days, whilst those of us who weren't around then (it was ten years before I was born!) are able to experience that event through the wonders of technology and whether new to these artists or familiar with them, identify with them and their music in a whole new way; regardless of whether we saw the recent concert tour or not. For those of us who fall into the latter category, it surely begs the question of how brilliant the live experience must have been.
Without a doubt, this collection belongs in every music lover's collection. To borrow a song title from each performer, You Can Close your Eyes, drift away and Feel the Earth Move as you experience musical history in the making.
Helen Mitchell