James Taylor (Live) [LIVE]

James Taylor

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 10, 1993)
• Original Release Date: August 10, 1993
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000027H5
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,413 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #14 in	Music > Pop > Live Albums > Singer-Songwriters
  #17 in	Music > Folk > Live Albums > Folk Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A sweeping, 30-track career retrospective that leaves almost nothing out, Live is a much more filling meal than the two-part Best Live series, each of which contains 12 tracks. Fans will want one or the other of these packages, and will need no further elaboration on their merits. But those who just want a sampler of Taylor's hit songs might want to check this out as well. The best greatest hits package, Classic Songs, is an import, and costs a premium. The domestic Greatest Hits was compiled in 1976, and misses later tracks. It also features rerecorded versions of some of its songs. This is a better value than the import and offers a better selection than the domestic sampler. --Gavin McNett

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All of JT's Greatest Hits LIVE!, September 2, 2000

By	Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I was lucky enough to first see James Taylor live in a small outdoor venue called Avaloch in rural Lenox, Massachusetts in the summer of 1970, after this first album recorded by the Beatles in London had been released and just before the release of the fabulously successful "Sweet Baby James" album by Warner Brothers. He appeared alone on-stage with a full head of long, long hair in a simple denim shirt and cut-up jeans with his four or five acoustic guitars, and for two and a half hours proceeded to absolutely enchant the sprawling lawn-full of hundreds of audience members with a spellbinding performance of all of the work from both of those albums. Although virtually unknown at the time, word of mouth had spread so quickly in the Berkshires area (who still considers him one of their own) that many of us went out to get this album to play before he appeared. The rest, as they say, is history.

This is a fantastic retrospective collection of his greatest hits recorded live, and as one would expect of the amazing Mr. Taylor, it is a terrific summary of that work. Many of my favorites are here, including "Something In The Way She Moves", "Carolina In My Mind", and "Rainy Day Man". Of course, so is "Fire And Rain", "You've Got A Friend", "Steamroller Blues", and a wonderful combination of "Millworker" and "Country Road", which are both among the best songs he has ever written. My all time favorite song from this album is "Sweet Baby James", which is sung about the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts where I grew up, so I have always considered this a special song. His performance on it is a brilliant illustration of just how incredibly talented an interpretive artist Taylor really is. He always pleases with songs like "Copperline", "Mexico", and "Walking Man", and this album is sure to please even the most cautious music fan. It is certainly a terrific showcase for how well Taylor can deliver on a variety of original works and covers of traditional folk songs. Enjoy

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of Old and New, June 11, 2000

By	Steph (Glassboro, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews

This album helped me to learn about newer songs that I had never heard before and fall in love again with the old. I love the way JT performs his songs in concert because of the way he adlibs. No matter what he does to his song, it never detracts, only enhances. "Country Road" is one of my favorites on this album because of the way it is performed. You can't help but to get caught up with the song, no matter what you are in the middle of. You feel that you are at the concert itself! "Sun on the Moon" was a great find to me. YOU MUST add this to your collection of JT albums! He demonstrates why he was selected for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saw the Concert - Got the Album, November 5, 2000

By	Cheryl A. Amantea (Lincoln, RI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We (a married couple) saw James Taylor in Providence (Performing Arts Center) during this concert tour. As he has done for years, James tours with seasoned professional musicians and singers.

The musical arrangements on this album, his voice, the voices of the background singers, the (minimal) audience banter...make for an entertaining - perhaps even joyous - listening experience. We have worn out both cassettes (the double set) and are now purchasing the CDs.

Although the concert was in 93 and we bought the album in 94, we continue to listen to it right up until today. "Walking Man" is a perfect autumn song. "Shower the People" includes phenomenal singing by one of the male back-up singers. The arrangement for "How Sweet It Is" is better than the original Motown version. If you are in the car, you will probably pull the album out of the stack when you're in gridlock just to hear "Traffic Jam."

This album is as close to a live performance as you can get, yet the sound quality on it is superb. "Five stars" is not enough - it deserves ten!