James Taylor: right guy, right time

Of all the stars in pop music, probably none could be more comforting right now than James Taylor. He's always sung about overcoming adversity, about finding purpose and meaning in life in the darkest times and about sharing love, individually and universally.

So his concert Sunday at KeyArena seemed altogether fitting, even while others were being canceled out of respect for the victims of the terrorist bombings.

Taylor's audience was looking for some solace, some relief from all the terrible news, and he gave it to them. He showered the people with love, and they responded accordingly.

After opening the concert with Buddy Holly's hopeful "Everyday," the lanky Taylor, in faded blue jeans and matching shirt, smiled his lopsided, Jimmy Stewart grin and stammered, "I know it's kind of hard times, and we really wanted to have a little bit of fun." The audience's applause let him know they were with him. His next song seemed to answer them back: "That's Why I'm Here."

Taylor, 53, was accompanied by an excellent 11-piece band, including four backup singers who first showed their stuff harmonizing with him on "Only One."

The concert was divided into two hourlong sets. The first featured newer songs, including two from an album to be released next year. "Fourth of July" fit the mood perfectly. A warm love song featuring a fine, jazzy vocal from Taylor, the crowd cheered the lines "love must stand" and "freedom, oh, freedom."

"Raised Up Family" was fun and a little silly — it worked in the theme music to "Gilligan's Island" — dealing with a young man wanting to grow up and get away from his parents.

The Drifters' "Up On the Roof" was accompanied by twinkling stars. "Shower the People" featured a spirit-filled vocal by backup singer Arnold McCuller, which earned him a standing ovation. The set closed with a funky "Steamroller Blues."

The second set featured more of Taylor's classics, starting with the earliest, "Carolina In My Mind," from 1968, followed by "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," highlighted by a solo from Lou Marini, the diminutive saxman from "The Blues Brothers" movie. "Fire and Rain" was the concert's emotional centerpiece, as he sang of "sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground." It featured drummer Russ Kunkel, who played on the original recording. He also was on the original of the song that followed, "You've Got A Friend," which stirred the crowd.

A sprightly "Your Smiling Face" and easy-swinging "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" closed the set.

The first encore included "Traffic Jam" and "Not Fade Away," also from Holly.

With the crowd on its feet demanding more, Taylor returned for the sweet lullaby, "You Can Close Your Eyes." Alone on stage, with just his guitar, he said, "Take care of one another," then closed with the lilting "Sweet Baby James."

Patrick MacDonald can be reached at pmacdonald@seattletimes.com or 206-464-2312.