I'm Jaded, I'll Admit It

I’m jaded, I’ll admit it. In an era of music where singers like Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus are celebrated, I’m jaded.

That’s why on Saturday when I got to sit thru one of the best nights of music I can remember, I feel a little less jaded.

Saturday at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus I had the pleasure of listening to Carole King and James Taylor play hit after hit after hit for nearly 3 hours and I wished it could have gone on longer.

Forty years ago King and Taylor played at the now defunct Troubadour club in Los Angeles as they helped usher in the singer-songwriter era of the early 70’s and now in 2010 they shared the stage in the “Troubadour Reunion Tour” and if you closed your eyes, you would swear you were back in 1970. Yea, his hair has receded, they both have more lines on their faces but their voices….their voices are like a fine wine. It just seems to get better with age.

Performing in the round they were accompanied by members of the original band from the 1970 shows, guitarist Danny Kortchmar, drummer Russell Kunkel and one of my favorites bassist Leland Sklar who were essentially the band on the King’s “Tapestry” album and Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James”.

The concert had many great moments as they passed the spotlight back and forth singing some of the most memorable songs of our generation. Songs like “So Far Away”, “Country Road”, “Jazzman”, “Sweet Baby James”, “ I Feel The Earth Move”, “How Sweet It Is”, “Natural Woman”, “Carolina On My Mind”, “Sweetwater Jack”, “”Shower The People”, “It’s Too Late”, and “Fire And Rain” were just a sampling of the 28 songs they played as you sat there after each song and thought “how can they top this?” and they would come up with another amazing song from their vast repertoire.

The musical highlights were many but some of the most memorable moments were non-musical. Taylor’s back stories about his songs, King’s energy and huge smile as she danced around the stage and especially the finale when the two sat down on two stools, she interlocked her arm thru his and they gave a stirring rendition of “You Can Close Your Eyes” and at the end she laid her head on his shoulder and he gave her a kiss on the forehead showing us what the two of them mean to each other.

You know I just don’t see a reunion tour of Justin and Miley in 40 years and I’m happier for it.

Today I feel a little less jaded.

Nuff said, least till next time
Peace
Bear