•≡• V chladném odpoledni začne James Taylor rozdělávat oheň. Vše postavil v jeskynní stodole na pozemku, který vlastní v západní Massachusetts, pomalu přivádí kousky dřeva do malého starožitného krbu a vyživoval plameny, dokud se nevzpamatovaly samy. „Je to rituál,“ říká. „Je úžasné, jaké teplo v nás tyto malé plameny mohou udržet.“
⊗ Když jsem se zeptal, jestli to vypadá, že uplynulo půlstoletí, protože písně jako „Fire and Rain“ vyrazily do hitparád od éry alba Sweet Baby James, říká „Ano!“ bez váhání. „Cítím plnou váhu těch 50 let cestování, výchovy dětí, mého vztahu s manželkou a mými bývalými manželkami. Cítím to všechno.“ Současně je minulost stále velmi přítomná. Dnes má na sobě džínové tričko, které se nepodobá košili, se kterou vypadal sportovně na obálce Sweet Baby James, kde zíral na diváka očima tak vřelými a zraněnými, jako jeho hlas. A právě vydal audiokazetu, „Break Shot: My First 21 Years“, prostřednictvím Audible v trvání 93 minut, ve které líčí všechna dramata, která definovala jeho život, než dosáhl slávy, včetně pobytu v psychiatrické léčebně, nebezpečných experimentů s drogami, rozvod rodičů a alkoholismus jeho otce. (K dispozici zdarma ke stažení nyní na Audible.com/JamesTaylor.) Diskutuje o tom všem — a své hudbě — v obývacím pokoji hlavního majetku na svém statku, obnoveném statku s neporušeným výhledem na Berkshire Mountains. Cítím, že jsem z bodu A do bodu B přešel zdárně. ⊕
https://www.audible.com/pd/Break-Shot-My-First-21-Years-Audiobook/B081D9H5J3?ref=mrq_aud_BS_van1&source_code=MRQOR13901152002WF
•≡• The archetype for the gentle, inward~looking singer~songwriter movement of the early ’70s.
Birth name: James Vernon Taylor
Born: March 12, 1948, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Location: Berkshire County town of Washington, Massachusetts
Album release: Feb. 28th, 2020
Record Label: Fantasy Records
Duration: 45:05
Tracks:
01. My Blue Heaven 2:43
02. Moon River 3:13
03. Teach Me Tonight 2:59
04. As Easy As Rolling Off a Log 2:51
05. Almost Like Being in Love 3:43
06. Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat 4:11
07. The Nearness of You 3:52
08. You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught 2:26
09. God Bless the Child 3:22
10. Pennies from Heaven 2:52
11. My Heart Stood Still 3:27
12. Ol’ Man River 2:54
13. It’s Only a Paper Moon 3:12
14. The Surrey with the Fringe On Top 3:20
Review
Iain Patience | February 24th, 2020 | Score: 100
♦⇒ …In some ways James Taylor brings an unexpected focus on these songs, 14 well~known, enormously~loved classics from the American songbook, choices that might have terrified many lesser musicians, simultaneously pleasing most of his global legion of fans and working in some surprising twists from his usual baseline.
♦⇒ Taylor’s voice and vocal delivery remain exactly on point, everything we all know and adore. His delightful, harmonic guitar picking slips along perfectly in the mix giving the entire album that special Taylor touch with some light whimsical, jazzy flourishes and a sparse simplicity that truly carries the package along nicely, proving that less really can be more.
Aided by some simply wonderful flashes of clarinet, B3, light percussion and even electric slide, Taylor sounds like he’s happily relaxed down~home with a warm breeze blowing through the palms. The stunning perfection of the (again) sparse but striking harp work that accompanies his fretwork on the “Moon River” track makes it totally outstanding, a cut to savor every time, and it sounds like a song that could have been written either by or for him alone. Other tracks include the likes of “Surrey with the Fringe On Top,” “Pennies From Heaven,” ‘‘God Bless the Child” and “My Blue Heaven.”
♦⇒ No doubt there will be some fans who will feel dismayed by this guy’s venture out of the old 1970s’ comfort zone they identify with Mister Taylor. If so, they really are missing the point here. This is Taylor moving on, forging ahead while also glancing back at the music he grew up with, music that still resonates deeply with his soul and the American consciousness. American Standard is a work of genius, of giant beauty and spiritual generosity. Instantly recognizable as a Grammy contender, it highlights just why and how important this true US music legend is to global music. — elmoremagazine.com
♦⇒ https://www.elmoremagazine.com/
Also:
Jim Barber
♦⇒ https://parade.com/994586/jimfarber/james-taylor-great-american-songbook/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamestaylor_com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JamesTaylor
Website: https://www.jamestaylor.com/home/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=ctWs_usT-BM&feature=emb_logo
Photo: (James Taylor by Norman Seeff, Background: Taylor salute by Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, Taylor with Paul McCartney by Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images, Taylor performing 1970 by Michael Putland/Getty Images, Taylor with Carole King by Jack Kay/Daily Express/Getty Images, Taylor with Carly Simon by Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images, Taylor profile on bus by Globe Photos/Shutterstock, Taylor with President Obama by Patsy Lynch/Shutterstock)