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CONCERT REVIEW: James Taylor treats crowd at Covelli Centre
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
I was wondering before Monday night’s James Taylor concert at Covelli Centre if the acoustic legend would kick up the bounce in his songs.
After all, his terrific body of work could easily stand up to a fresh take, and maybe gain new vibrancy.
Alas, the answer is no. In fact, Taylor’s pacing in a live show might be even slower, and more reverential, than the original recording.
The capacity crowd thought it was just right — at least on the surface. A few restless souls with leather lungs filled every silence with a shout-out to the musician.
Of course, the sublime quality of Taylor’s music lies in the brief melodies that lazily bubble out of his acoustic interludes, so patience is part of the package. It is slow-down music that puts the listener in its grasp.
Taylor’s guitar work and his 66-year-old voice also proved to still be in fine form, and that is the reason why he became a legend in the first place.
Monday’s concert packaged roughly two dozen songs in a 2:40 set that included a 20-minute intermission during which Taylor signed autographs in front of the stage.
His dry wit and wry humor were on display all night, as he bantered with fans and introduced his songs with background info.
Wearing a newsboy cap, the tall and lanky Taylor — his clothing timelessly rumpled — spent most of the night on a stool at front center stage, surrounded by his All-Star Band: seven players and three backup singers (including Cleveland native Arnold McCuller, who got a roar from the crowd when he was introduced).
Three songs from his new album, “Before This World,” which debuted in the No. 1 spot, made it into the set. Taylor was going to play a fourth for the final encore song, but gave in to a fan’s demand and played “You’ve Got a Friend.”
The new songs — “Montana,” “Today, Today, Today” and especially “Angels of Fenway” — more than held their own against his beloved tunes.
“Angels of Fenway” is something of an instant classic, a paean to the Boston Red Sox from a lifelong fan’s point of view. It was accompanied by a video on the backdrop screen that illustrated the story, although the official video for the song is much better.
Taylor moved at a leisurely pace in the first half of the concert. An early crescendo came toward the end of “Country Road,” when Taylor soulfully sang while accompanied only by the drummer.
But “Carolina On My Mind,” one of his best songs and an ode to his home state, dragged slightly.
“Fire andRain” posed the same question it always does, and again brought no answer. When Taylor sings “ … but I always thought that I’d see you again,” I always wonder if he did. After hearing it live, I still don’t know.
That’s why it’s art.
The show loosened up a little in the second half. One highlight came during “Steamroller,” with Taylor — for the first and only time in the show — strapping on an electric guitar and getting bluesy. Several members of the All-Star took solos during the song.
Lou Marini, Taylor’s standout sax player and an alumni of the “Saturday Night Live” band, gave a scorching solo during “How Sweet It Is.”