![]() ![]() ![]() The queen of rhythm and blues started with “Respect Yourself” before Wainwright’s arrival and assistance on the ensuing “Friendship.” In time, Rufus Wainwright made his way on stage for his performance, which included a cover of The Beatles’ “Across the Universe.” Then, after an introduction, it was Mavis Staples’ turn to sing. The good times cascaded with Allison Russell, who ran through “You’re Not Alone” and “Don’t Stop” prior to the next act’s arrival. Next, Warren Haynes arrived and paid tribute to the late-David Crosby by covering “Almost Cut My Hair,” a tune that initially appeared on Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s seminal 1970 LP, Déjà Vu. Before, the New Orleans institution traded seats with War and Treaty, who played two choice numbers. Then, the music picked up with “Hey Pocky Way,” featuring Ivan Neville. The four-hour presentation boasted memorable on-stage moments, beginning with a pairing of tunes courtesy of My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, who opened up the night with “State of The Art (AEIOU).” Then, after a take on Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” James left the front of the room, creating space for event staff to share words and a video presentation to remind the audience about the evening’s mission and the reason behind Love Rock’s annual occurrence. After the star-studded list of players ran through choice numbers, the event culminated with one final song as the roster of musicians paid tribute to Jeff Beck, who passed away in January of 2023. The charitable event, which raised proceeds for God’s Love We Deliver, brought an impressive lineup to the stage for a memorable night of entertainment. Taylor remains sorely in need of a retrospective that would bring his work into concise coherence, but this one at least presents most of his best-known material in effective performances.Last night in New York City, the 7th annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert occurred at the famed Upper West Side venue, the Beacon Theatre. But that doesn't keep the set from being a consistently enjoyable listening experience. ![]() ![]() The effect of presenting the songs in a uniform manner is to imply an equality between them, as though the deeper material was less significant and the slighter songs more substantial. (The most notable exception is "Her Town, Too," and there is a general paucity of later recordings like "That's Why I'm Here" and "Never Die Young.") Taylor treats the material in his relaxed, assured style, making occasional ironic or self-deprecatory remarks between songs and charming his audience even more. Fronting a typically top-notch band, Taylor ranges across his repertoire, back to 1968 for "Something in the Way She Moves" and "Carolina in My Mind," and up to 1991 for "Copperline," among other songs drawn from New Moon Shine. The 30-track, two-hour Live, drawn from a tour staged specifically to record it, is an attempt to address those points. For another, an artist who has scored in excess of 30 chart records (on four different labels) over those years is represented by only one, 20-year-old hits compilation. For one thing, Taylor has been a successful concert attraction for more than 20 years. "A live James Taylor album has been suggested, demanded and contemplated for many years," writes Taylor's manager/producer, Peter Asher, in this album's liner notes, and the reasons are not hard to find. ![]()
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