Jayhawks deliver great harmonies on old favorites, new material

Truth be told, I came to The Jayhawks’ party late. I’d long been a peripheral fan of their pioneering alt-country sound, but wasn’t that familiar with their songs much beyond the band's minor successes like “Blue” and “Waiting for the Sun.”

All that changed a few years back when a friend loaned me a copy of the compilation album “Music from the North Country, The Jayhawks Anthology” and I really had a chance to appreciate the nicely-balanced vocal harmonies of singer/songwriters Gary Louris and Mark Olson. Neither is a terrific singer on his own, but when they come together, the result is magic for the ears. Those harmonies were front and center Saturday night (sometimes augmented by the voice of keyboard player Karen Grotberg) for the band’s excellent show at the Michigan Theater.

As expected, many of the songs were from the new album “Mockingbird Time”; however, the recently reunited band pulled out many tunes from their catalog as well. Newcomers like the catchy “She Walks in So Many Ways,” the uptempo “High Water Blues” and the easygoing “Hide Your Colors” stood strong alongside classics such as “I’d Run Away,” Blue” and “Angelyne.”

Two of the evening’s delights were Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s gospel number “Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in The Air)” and, oddly enough, a cover of Nazareth’s 1976 hit “Love Hurts,” played as part of the encore, which served to really showcase Olson and Louris’ harmonies. The show closed with “Tampa to Tulsa” and “Bad Time.”

It was an easygoing performance, and Olson looked to be having the time of his life, a happy smile often creasing his face. I thought Louris’ mic was a bit echo-y, and every now and again they seemed to lose the thread of the harmony—two minor quibbles in a show that seemed to delight both long-time fans and come-latelys like myself.

I was surprised at how many empty seats there were, and an usher told me only half the house had been sold, which seemed unusual for a show from such an influential band reunited to its original lineup and touring to support a well-received new CD. Maybe folks were at home watching the Tigers instead of catching the 'Hawks. Or maybe the band’s appeal is more limited than I thought.

Nashville singer-songwriter Rayland Baxter, who reminded me of a young James Taylor, opened the show with an engaging set of original songs, and I couldn’t help but think he would be a perfect fit at The Ark.