James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine -- 1967
, released in the wake of the commercial success of
Sweet Baby James
, contains early recordings of songs
James Taylor
and his partner,
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar
, were playing in Greenwich Village clubs like the
Night Owl
in 1967, and which they would record for
Taylor
's debut solo album in 1968. The songs are good, of course, but this isn't a finished, full-fledged album. It has only seven tracks, and among them are two versions of
"Knocking 'Round The Zoo,"
one with lead vocals by
, and the other by
Kortchmar
, and
"Something's Wrong,"
presented only as an instrumental track. For completists only. ~ William Ruhlmann