The singer-songwriter tradition is alive and well, if new releases from James Taylor and Beth Nielsen Chapman are any evidence:
JAMES TAYLOR; "(Live)" (Columbia). * * * 1/2
Gradually over a quarter-century, James Taylor's public image has shifted from that of the prototypically troubled troubador to a favorite baby-boom singer-songwriter. Where "Fire and Rain" gave us a glimpse into the life of a sensitive but storm-tossed soul, the smiling, gentle J.T. of the '80s and '90s - as seen occasionally on TV and in concert and heard on his new "(Live)" album, seems to be pretty much enjoying himself.
His pleasure in the music is infectious. "(Live)" is a most enjoyable and well-recorded tour through Taylor's career. The two-disc set includes 30 songs, making it a nice substitute for a yet-to-materialize boxed-set retrospective.
The playlist skips from the enticing late-'60s favorite "Carolina in My Mind" through "Copperline" from his 1991 studio album and "New Moon Shine," both reminding us of Taylor's gift for reminiscence and observation.
He and his fine band perform almost all of his hits, songs he wrote like "Sweet Baby James," "Mexico" and "Shower the People," as well as laid-back covers like "Handy Man," "How Sweet It Is," "Up on the Roof" and of course "You've Got a Friend," the Carole King tune he took to No. 1. Equally delightful are album tracks like "Traffic Jam," "Steamroller Blues" (a crowd favorite) and "Millworker." "That Lonesome Road," performed a cappella by Taylor and his backup singers, brings down the curtain, so to speak. The song is from his 1981 album "Dad Loves His Work," which, "(Live)" testifies, is still true.
BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN; "You Hold the Key" (Reprise). * * * 1/2
Her songs have been recorded by stars like Alabama, Tanya Tucker, Willie Nelson and Lorrie Morgan and she records much of the time in Nashville, but Beth Nielsen Chapman's albums aren't country. Pop, folk, the blues and, yes, a taste of country flavor "You Hold the Key." Chapman's saying: "Don't pigeonhole me."
Still, we only have words here to describe her appealingly honest songs and pure singing - so let's at least place her in the singer-songwriter tradition that has included Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega and Mary-Chapin Carpenter.
And Chapman deserves to be in such company. Her 1990 album "Beth Nielsen Chapman" was a wonderful creation, full of songs from the affirming to the bittersweet, such as "Life Goes On," "All I Have" and "Years." "You Hold the Key" ventures into new stylistic territory, and the effort pays off.
Songs like "Say It to Me Now" and "The Moment You Were Mine," both with tastefully understated orchestration, hint of country without the slightest twang. "I Don't Know," the title tune and a few others are a perky form of adult pop. "In the Time It Takes" is a bright duet with veteran Paul Carrack (best known for vocals with the bands Ace, Squeeze and Mike + the Mechanics). "Dance With Me Slow" is a breathy ballad of the old school, an answer perhaps to songs like Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me."
"Rage on Rage" has a stark edge and a social message about domestic violence, a la Suzanne Vega. "Dancer to the Drum" is thoughtful folk. "You Say You Will" tries out the blues (it's fun, but she hasn't the grit of Bonnie Raitt). And how to describe "Faithful Heart" . . . a lovely melody you may be hearing at wedding ceremonies sometime soon. Recorded in England, it has a faintly Renaissance cast, with rich atmosphere provided by the Trinity Boys Choir, a harp and a Northumbrian pipe.
Chapman pairs lyrical insight with a pleasing voice. A few big stars may yet dip into this new trove, but there's really no reason to wait for them.