POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Taylor Sticks to What He Knows

Once he was the Walking Man. Now you might peg James Taylor by one of the more recent song titles that appeared on his set list Saturday at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre: “The Frozen Man.”

Not frozen in bearing: In his low-key way, the smiling, ever-gracious Taylor had no problem establishing a warm connection with his fans. And certainly not frozen out of the marketplace: At 46, this epitome of the early-’70s introspective singer-songwriter movement remains a hot concert draw. The 15,000-capacity house was virtually packed.

What’s frozen, and has been since early in his career, is Taylor’s artistic development. Ideally, a performer’s path can take new directions even as he or she moves through middle age. Taylor doesn’t seem interested in any such shifts.

His fans evidently don’t mind. Taylor’s voice remains as pleasing as ever, with its gentle, reedy appeal and comfortable, hangdog quality. He played most of the old favorites, and usually rendered them much as he originally recorded them. His backing band was a nine-piece ensemble with the skills to bring recording studio precision to the concert stage.

Taylor performs Tue., Wed., Fri., Sat. and Sun. at the Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 8:15 p.m. $24.50 - $40, (818) 980-9421.