James Taylor & Band — North Sea Jazz, 2009

Live capture of James Taylor & Band at the North Sea Jazz Festival, in Ahoy (Rotterdam, Netherlands), on 11 July 2009, during his Down Home tour. The American songwriter surrounds himself with an outstanding ensemble built around legendary drummer Steve Gadd, with Jimmy Johnson on bass, Michael Landau on guitar, Larry Goldings on keys, Luis Conte on percussion and a horn section (Walt Fowler, Lou Marini). The set strings together classics — Something in the Way She Moves, Country Road, Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby James, Shower the People, You’ve Got a Friend — in refined, jazz- and soul-tinged arrangements, lifted by sumptuous backing vocals (Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, David Lasley). A warm filmed live concert in which Taylor’s folk writing meets the groove of one of the world’s finest rhythm sections on a major jazz-festival stage. A full concert ideal for lovers of American songwriting and refined live music. An essential figure of American songwriting since the 1970s, James Taylor benefits here from a polished festival capture worthy of his timeless repertoire. A concert to savour from start to finish.