No, this is not Classic James Taylor
341693
The first time I listened I was bored. So, I tried again the next day, thinking it must have been my mood. I was bored again.
Spend your money on some other music. JT has not put much effort into this album. It saddens me.
3697800
A disaster of a record, "Coltrane Time" by John Coltrane is actually a reissue of an album called "Hard Driving Jazz" by Cecil Taylor.  Apparently, someone thought it was a good idea to get some more diverse New York City musicians to play with Taylor, and so he is joined on this session by trumpeter Kenny Dorham, John Coltrane (at this point only on tenor), bassist Chuck Isreals, and drummer Louis Hayes.

It seems as if there was a concrete effort on the part of the majority of the musicians and the producer to ignore Taylor's concepts.  Taylor is mixed down way below the rest of the musicians and is difficult to hear when a horn (or two plays)-- Isreals and Hayes stick to standard bop rhythm figures throughout the record, and Dorham is decidingly restrained-- as though challenging the music to be less like Taylor and more like the bop he wanted to play.  Only Coltrane makes any effort at reaching towards Taylor, but seems largely unable to figure out how to fit himself into this.  For his part, Taylor is notably restrained himself (although he does play somewhat ferociously when he solos on the mid-tempo plodder "Shifting Down"), likely in response to the music.

In summary, this is truthfully close to unlistenable-- if you come at it as a Taylor fan, you'll be disappointed by the lack of fire in the musicians and the unsympathetic support, if you approach it as a Coltrane fan, you're likely to find little to mark his evolution.  If by some chance you come at it as a Kenny Dorham (or bop in general) fan, you'll find this to be a frustration as Taylor sounds positively manic in trying to find his place.  For collectors/completionists only.
400252
During the time he was still with us, the rock'n'roll crowd sneered that he didn't have the proper rock "attitude". The folkies felt he was too philosophical and didn't stick to the standard ballad form enough. Fortunately the bona fide folk purists weren't listening anymore because original material had been "in" for folksingers for years, or we'd have heard "where's Jimmy Crack Corn?" ad nauseam. The audience who listened to Carole King and Carly Simon wanted to hear love ballads and Harry wasn't enough of a Neil Diamond clone for their tastes. The Singer/ Songwriter fans complained that his lyrics were too prosaic, too matter-of-fact. But Harry overcame the "sophomore jinx" by giving us more "pay attention, Jack" material than on his "Heads & Tales" debut. From the start, we got some very listenable material. "Sunday Morning Sunshine" is a joyful your-love-gives-my-life-meaning song. Then the album abruptly shifts to the raging epic title song, the tale of Charles Whitman of Texas Tower fame. Given the times this song was written during, Chapin can be forgiven his attempt to understand this monster who didn't realize that the universe underwrites no insurance against hurt feelings to any of us--instead Whitman threw the most fearsome temper tantrum a human being can throw: mass murder. Listen to the lyrics--every slight mentioned has happened to all of us, but the difference is that the rest of us do like the old saying: "get a life". Then the album moves to a song of a lonely musician who finds love in the arms of an abandoned single mom whose "Baby Never Cries". Then to "Burning Herself", the helpless thoughts of a man in love with a woman who's into self-mutilation and he can't think of a thing he can do to help her, and as such he's letting her down. "Better Place To Be" is the tale of a lonely waitress who meets an equally lonely customer in the line of duty. The sequence of "Sunday Morning Sunshine" and "And the Baby Never Cries" bracketing the shock-and-awe "Sniper" isn't a recent development of later editions--I still have the LP of it, which I grabbed when it was first released over 20 years ago. This album is basically Harry saying "bull" to those who called him a wimp and a poor songwriter on strength of his freshman effort. Not to mention those who couldn't fit him into a convenient pigeonhole so decided to sneer at him instead--the sneer being the defalt facial expression of 20th century Americal, a syndrome our society is still sick unto death from. To call him "progressive folk" along with brilliant Texan Shawn Phillips is the closest one can come under mass-market music rules. That's if those really apply. Which they don't--this is Harry Chapin Music you're buying here. That's the name of the category.
2846408
I'm a long time James Taylor fan.  I listened to his early music on AM radio in the late 60's and 70's.  I just liked what I heard, nothing spectacular in that.  He was a good young talent, writing and singing his own work and to a lesser degree, some songs by others.  I was in Germany for a couple of years+ and he was around then, doing his thing in studios and in some smaller venues in Europe like so many others trying to make a go of it with Apple records and singing as he does, a different mode than what was being done by others like the Beatles, Rod Stewart and Elton John, to name just a few.  He was one of many out there to choose from.  Well after so many years, even past when this offering came out in the Mid-nineties. This albumn, we call them albumns then,  has some well written and intriguing songs from his travels and experiences. Boatman, Ananas, Up Er Mei and the wonderful song about island visiting,  Jump Up Behind Me, are all surely from his visiting and learning a language. Family experiences of loosing a close relative, with Enough To Be On Your Way and Religion in his song, Up From Your Life, is an appeal to those of us who don't have faith.  Gaia is of our earth and love is not left out, of course, with Little More Time With You, Ananas and the remake of another song, Walking My Baby Back Home.  Only the bonus track, Hangnail is light and dismissive.  Wonderful and great listening to those of us still around after all these years.  I listen to it way more often than so many other albumns I have.  Still love it just as much.
4880277
As many other reviewers have said, this is an exceptional James Taylor album.  Not only do you hear the music with fantastic clarity, you also hear his introduction to each of the songs.  Well worth adding to your James Taylor collection or as your first purchase of the music of this great musician.  Recommended to those who know and like James Taylor and to anyone who likes music that can be thought of as soft rock, folk, easy listening or pop country.
123518
This is not the Ozrics. It's the guitarist and his family.  It's unfortunately a far cry from the real band although this album does borrow numerous old riffs played with less talent that will be immediately recognized by fans of the old real band.  I sure miss Rad and Zia.
4797537
Hello
This is not what i expected. Not Now John is a clasic. The rest of the tracks are just OK.
3203915
Simpson shows amazing versatility - he is a rocker, a jazz man, a blues brother, a folkie and a country musician all-in-one.

He sounds at times like a cross between Merle Haggard and John Prine and even at his worst, he mimics James Taylor's

best impression of a blues singer! I don't always understand his vocals but I do understand that I am hearing something quite

unique and very entertaining.
1775877
I'm not sure what all the hubbub is about... If you're a fan of My Morning Jacket and Jim James, there's no reason why you won't be able to enjoy this. Really people; it's not like they turned to disco or something. Jeez...
3091965
These are amazing musicians.  This is solid music, but I feel like I've heard it before.  They completely changed their music and style on this album. And that is their prerogative as the creators of music (which I am not).  I'm not going to bash it, but it's also my prerogative not to listen to it.  This album, this sound is not why I got into Mumford & Sons.
4139711
Simply judging from the high number of 1, 2 & 3 stars(60%),
you could tell this aint his best.
It's more of guest starring Joe Satriani; an experiment in sound, techno synth, & electric keyboards.  Not the same old shred guitar rock album.
He has a right to be different, experiment, and grow as an artist, but not to ask his fans to pay hard earned $ for his delusions.
94224
Um, this is NOT the Ray I was expecting... It's different, not what I wanted, but I get it if someone else may like this type of music.
718482
I really like this outing by JT.  I like his compositions so much though, that this is a 4 because it's all about his voice.
Not as much the guitar and sweet baby james poetry.
1361382
THIS IS NOT BY DAVID GILMOUR OF PINK FLOYD, IT IS BY JAZZ GUITARIST DAVID GILMORE (NOTE THE SPELLING!!!).

So really, Amazon should take our advice and take a good job of making these two musician distinct on their search engine.

But so what? is it a good reason to punish him with just one star?

So here comes jdmusicLover at the rescue of the poor to put some balance. (I would have given just for stars otherwise, because I don't like every song on this CD)

In fact I came on this album by searching about Rick Wright...

I'm a pink floyd fan, but I've also seen David Gilmore (the here jazz guitarist) on stage at a Trilok Gurtu concert and found he is certainly an extraordinary musician.

By listening to the samples, number 8 Wanderer is my prefered...

A very original album, with much feeling and swing.

Don't know if I'm going to buy this CD... I might... because apart of Pink Floyd I'm also into prog rock, classical influences, and modern jazz.

But certainly not an ideal album for the average Pink Floyd fan.
1374077
The good news is James does not try to sound like his father. The bad news is he really has a nondescript voice and his songs are generally weak across the board. The best song on the CD is his remake of the Neil Young song "Old Man". Everything else just kind of runs together as a collection of mediocre melodies. There's not one song where you say "yep, that's a keeper". It'll be interesting to see what happens. In my opinion, if this were anyone else, meaning if he didn't have the last name McCartney, this EP would not be out because the material is mediocre at best. ~ BnB Beatles Depot
851077
Jonny's conversion is fine and I hope he is happy, but this album was not good if you are expecting the blues guitar work of his early albums.  If you want christan rock maybe this could be for you, but he missed the mark with me big time.
4225843
I bought this cd from Amazon.com,the only place to get your
products on time!! As of everyone else on this review,I was
a little sceptical,listening to his father(James) for some 20 years. Its a very "progressive" cd, but after about 4or 5 listenings,I really liked his concepts. You can hear both
James and carly Simon,doing harmonies. This CD kinda reminded
of listening to James's early album "James Taylors Original
Flying Machine"(recorded in 1962)and the "apple" cd of James
(recorded in 1967). I feel Ben was really trying to"make
a statement and he did very well. The werid tune is "tonight"
that is an instrumental, that you don't know where he is going.
He had done a Beatle tune about 3 years ago, Ihad wished
he had put this in. You will reconize one tune "right off the bat" Good luck Ben.