By Dan Rozman
Photos by Dan Rozman
There’s something about James Taylor that just feels right. Maybe it’s that voice that sounds warm and familiar, or the way he can make 7000 people feel like they’re sitting in his living room. Whatever it is, he brought it all to Wolf Trap for three shows on Thursday, August 21, Saturday, August 23, and Sunday, August 24. This Sunday night crowd loved every minute.
The demand for these shows was incredible. All three nights at Wolf Trap sold out, which tells you everything you need to know about Taylor’s enduring appeal. There’s clearly still a huge appetite for this kind of authentic, storytelling music, and Taylor delivered exactly what people came to see.
His show started the way you’d want a James Taylor concert to start, with a bunch of road songs that made you want to roll the windows down and drive somewhere beautiful. “Wandering,” “Road Runner,” and “Walking Man” set the tone for what felt like a musical road trip, complete with the kind of stories that make Taylor’s concerts feel more like visiting with an old friend than watching a performance.
Wolf Trap is perfect for this kind of show. The outdoor amphitheater sits in the middle of a national park in Vienna, so you get to listen to great music while sitting under the stars. The covered pavilion keeps you comfortable, and the big lawn stretches back for people who want to spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic during the show.
Taylor’s band was impressive, and calling them “All-Star” isn’t just marketing speak. Steve Gadd on drums is one of those musicians that other musicians like to listen to, and watching him work was almost as entertaining as listening to Taylor sing. The way he can make a simple beat feel both effortless and perfectly timed is something you have to see to believe. Larry Goldings on piano has this way of making everything sound effortless, filling every corner of Wolf Trap with those warm keys that seem to wrap around Taylor’s voice like a comfortable sweater.
When the backup singers Kate Markowitz, Dorian Holley, and Taylor’s son Henry joined in for the harmonies, it was the kind of sound that makes you happy. But the vocal magic didn’t stop there. Andrea Zonn, who also shone on fiddle throughout the night, brought another layer to those rich harmonies. And Kim Taylor, James’s wife, added her voice to the mix in a way that felt both professional and deeply personal – there’s something special about hearing a couple blend their voices after all these years.
Michael Landau’s guitar work deserves special mention. While Taylor handled most of the acoustic duties, Landau’s electric guitar added color and bite exactly when the songs needed it. He’s the kind of player who knows when to step forward and when to stay in the background, and Sunday night, he got that balance just right. Jimmy Johnson anchored everything with bass lines that you felt as much as heard, the kind of foundation that lets everyone else take chances because they know the bottom end is rock solid.
The percussion section was a thing of beauty. Luis Conte brought nuanced touches that most people probably didn’t even consciously notice, but those little details are what separate a good band from a great one. And the horns – Lou Marini (who Blues Brothers fans know as “Blue Lou”) and Max Darché – added bursts of energy that brightened the arrangements without ever overwhelming Taylor’s more intimate style. When they kicked in during “How Sweet It Is,” you could feel the whole amphitheater lift.
The stories between songs are half the fun of a James Taylor show. He told the whole tale behind “Carolina in My Mind,” about being homesick in London when he was the first non-Beatle signed to Apple Records. “I was a huge Beatles fan. Just died in the wool,” he said. “But I also was terribly homesick for my home in North Carolina. I had never been away for that long a period of time.”
Then there was “The Frozen Man,” which came from him flipping through National Geographic. “Actually, I didn’t read the article. I just looked at the pictures,” Taylor admitted, getting a laugh. The song is about some British explorers who had the bright idea to find a sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific by going over Alaska and Canada in the 1800s. “Which even today is a terrible idea,” Taylor noted. “And of course, they all perished. Cheerful song.”
The Carole King tribute was a highlight. Before launching into “Up on the Roof,” Taylor, a long-time political activist, made a joke about America not having kings. “I know no kings,” he said. “Just make this one exception. Carole, No King’s, King.” The crowd loved it, and honestly, who doesn’t appreciate topical humor from a 77-year-old legend?
“You’ve Got a Friend” turned into one of those moments where the whole place was singing along. There’s something about that song at an outdoor venue that just works. Maybe it’s the message, maybe it’s the melody, but when thousands of people are singing “You just call out my name” together under the Virginia sky, it feels special.
The opening act, Tiny Habits, held its own. This young trio from Boston brought tight harmonies and solid songwriting that felt right at home with Taylor’s style. They played original songs and talked and sang about being introverted. When they joined him for the final song, “You Can Close Your Eyes,” it was a nice touch that showed Taylor’s still interested in supporting the next generation.
The encore was pure fun. Taylor broke out an electric guitar for “Steamroller,” moving around the stage with more energy than you’d expect. Lou Marini’s saxophone work on “How Sweet It Is” had people dancing in the aisles, which is always a good sign at a concert.
Taylor has been doing this for more than 50 years, and he could probably phone it in if he wanted to. Instead, he’s out here telling stories, making jokes, and still sounding great. Of course, his voice has changed over the decades, but it’s aged well. There’s even more character in it now, more depth.
The whole night felt like a reminder of why some songs stick around. “Fire and Rain,” “Sweet Baby James,” and “Shower the People” aren’t just hits; they’re part of the soundtrack to a lot of people’s lives. Hearing them live at Wolf Trap, with that band, in that setting, was about as good as it gets.
As Taylor said during the show, “the difference we make in the world comes through the people we encounter every day.” That night, he encountered seven thousand people in Vienna and sent them all home happy. Not a bad night’s work.
