One Man Band (James Taylor Album)

One Man Band (James Taylor Album)

One Man Band is a live album by James Taylor, that was released in November 2007, and his first on the Hear Music label. It was recorded over several days at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The songs (chosen for the album) span over five decades. The premise for One Man Band is that instead of having a wide array of instruments, as with most concerts, Taylor is accompanied by only his guitar, while Larry Goldings plays piano. There are some exceptions to this concept, as the pre-recorded Tanglewood Festival Chorus accompanies Taylor on "My Traveling Star" and "Shower the People". Also, a "drum machine" (in this case, a large mechanical device that physically plays drums) made by Taylor and his friend Gordon Fairfield, also features on "Slap Leather" and "Chili Dog". Taylor also introduces many of the songs with humorous stories, accompanied by projected photographs.

The digital discrete 5.1 surround sound mix of One Man Band won a TEC Award for best surround sound recording in 2008.