Paris Theatre 1970

CD Details

SUPERB JOINT CONCERT FROM TWO OF LAUREL CANYON S UPCOMING SUPERSTARS Something sweet was going on between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell when they played together at London’s Paris Theatre in 1970. You can hear it in the recordings, taped by the BBC and broadcast as one of John Peel’s Sunday Shows. The pair had been friends and colleagues for a while; born from the same musical scene, the pop-folk revival of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and living and working with the likes of David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Carole King, the Laurel Canyon neighbourhood of Los Angeles was the crucible for their stripped-back sound and personal, sensitive, and confessional lyrics. The songs and albums that made their careers – Taylor s, Sweet Baby James and Mud Slide Slim and Mitchell s Ladies of the Canyon and Blue – suited the mood of the time, reflecting a period of political and social tumult that had redefined American society. But by 1970, other moods had changed; Joni and James were lovers. The concert they performed together at the BBC s Paris Theatre hinted to a great degree that this was the case, although whether their relationship was yet in the public domain is anyone s guess. What isn t in doubt is that the show they performed together on 29th October 1970 was a stunning affair where compositions were shared evenly, and their passions were less than obvious, but certainly not disguised. 1. Introduction By John Peel 0:18 2. That Song About The Midway 5:16 3. The Gallery 4:55 4. Rainy Day Man 2:53 5. Steamroller Blues 4:17 6. The Priest 3:55 7. Carey 4:42 8. Carolina In My Mind 3:32 9. California 4:47 10. For Free 5:21 11. The Circle Game 8:54 12. You Can Close Your Eyes 3:31 13. The Good Samaritan 2:40 14. River 3:43 15. My Old Man 4:08 16. A Case Of You 4:39 17. Dialogue (Origin Of The Dulcimer) 3:38 18. Carey 2:51