When Sweet Baby James skipped Manila

By a fluke of fate, I missed James Taylor’s first ever concert in Southeast Asia in 1995 when my flight to Singapore got delayed.  So no way was I going to miss it this time, even if I had to fly out to Hong Kong to catch the Feb. 23 leg of “James Taylor and His All Star Band In Concert.” The singer had canceled his Feb. 25 Manila tour to publicly protest the summary execution of drug pushers and users in the country.

“I don’t think of my music as being particularly political but sometimes one is called upon to make a political stand,” he said in his social media account on Dec. 20 last year. “But recent reports from the Philippines of summary executions of suspected offenders without trial or judicial process are deeply concerning and unacceptable to anyone who loves the rule of law,” said Taylor who became the first foreign artist to speak up on the country’s drug war.

It’s a personal issue for Taylor, who had been a drug addict for 18 years. In a Nov. 29, 2015 episode of Oprah’s “Master Class,” the singer recalled how his addiction began when a former drummer of his band introduced him to heroin. “As soon as I was introduced to it, I was gone,” he said.

For millennials who may have been too young to know him, here’s a brief on this ’70s icon: James Taylor has sold over 100 million albums throughout his five-decade career and has earned 40 gold, platinum, and multiplatinum awards, multiple Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Music icon

The original JT (sorry, Justin Timberlake) was one of the biggest music icons of my generation, and his song, “You’ve Got A Friend” is a widely played anthem in school reunions and gatherings. His music is uncomplicated and unpretentious. Throughout his expansive career, he never sounded nor claimed to be anyone but himself. Whether he sings about love, life on the road, tragedies, or is simply having fun, the sincerity and earnest feelings clearly come across.

It took Taylor close to two decades to get clean, proof of the redemption denied other drug users in extrajudicial killings. Whether or not you agree with him, his move to cancel his Manila concert should be respected.

But there in Hong Kong and wearing his signature beret, he proved himself as timeless as his songs “Wandering,” and “Secret o’ Life.”  He continued with other classic hits “Everyday” and “Walking Man” before playing “Today, Today, Today,” a new song from his 2015 album “Before This World.”  From the first few notes he strummed out with his guitar, the singer missed not a beat as he eased into his signature storytelling style—melodic, heartfelt and, again, uncomplicated.

Taylor ended the first set with his signature “Sweet Baby James” from his 1970 album, and a moving performance of “Shed a Little Light.” The song’s lyrics say it all: “[A]nd we are bound together in our desire to see the world become a place in which our children can grow free and strong.”

Selfies

As if that first set wasn’t mesmerizing enough, the intermission turned out to be even more so: the singer stayed on stage to sign autographs and take selfies with those lucky enough to get through the crowd. I was not going to be denied. I plunged into the mob, holding my ground, even when it seemed I would never get to him. Before I knew it, I was there right in front of him. A shirt signed! A selfie! I couldn’t believe it. As I barreled my way back to my seat, I knew my James Taylor experience had just reached its peak.

The musical journey continued in the second set, starting with “Something in the Way She Moves,” Taylor’s audition song before Paul McCartney and George Harrison that got him signed on as the first artist of the Beatles-owned Apple Records.

After “Up on the Roof” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” he went into a slew of all-time JT classics: “Shower the People,” “Fire and Rain” and “Steamroller.” At the first few notes people rushed to the foot of the stage, swaying their hands and singing along. Taylor danced too, as he strummed his Olsen, moving with the exuberance of a young man that belies his 68 years.

And then, the climax: The show charged into its frenzied end with “Mexico,” “Your Smiling Face,” “Knock on Wood” and the sweet finale, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).”  The crowd roared for more, and James Taylor, half his shirt soaked in sweat, was only too happy to oblige with one last personal favorite, “You Can Close Your Eyes.”

That song struck a chord.  “You can close your eyes, it’s all right,” he sang, and at that moment, it was.