The Best of James Taylor [2003]

Performer: James Taylor (Soft Rock)
Artist: Carole King; Joni Mitchell; David Sanborn; Graham Nash; David Crosby
Engineer: Donn Landee; Frank Filipetti; Malcolm Toft; Harry Maslin; Lee Herschberg; Niko Bolas; Peter Asher; Phil Ramone; Richard Sanford Orshoff; Robert Appere; Val Garay; Barry Sheffield; Bill Lazerus
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: James Taylor (vocals, acoustic guitar); David Crosby, Graham Nash (vocals); Danny Kortchamar (acoustic & electric guitar, congas); Gayle Levant (harp); Michael Brecker, David Sanborn (saxophone); Clarence McDonald (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Carole King (piano); Kenny Ascher (electric piano); Leland Sklar (bass); Bobby West (double bass); Russ Kunkel (drums, congas); Jim Keltner (drums); Joni Mitchell (background vocals). Producers include: Peter Asher, David Spinozza, Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman, Frank Filipetti. Compilation producer: David Melees. Personnel: James Taylor (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Curtis King, Kenia Gould, Zbeto, Elaine Eliaf, Randy Brecker (vocals); Danny Kortchmar (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, congas); John Sheldon (guitar); David Spinozza (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Waddy Wachtel (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore, Red Rhodes (steel guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Byron Berline (fiddle); David Sanborn (saxophone); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Clarence McDonald (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Craig Doerge, Carole King (piano); Kenny Ascher (electric piano); Andrew Gold (harmonium, background vocals); Clifford Carter, Bill Payne (keyboards); Victor Feldman (vibraphone); Bobby West (double bass); Russ Kunkel (drums, congas, shaker, tambourine, percussion); Steve Jordan , Jim Keltner, Rick Marotta (drums); Peter Asher (tambourine); Bobbye Hall (triangle); Airto Moreira, Milt Holland, Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Joni Mitchell, Leah Kunkel (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Frank Filipetti; Harry Maslin; Lee Herschberg; Robert Appere; Val Garay. Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Ted Jensen; Bill Inglot. Liner Note Author: James Taylor . Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Air Studios, Montserrat (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Atlantic Studios-A, New York, NY (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Clover Recorders, Hollywood, CA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Crystal-Sound Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); James' House, Martha's Vineyard, MA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Media Sound, New York, NY (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Q Division, Boston, MA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Right Track Recording, New York, NY (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); The Burbank Studios, Burbank, CA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); The Hit Factory, New York, NY (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, CA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); The Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Trident Studios, London, England (07/??/1968-03/25/1979); Warner Bros. Recording Studios (Amigo), North Hollywood (07/??/1968-03/25/1979). Photographers: Norman Seeff; Jim Shea; Henry Diltz; Aaron Rapoport; Alison Shaw. Translator: J. Maraniss. Arrangers: David Spinozza; James Taylor . When his debut appeared in 1968, James Taylor was the first non-Beatle to release an album on the Fabs' Apple label. Since then, his long, consistent career has been a model of integrity and craft. While he hasn't ventured very far afield as say, his contemporary Joni Mitchell has), Taylor has maintained the gentle, introspective, archetypal singer-songwriter sound he defined over his first couple of albums. Eschewing quantity for quality, he remains a perennial favorite even with infrequent releases of new material. THE BEST OF JAMES TAYLOR is the first collection to combine tracks from his three labels, rounding the set out with the newly recorded "Bittersweet." Though Taylor was among the first to usher in the era of autobiographical singer-songwriters, he also had a number of hits covering others (from Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet it Is" to Carole King's "You've Got a Friend)." The 20 songs here cover the arc of his career, serving to remind that not only do his early recordings remain essential components to the soundtrack of their era, but that Taylor remains one of the smoothest, most agile singers to emerge from the singer/songwriter boom.

James Taylor was the archetype for the gentle, inward-looking singer/songwriter movement of the early '70s. The easy lilt and timbre of Taylor's voice belies the complex emotional content of his songs, which aren't merely carefree folk-based odes, but instead look unflinchingly at a flawed man's journey through life. It's a tribute to his knack for making great pop records that he managed a long, decade-plus string of big hits. Taylor remained relevant long after his impressive run of top 40 hits, recording numerous million-selling records in the '90s & '00s and winning multiple Grammys.

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