Maybe you haven't listened to James Taylor's music in a good, long while. Maybe you should go back to it. This two-disc set makes the perfect re-introduction to the mastery of one of America's best singer-songwriters. It's also a terrific companion for a long road trip or even for a twice-daily commute. The clear and steady voice you hear easing from the speakers will smooth out any bumps you meet along the way.

I came to this set just this past summer. I wanted to use a recording of Taylor's "Walking Man" for a project. I thought I had his Greatest Hits CD around here somewhere -- his very own White Album -- and when I couldn't find it, I searched my local library system for a copy of it, or for something better. James Taylor (Live) is what I happened to land on. It was perfect for my purposes, because "Walking Man" is the first song on the second disc. I could just pop it in and push PLAY. Success! But before I returned the double case to the library, I thought I should at least listen to the rest of the music. After all, I like James Taylor, and I hadn't heard his songs in a good, long while. So I let the rest of the second disc play, then went back to the first one. Then I played the second one again. I listened, and I was blown away by the experience. I knew that I had to buy a copy of this set for myself.

These 30 songs were recorded during a Taylor tour in the early 1990s. The producers took the best performances from 14 shows and put them on these two CDs. The result is your very own private concert of the best of James Taylor. Here you'll hear both old favorites and "new" tunes. Even the familiar ones include wonderful nuances that the original recordings didn't have. Maybe you'll like them, maybe you won't. If you're a purist and merely want songs to be exactly as recorded, well, you may be jostled out of your comfort zone a few times. And delightfully so. If not, go back to the old originals. They're all still available.

Taylor begins his performance almost predictably with "Sweet Baby James." This song was on and was the title of his second album, the one that launched his rise to stardom. Although James insists that he first wrote the song as a lullaby for his namesake nephew, the nickname is often applied to him as well. Appropriately so.

After such a nice and measured opening, the group promptly explodes into the toe-tapping and finger-snapping "Traffic Jam." "How I hate to be late!" It'll take you a couple of run-throughs to get all the words out fast enough, if you want to keep up with it. What fun! Especially if you're in your car and are actually sitting in traffic. "Damn, this traffic j-a-a-a-a-a-a-m."

From then on, the selections come in a deliberate order, with some song endings blending seamlessly into the beginnings of others. Or, James and the gang will shake things up with sudden changes in pace and sound. It makes for merry listening.

The favorites you'll hear are: "Handy Man," "Your Smiling Face," "Mexico," "Country Road," "Fire & Rain," "Shower the People," "How Sweet It Is," "Walking Man," "Something in the Way She Moves," "Up on the Roof," "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," "Carolina in My Mind" and "You've Got a Friend."

If you know only Taylor's hits and never had a chance to dive deeper into his catalogue, then you may hear some songs for the very first time here. These tunes include "Secret O'Life," "Shed a Little Light," "Everybody Has the Blues," "New Hymn," "Riding on a Railroad," "Sun on the Moon," "Copperline," "Slap Leather," "Only One," "You Make It Easy," "I Will Follow" and "That Lonesome Road."

I already have favorites among the favorites on this album. After they've given us a flavor of both the familiar and the not-so, the band bounds into "Steamroller Blues." OMG. What is it about slow blues progressions that make us want to slink down dirty alleyways or seductively stroll down supermarket aisles? This version is even bluesier than the one on the Greatest Hits album. It's worth playing over and over again. And again.

In the second half of the show, Taylor offers an unexpected cover of the George Jones ballad, "She Thinks I Still Care." This is when you realize that the two men have similar vocal ranges. Who knew? You can almost hear a little of George's wail in James's croons.

I was most surprised and interested in "Millworker." Taylor wrote this song for the Stephen Schwartz musical, Working, which in turn was based on the book by Studs Terkel. The lyrics aptly tell the story of a woman who feels trapped by working in the fabric mills of Lowell, Massachusetts. (For something even more different and interesting, watch Bruce Springsteen's performance of "Millworker" for a 2006 tribute to Taylor. He turns it into an even grittier tale.)

Be sure to listen to the lyrics of these songs, because you have to appreciate some of Taylor's rhymes. Companion and canyon. Boston and frostin'. Coffin and often. Doin' and ruin. Good stuff! No rain in Spain lying mainly on the plain, here. And what does James Taylor write about? Friendship and love. Loss, but good memories. Human stuff. What we've lived though. What we're doing now. What we could make better.

Sometimes hearing just a few opening guitar notes -- like from "Fire & Rain," or "You've Got a Friend" -- brings quick goosebumps to the arms, tears to the eyes, or sudden 1970s flashbacks. Music is a powerful trigger for remembering the past. Those of us who lived through the '70s have scenes and people attached to these melodies. When such vocal harmonies are paired with an organ-like accompaniment, it almost feels as though we're sitting in a church pew, singing along with the progression of hymns. The liturgy as led by St. James.

Taylor's bandmates on this tour were Clifford Carter on keyboards, Don Grolnick on piano, Jimmy Johnson on bass, Michael Landau on guitar and Carlos Vega on drums, with additional vocals provided by David Lasley, Valerie Carter, Kate Markowitz and Arnold McCuller. While they all do a stellar job, McCuller's soulful solos evoke extra-special emotion on "Shower the People" and "I Will Follow."

Sometimes we have to wonder what everyone was doing on stage, based on the audience's reactions. We have to use our imaginations. Nevertheless, they give us lots of opportunities for audience participation. Sing, clap, harmonize, dance. In your driver's seat, when you have to.

Listening to (Live) is highly recommended, especially if these are the songs of your youth. Or choose it when you're having an average day, and you need a pick-me-up. Pick up these CDs and slide them into the nearest player. This music will bring a smile to your face. Just push PLAY, and let the sound take you wherever it leads. Don't look at the song list to see what's ahead. Pretend you're at the concert, singing along with James and his crew, letting each moment be a surprise. You already know a lot of the words, and you can learn the rest over time.

And if you see me bouncing down the highway someday, feel free to pass my car. Glance over, and you'll no doubt see me trying to keep up with James Taylor and his friends on "Traffic Jam." "Hurts my motor to go so slow. Time I get home, my supper'll be cold. Damn, this traffic j-a-a-a-a-a-a-m."

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