Electric blues guitarist Melvin Taylor has been sporadically recording solo albums for some twenty-five years now. Even though he's been a hit in Europe for some time now, a steady run of performing in Chicago’s famed blues clubs is slowly earning him a well-deserved reputation as an equal talent among the giants before him, such as Otis Rush, Albert King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
While early records like "Melvin Taylor Plays the Blues For You" show off an equally amazing jazz side, Taylor traded away his Montgomery runs for more Luther Allison/Jimi Hendrix attacks with the formation of the trio Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band in the mid ‘90’s. The song of the second album by that outfit, "Dirty Pool", is actually more the balls-to-the-wall no-compromise hard rockin’ electric Texas blues of Vaughan and Johnny Winter than the sweet Chicago soul of Buddy Guy.
Indeed, three tracks on this 1997 release, including the title song, were SRV’s tunes. Other standards, like "Kansas City" and "Floodin’ in California" also have more of a Lone Star State approach to them.
But Melvin’s guitar is cleaner than his forebearers and technically, he even surpasses them. Yet the anger and sorrow of the blues is readily evident in his playing. This rare combination of qualities really comes out in a slow blues tune like his solo in "Dirty Pool", which after repeated listens, still makes me shake my head in disbelief when I hear it.
"Too Sorry" is a good example of how well Taylor fares when he treads in Jimi Hendrix territory, whereas his rhythm work is the best I’ve heard from a lead guitarist since SRV; listen to "I Ain’t Superstitious", "Born Under A Bad Sign" and the funky "Telephone Song" for your proof.
It also helps that Taylor’s drummer James Knowles is well in synch with him while Ethan Farmer completely owns the low end of the sound. Farmer’s peppering bass lines in and "Floodin’ in California" is the textbook way electric blues bass should be, IMO. Overall, a tight little band.
Taylor’s vocals certainly won’t draw any comparisons to the Wide-Brimmed–Hatted One but he holds his own just fine until it’s cuttin’ time. This is right at the top of my list of best blues guitar playing on record in the last ten years. If you decide to give this one a listen, prepare to get blown away.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Nice review Pico. I'll have to check this out.
-Glen