KAILUA-KONA — Livingston Taylor knows a thing or two about the magic of music.
With a career that spans 51 years, he has created 20 albums and has worked with some of the most high-profile musicians of his generation. Despite his experience, he never gets tired of two things — performing and visiting Hawaii.
“I absolutely love playing, I love touring and I cannot wait to get back to the Big Island of Hawaii,” Taylor said. “I have been five or six times in my career, and it’s just one of the magical places on earth.”
Taylor lands on the Big Island this weekend for two shows, the first at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Palace Theater in Hilo followed by a performance at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Hapuna Beach Resort in Kohala. Taylor, a professor at Berklee College of Music who is proficient at both piano and guitar, said he welcomes making the long trip from Boston to Hawaii in order to experience the “magic” of the islands.
Taylor’s resume of top 40 hits include the songs “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running.” In his career, he has performed with artists such as Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett and Jethro Tull. He is also a part of a music-rich family; his brother is James Taylor, and his former sister-in-law is Carly Simon.
Taylor listed the songs “Call Me Carolina,” “Walk Until It’s Heaven,” “I Belong” and “Step By Step” as his personal favorites from his discography.
“I love making music, writing songs and singing them, and having these various visions,” Taylor said. “But the thing that energizes me the most is the idea that I would get to be with and spend time with my beautiful audience.”
As far as the set list for his performances on the Big Island, Taylor said he doesn’t line up anything before the show. He creates his set list on the spot depending on the atmosphere at the venues.
“I will get there, I will open up that palette of colors and I will see what’s there,” Taylor said. “I will see what is around me, how people are feeling, how I’m feeling, what the moment is and what the time is, and we will paint right there on stage.”
Taylor said in his free time on the Big Island, he will be taking a helicopter tour of the island’s volcanoes, which he said will be a dream come true for him. However, he said he’s most looking forward to just seeing his audience and performing.
“Hawaii is unique because it’s distance from everywhere and that gives it its own magic,” Taylor said. “And you just step off that plane in Kona or Hilo, and all of a sudden it has this familiarity of being part of the U.S., but it is its own incarnation. It’s a pretty magical place.”
Info: Tickets for Livingston Taylor’s two performances on the Big Island are $45 for general admission and $65 for Gold Circle seating. In addition to Sunday’s show, a stage performance workshop will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Hapuna Beach Resort for $75. Tickets can be purchased at bluesbearhawaii.com or by calling 896-4845.