.... as written in my journal a few weeks ago...... NJC NJC NJC NJC NJC NJC NJC NJC **** An Old Friend Checks In **** There were no flash pots in Cincinnati's Riverbend Music Center tonight. No four letter words. No inflatable props of two-story-tall body parts. The venerable singer-songwriter James Taylor brought his usual crew of richly gifted professionals. (Some of them: Kate Markowitz, David Lasley, Russ Kunkel, and most significantly, Arnold McCuller. On "VH1: By Request", Arnold absolutely stole the spotlight at the end of "Shower The People". Naturally, James shows no jealousy whatsoever, appearing instead to be proud to present Arnold's singing. He nodded repeatedly, as if to say, "Yeah, this is the moment in the show that belongs to Arnold.") At Riverbend, the house and lawn swayed, swung, and ultimately, rocked like a reunion of old friends. James has always seemed like a friend of the family to me. His songs of sorrow and joy have been a constant companion in my life. If my life has run the gamut from folkie idealism to bitter disappointment, to Motown driven exuberance, then so has his music. He's also about a serious social consciousness but allows us to laugh occasionally at our modern ills. James has always written with an "old soul" and while he could no longer be described as a "String Bean" as he was during the "Flying Machine" years, (1) he appears to be healthy. By skimming into the blues sometimes, splashing in humor at others, or more recently, slipping in a rich vocal interplay, he has collected always for us something new, subtly expansive. Significantly though he has never, ever has forsaken (sorry Colin) his "country gentleman" demeanor. He's a minstrel who knows that a remembered place, even if wholly invented, can allow listeners to unreel their own remembrance into the seams and glimpse, ever so fleetingly, our own experience, fulfillment, and disappointment. He allows us to feel more fully this multi-textured life. I had a great time tonight. Thanks, bud. Lamadoo P.S. (largely unstructured) (1) Source: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/james-taylor/ As I was walking around Riverbend, trying to secure passage at the last possible minute, my recent foul mood lifted as my old friend's words found their way back to me. These are from his "Music": "See my friend. His head's been sinking like a stone. Ya must try thinkin' like a cloud sometimes. Just leave a happy side outside sometimes." In researching for this post, I found an expired link to information on Joni Mitchell. It was: http://www.well.com/user/wallyb/jonihome.html God bless you, Wally Breese. Most of us never met you but you're never far from the discussion. <sniff>
