| CD REVIEW (This review was also published on www.701.com) |
| RESPECT THE DEAD - OTIS TAYLOR |
| It was not until leafing through Mr. Taylor's detailed press release (c/o Northern Blues) that I realized where I had seen this artist's name and face before � at Blues on Bellair in Toronto. It was the cover shot of White African, his follow-up CD to his 1996 release of the provocatively-titled When Negroes Walked the Earth, which had caught my attention. It was no surprise, then, to realize that those dark, brooding eyes had an equally dark and brooding vocal and instrumental style to go with them. Most of the tracks here convey a raw, "desperado" feel, but what makes them other-worldly are the various combinations of acoustic instruments (slide guitar, banjo, piano and harmonica) heavied up with electric bass, Hammond B-3 and Blue Star Music Company's electric "banjocaster" that has created a new genre of music I like to call �progressive blues�. In my own personal research on the roots of blues music, I was surprised to learn from Mr. Taylor himself that the banjo originates from Africa! In fact, the multi-award-winning Mr. Taylor is involved with the Canadian Blues in the Schools project (which has already spread south of the border, particularly in Toledo, Ohio). Its aim is to educate the younger generation to the mother of all music genres, from its very beginnings. Otis puts his money where his mouth is in carrying on the blues torch, with the assistance of his daughter, Cassie, performing very sweet background vocals on this CD. Otis is conducting a workshop and performing for the Blues in the Schools project in Ottawa on April 6-14/02. For more information on this, contact [email protected]. Stylistically, I found a few of the tracks on this CD, especially "I Like You But I Don't Love You", to be similar to that of Ottawa's Paul Fenton, another innovative slide guitarist who likes to incorporate the traditional blues sound with an otherworldly, trance-like repetition of chording and rhythmic patterns designed to give it that "desperado" edge. There are certainly similarities in the theme of Otis Taylor's "Changing Rules" and "Luddite Blues" (Fenton/Cohen), both about not being to adapt to technological advancements in the modern world. Otis has already been compared favourably with John Lee Hooker's style, but vocally-speaking, he reminds me more of Taj Mahal. The songs pretty well stick to themes dealing with the "dark side" of life, which is what the blues naturally originated from, so don't look for any happy songs here. That's not to say you're left feeling depressed, though, as the characters described in song are quite colourful. They are alternately victims ("Ten Million Slaves", "Three Stripes on a Cadillac"), heroes (the Freedom Fighters in "32nd time"), cowards ("Jump Belly Jump"), objects of hopeless desire "Shaker Woman" and her "woof", Androgynous), or a villainess ("Black Witch"). The CD does end on a positive note, however, with "Just Live Your Life", a plea to appreciate the precious time we have been allotted on this earth, with Cassie harmoniously complementing her father's full-bodied vocals, which also resemble those of Long John Baldry at times. The CD's producer and arranger, Kenny Passarelli (Elton John, Joe Walsh), also performs admirably on bass, piano and Hammond B-3 organ, while Eddie Turner impresses on lead guitar on several tracks. Watch for four of Mr. Taylor's songs, which are going to be featured in "The Badge", an upcoming film starring Billy Bob Thornton! |
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