Feel The Moonshine

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This delightful James Taylor concert from 1976, broadcast live in FM stereo from Pennsylvania's legendary Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh, admirably displays the cream of the artist's sublime songwriting abilities in the early-to-mid 1970s, as well as highlighting his skills as one of the most consummate performers around at the time. Sharing the stage with the one-man-band that is David Lindley. The show's big, abounding but largely acoustic sound is superbly reproduced in crystal clear quality on this CD. Featuring a fine selection of self penned numbers - augmented by a solitary cover - all taken from James' first eight albums, this serves as a reminder of how productive Taylor was during this era, delivering an album a year in the first decade of his career. The body of work that he had produced by the early 1970's had already established him as one of the foremost singer-songwriters of his generation. From his eponymous 1968 debut comes the audience favourite 'Carolina In My Mind', while its follow-up Sweet Baby James is represented by four classics; 'Fire and Rain' 'Sweet Baby James', 'Anywhere But Heaven' and the bluesy 'Steamroller'. 1971's Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon is served by two enchanting cuts, 'Riding on a Railroad' and 'Hey Mister, That's Me Up on the Jukebox'. 1972's hugely successful One Man Dog only gets allocated just one number, the penultimate cut 'Dance'. From 1974's Walking Man 'Hello Old Friend' and the title track both get an airing here, while Gorilla, released the following year, has four selections on display: 'Mexico', Marvin Gaye's 'How Sweet It Is','I Was A Fool To Care' and 'Lighthouse'. In The Pocket (1976) had just been released when this live set was broadcast and is highlighted by 'Shower The People', 'Family Man' and 'Everybody Has The Blues'. The remaining brace of compositions featured on this CD, 'Bartender's Blues' and 'Secret O' Life', would subsequently be released on the JT album, released in June 1977.