Recommendations of the Editorial team
The 100 best musicians of all time: James Taylor – Essay from Art Garfunkel
Before a show, I always sing myself in the changing room with James Taylor Warm: “Handy Man”, “Sarah Maria”, “Song for You Far Away”, “Sweet Baby James”, “Copperline”.
When I sing with James in unison, my veneration grows even more for him: my heart and my head are sucked into the cool intelligence of the song and the purity of his singing. The security with which he hits the grades is as god -as the determination of an honest businessman – and this quality has always been the decisive criterion for me as a singer.
In the depth of the feeling of his lecture, a love for all living shimmers. If the vibrations of the vocal cords are something like surfing on the vibrations of the heart, James would be my dearest wave rider – half in the air, heroic in the spray.
The musical sensitivity to each other was as tangible as the mutual respect
It was no coincidence that the Beatles was the first to sign him on their Apple label. I know the folk music that he must have heard in his youth, I had the joy of being able to work with him several times, I also remember the three-way arrangement with Paul Simon on “(what a) Wonderful World”: It was 1977, and we met in Paul’s apartment (where else?).
Two extraordinary artists gave me their voice (and played guitar) for my album “Watermark”. I still remember how playful ease of our harmonies interlocked: the musical sensitivity to each other was as tangible as the mutual respect.
James is just too good. Its precision in dealing with “The Note” is simple, flawless musicality. You can call it sophistication or the habit of an intelligent life. You can only hear the very own distinction in “Shed a little light”, James’ tribute song to Martin Luther King. Some people may have problems with perfection and knowledge of perfection, but I think “perfect” is the word that best describes it.
I hope that he will read my little laudation and understand why his existence means so much for us colleagues. And I hope he will grin from one ear to the other and say: “That’s why i’m here.”