By E.M. Serensky

On May 30, 2010, Carole King & James Taylor’s Troubadour Reunion tour stopped at the Schottenstein Center at the Ohio State University campus. The Value City Arena was almost sold out.

Carole King and James Taylor

Not only is a troubadour someone that travels around the world, telling stories through song (which King & Taylor have both done since the early 1960s), the Troubadour is a club in Los Angeles which has been around since 1957. Consequently, James Taylor & Carole King played many gigs there with the band that they are currently touring with. The band includes Danny Kortchmar on guitar, Leland Sklar on bass, and Russ Kunkel on drums. The group has added Robbie Kondor on keyboard and harmonica, Arnold McCuller on vocals, Kate Markowitz on vocals, and Andrea Zonn on vocals and violin. Needless to say, it’s a powerhouse group of musicians that rock out and have a blast while doing so.

During the hours of entertainment, you’ll hear a setlist that includes hits like “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman,” “Mexico,” “Sweet Baby James,” “It’s Too Late,” “Up on the Roof,” and of course, “You’ve Got a Friend”. The audience cheered a little louder for some songs, but there were numerous standing ovations and an encore. Each musician had equal amounts of mic time and an equal amount of support and cat calls from the audience.

With both just having birthdays in March, their ages tally up to 130 years of musical greatness. They performed with more gusto, energy, and poise than many artists that are half their age. These two performers are genuine people that love performing with one another. They praise each other’s musical ability and harmonize at immense levels.

Carole King mentioned during the concert that James Taylor was the one that inspired and coached her to start singing and playing her songs (a la Tapestry). Thank the powers that be that he did.

The concert was a once in a lifetime event that I will always compare other concerts to; It’s on a pedestal along with both of the classic singer-songwriters that have given 150%, not only during the Troubadour Reunion tour, but their entire careers.

The duo will appear in Pittsburgh on July 26th and in Cleveland on July 7th. If you’re up for a concert where every song is a hit, where the musicians have as much fun, if not more, than the audience, and where you get your money’s worth, head to www.ticketmaster.com and get your tickets now.

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