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Class Act
James Taylor pays a surprise visit.
By Rob Hochschild
Berklee.edu Editor
December 17, 2003
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Student Becca Loebe performs while James Taylor watches. |
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Photo by Nick Balkin |
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Tuesday, November 6 was, in a lot of ways, a day like any other for student Becca Loebe. She woke up, picked up her guitar, and went to Berklee. Even playing one of her originals, "Over Again," for her teacher and classmates wasn't that out of the ordinary. But when the Atlanta, Georgia, native completed the song, looked out at her audience and saw James Taylor among the listeners, the day was suddenly a bit unusual.
"I lost it," said Loebe. "I hadn't noticed him walk in, but there he was, sitting in the back."
Taylor had been invited to class by his brother Livingston, who has been teaching Stage Performance Techniques at Berklee for more than a decade. A current student of Livingston's, Loebe knew a visit from James was a possibility, but said it was a shock to perform with one of her heroes in the crowd.
"I was just stunned to think that James Taylor, somebody I look up to so much as a singer/songwriter, had just heard me singing a song I had written," Loebe said. "That was a pretty big deal to me."
Loebe's classmates were equally impressed with Taylor. She reports that the group fell quiet when they realized the man who recorded hits like "Fire and Rain" and "You've Got a Friend" was in the room. And they hung on every word as Taylor talked about his career, focusing primarily on songwriting and the music business.
"He has a clear road map of the process of composing in his mind," said Loebe. "He gave a clear description of how his songs come together. Guitar first, coming up with what I would call a groove. Then a cadence of words, like a hook or a chorus that suggests the lyric of the song. And then he flushes out the lyrics and arrangement."
Taylor gave students a sneak preview of some new songs, playing portions of a few tunes he hadn't yet finished He also talked about the sense of responsibility he feels to all the people who depend on his continuing success as a creative artist. "I think he calculated some 150 other livelihoods that are at stake," Loebe said.
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Faculty member Livingston Taylor (right) has brought his brother James (left) to Berklee several times. |
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Photo by Nick Balkin |
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Taylor talked to students for about 30 minutes, as Livingston facilitated the conversation with questions. It was an unexpected surprise for students, and Loebe said it would stand out as a key moment. But Loebe added that Livingston Taylor's Stage Performance Techniques class had been providing meaningful lessons all semester long.
"He's big on connecting with the audience and maximizing every moment you have in front of them," Loebe said. "And he has a good perspective on stage fright. He says, 'When you're focused on yourself and not the audience, that's when you're shaking and nervous and play worse.'"
On the other hand, if you were so focused on the audience that you spotted James Taylor among the spectators, you could be excused for feeling a little nervous. But not Becca Loebe. She's already played for the man.
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