Some albums seem tailor made for certain occasions. James Taylor's 1993 concert album, Best Live, is Taylor made for lazy Sundays. So mix a pitcher of Bloody Marys and put your feet up. Light a fire if it's cold out. Leaf through the Sunday paper and listen to this album. It's the kind of music that puts a smile on your face every time you hear the first few bars of the next song.

James Taylor's studio albums are certainly pleasant enough, but in the live albums the essence of the man shines through. Taylor is energized in live performance. He modifies his arrangements, adding new instrumental breaks, and sometimes launching into brief passages of scat singing. You can hear the audience react too, and this enhances the musical experience for the listener. I've been lucky enough to attend Taylor concerts, and there is always much more excitement in the air than you'd expect if you've only heard the studio work. This is especially so at outdoor summer concerts. Best Live catches some (but by no means all) of the James Taylor concert experience.

All but two of the tracks on this recording are Taylor's own compositions. The two exceptions are How Sweet It Is, by Holland-Dozier-Holland of Motown fame, and Handy Man, originally written and performed by Jimmy Jones in the 50's. Taylor's version is a slowed down arrangement of this early rock and roll classic. Jimmy Jones was a Soul Man in the days before the term Soul Music had even been coined. Handy Man is handled beautifully by Taylor, who tells the crowd "I fix broken hearts, you know I really care" with a crooning, soothing attitude that actually makes you believe he can accomplish that Herculean task. Of course Handy Man is best-remembered for the oft-repeated line "Kama kama kama kama kam kama kama, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...." Truer words were never spoken!

Sweet Baby James is a signature work by James Taylor. "Good night you moonlight ladies, rockabye sweet baby James..." The tune evokes the feeling of driving down the Massachusetts Turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston, in the snow. Sweet and sincere, it loses nothing despite the passage of over thirty years since it was first performed.

Steamroller Blues is the closest thing a male singer has done to match Bonnie Raitt's amazing Blender Blues. Steamroller is an out of character song for James. It's truly a gritty and yes, lustful, number, with wailing instrumental breaks that really get the juices flowing.

Country Road, Fire And Rain, and How Sweet It Is comprise an excellent grouping of early Taylor tunes. The word relaxing constantly comes to mind when I think of these songs. Again, terrific Sunday brunch music. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight is a plaintive request song that never fails to elicit an audience response, particularly from the women in attendance at Taylor's shows.

This concert album ends with Shower The People. We are all instructed to "shower the people you love with love. Show them the way that you feel." This simple sentiment is repeated over and over, and the audience joins in. What may seem somewhat corny on paper (or computer monitor) is actually quite affecting in person.

The songs on this CD were chosen from the best performances in 14 different James Taylor concerts during a three week tour in 1993 that was specifically designed to produce an excellent live album. The fidelity in the recording has captured the real feeling of a Taylor concert. For those who are not in a position to catch J.T. live, this is the next best thing.


The tracks are:
Sweet Baby James
Handy Man
Your Smiling Face
Shed A Little Light
Steamroller Blues
Mexico
Walking Man
Country Road
Fire And Rain
How Sweet It Is
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Shower The People



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Waking up