Taylor combines pop, classical in performance with symphony

In 1993, singer, songwriter and devoted arts supporter James Taylor embarked on a new adventure.

After nearly three decades of traveling across the country with his band, performing hits from 18 albums, Taylor wowed audiences by joining forces with symphony orchestras.

And now, after winning another Grammy award for his 1997 album "Hourglass," Taylor has returned to the road for a series of orchestrally backed concerts in a tour that sold out as quickly as its dates were announced.

"Initially I had some concern over the propriety of a pop musician performing in a classical context; like a mule in a horse show," Taylor said in a written statement. "But we were made to feel so welcome and at home the last time around ... and here we go again!"

Taylor will perform three shows with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this weekend, the first at 8 p.m. tomorrow night at Orchestra Hall in Detroit. Saturday and Sunday Taylor continues downtown, and then moves on to Grand Rapids for a show the following Tuesday.

The shows are sure to include arrangements of many Taylor hits, from "Fire and Rain" to "You've got a Friend." Musicians in the DSO were given arrangements of the artist's music composed by Taylor's friend Stanley Silverman weeks ago, according to DSO officials.

Taylor first attempted symphonic arrangements of his music for the first Rain Forest Benefit at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1993.

After the Rainforest benefit, Taylor said that it "gave me my first opportunity to perform with such accompaniment and I loved it."

After a show with John Williams and the Boston Pops later that year, and appearances at successive Rainforest benefits, Taylor and company embarked on a full scale symphony tour in 1995-96.

The DSO joined Taylor for two shows that year.

"We booked this, our second tour of symphony orchestras, after the happy experience of our first tour in 1996," Taylor said in a written statement.

On tour, Taylor brings with him not only a bassist, piano player and percussionist, but also conductor Arthur Post, resident conductor of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach.

Post, along with three other conductors that will travel with the tour at different times, was hand selected by Taylor because in him Taylor saw the youth and talent needed in music.

Taylor's move to classical music, which he admits came late in life, has given him great enjoyment.

"That the world of classical music has seemed somewhat remote and inaccessible to me and other popular musicians is, I think, a shame," Taylor said.

Taylor's tour spans the country, stopping in 16 cities from Chicago to Los Angeles. The shows at Madison Square Garden last month drew huge crowds and various guest performers.

Taylor speaks highly of orchestras, imploring Americans to take advantage of these sometimes overlooked resources.

"Although my own introduction to this community has happened at a late date and quite haphazardly, the people I have met, their discipline and dedication to a profound and resonant artistic tradition, have changed utterly the way I hear music and have opened a door for me," Taylor said.

10-20-99