A Guest Review of James Taylor and Carole King @ Verizon June 8, 2010

Jim Schwartz here, cross-pollinating the Weis Man blogosphere.

You see, last Tuesday night, long before we knew the sports significance of the evening, LP and I, and some of our other friends, bought tickets for the JT/Carole King concert at Verizon Center.

OMG -- first of all, I hope I LOOK as good as either of them when I am their age (for the record, that is 62 for Mr. Taylor, and 68[!] for Carole King). Second -- I hope I have their energy tomorrow! They were as fresh after more than 2 1/2 hours as they were when they came flying out of box to start the show.

But most of all -- they are two consumate entertainers, who still both have their full singing and playing chops. Yes, Carole was a little raspy through the encores (yes, that IS plural!), but, as was always the case, that just made her sound even better, and she knew EXACTLY how to use it!

The biggest complaint one could have with such a concert, frankly, is that it ended! Although, honestly, even THAT was professionally handled -- I heard more than a few of the younger folks (30 and 40 somethings) around us losing it after each song drove toward the crescendo and denouement of the second set -- the audience was more emotionally wiped out even more than the consummate pros on the stage were. After the last encore, as much as we all wanted more, we also knew all the cues, knew that it had ended where it should have, and started quietly heading for the exits. So, yes, there was no "Tapestry" on this night (although I think they got to every OTHER track from this seminal album!). No "Wonderful World." I am sure everyone in the capacity crowd had at least one favorite that they hadn't heard -- but when the combined portfolio is as deep and amazing as these two brought to the revolving stage, it is simply IMPOSSIBLE to get everything in!

And the re-union wasn't just of the two lead performers. They were backed, as they always were, by the same trio of incredible musicians -- Danny Korchmar, who introduced them back in 1970 [!], on electric guitar; the incomparable Leland Sklar on bass (with white beard even longer, if that is possible); and, holding down the drum set, Russ Kunkel. Even Arnold McCuller was on hand to lead the background vocalists, which sadly and surprisingly, consisted of NO relatives of either lead!

Even the newcomers added incredible talent and depth, and the roadies moved remarkably smoothly through the challenges of a revolving set that never stopped moving. For that matter, neither did the energy or the music!

It is hard to find highlights without listing EVERY song they did, but a few moments do stand taller. I had forgotten just how beautiful King's ballad "Canaan" is, or how her version of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" is so emotionally powerful; never fully realized how kick-ass either of them could get -- Taylor on "Your Smiling Face" especially, King on several numbers, including "Natural Woman" which, on this night, at least, became the anthem for just how much the world has changed in relation to gender roles and identity in 40 years.

But when they got to the OTHER of the two songs each had recorded separately -- "Up On the Roof," we were all treated to a "compare and contrast" arrangement that truly put the remarkable talents of each in focus. It began with King taking the first verse, in ballad form, on the grand piano, and the two of them combining on the chorus. But, when Taylor took up for verse 2, the keyboard went to the back burner, and Taylor's guitar arrangement brought a rock sensibility and energy from a totally different direction, just as it did when originally recorded on the "Flag" LP. And back and forth it went throughout the song -- the differences highlighting each performer's unique style and virtuosity in a way that neither individual version could have. A magnificent arrangement showcasing them both!

I was prepared to experience a sense of history and nostalgia, with a bit of wistfulness that this might (is likely to?) be the last chance I would have to see these two amazing performers together. What I got instead was an remarkable night of powerful rock and roll and popular music that doesn't have to be modified by references to the performers' ages, or anything else -- they held their own with ANYONE on this night!

All in all, even though it meant I was restricted to watching Strasburg's debut 2 innings on a television screen over dinner at Clyde's (and missed the more spectacular ending), there is no doubt in my mind I had the hotter ticket in DC on this night! And for those of you who saw me dragging on Wednesday -- it was worth getting home after midnight!

The "Top 500" of the Rock Era?

As a native of the Washington DC suburbs, with two vehicles, a teen near driver, and a tween, even with the advances in technology, riding in the car is a musical challenge. On longer trips, it is 2 IPods in the back seat, and the adults listening to CDs or the radio. Around town, the compromise is often news radio.

But, when it is just me in the car, more often than not, it is 100.3 BIG100 -- playing the music that fits the parameters of this blog.

And every year, for the Memorial Day weekend, with the help of a listener survey, BIG100 does their Top 500 list and countdown. And every year there are the predictable results, and the unpredictable -- along with some that are completely inexplicable.

For example:

Every year, the Beatles dominate with often as much as 10% of the list (more counting solo efforts by each of the 4). And those who know me know that I am TOTALLY fine with this! BUT -- Hey Jude at #120??? Are you kidding???

But, at the same time, once again this year, glaringly absent from the top 25 is Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Waters -- one of the truly iconic songs of the era. And, even worse, NOWHERE in the 500 is ANY song by either S&G, or Paul Simon alone! Nowhere! James Taylor is there. The Youngbloods are there. Dave Mason is there. Jonathan Edwards is there! All with worthy songs -- but if those are there, where is S&G? It is clearly neither era nor style of music keeping them out? The same for The Band -- also conspicuously absent!

Among the over-represented -- imho -- are 2 acts as diverse as Led Zepellin and Jimmy Buffet -- again proving that the list doesn't skew towards a particular style of music over another!

Another underrepresnted performer -- Elton John -- who got a little love by placing Goodbye Yellow Brick Road into the coveted (at least in my house!) #13 slot. But his iconic Your Song has GOT to come in higher than #165!

And Nights in White Satin deserves higher than #37, and Piano Man #35 -- especially when Zepellin had THREE of the top 30 (and the Beatles only had 2!)! And what about American Pie at #90??!

Some trends ARE understandable. The Who gets an appropriate share of the love overall, but interestingly, their top 3, all in the top 64, happen to be the 3 themes from the CSI franchise. Don't Stop Believing making the top 25, even barely, has GOT to be influenced, for better or worse, by Glee. And the only reason I can see What I Like About You getting in at all is because of its connection to television as well.

Of course, this is exactly the point of such lists -- to get arguments started!! Okay, so I'll bite.

Even better, I will pose this as a series of poll questions, leading up to naming our own Best of the Era list -- with your help.

To start -- I'll pose this question -- Top 5 Artists of the Era. Sounds easy, but good luck!! Post those replies below.

And get ready, because we will move into a series of "best songs from act x" surveys before going for the big one!

It's STILL Rock and Roll to Me

Welcome to yet another corner of the Empire of the Weis Man of the Blogosphere (tm)! I am indebted to my children for the title of this one, and out of respect to the real friends and incredible musicians they were unintentionally maligning when they first uttered the phrase (which is somewhat longer than my title here!), I shall leave it at that!

Who am I? Your intrepid correspondent - Lawrence Peter Trax. My friends all call me LP -- and if you get the joke, then you truly ARE the target audience for what I envision this blog to become.

And what is that, you might ask? A place for those of us who are no longer in the prime demographic for music companies to talk about OUR music -- that "old time" RnR! Whether it is on a global top of the line scale, or a more local, garage band dads level, or anywhere in between. With summer rolling around, there are plenty of concert opportunities, and plenty to talk about.

And who, you ask, is LP Trax to take this on and pretend to sound like an expert? Well, that is EXACTLY the point. I am an amateur musician myself -- not one of the frustrated ones -- but someone who knows good music when he hears it -- from the seats or the stage. I am someone who has friends who are FARRR more talented than I am, which allows me to be surrounded by really good music. I am someone with 3 working turntables, and over 1100 tunes in my IPod -- so I am retro and almost up to speed technologically.

But most of all, I am the one, back in high school, when Dick Clark was first starting the American Music Awards, who had a friend whose dad did the counting of the votes. So every year, we got our ballots early, and turned it into an intense competition amongst ourselves to see whose taste matched America's most closely. And even though one of the other guys in our circle grew up to work in the music industry (and even helped to sign Matthew Sweet to his first contract!), most years I took home the prize at the end of the night.

As with all parts of the Weis Man Empire -- this blog will work best only when it has some significant following from people willing to share -- their own reviews and opinions, as well as participating in the series of polls I have in mind to kick things off!

So spread the word, and let's get this show started!