Otis Taylor
Recapturing The Banjo
Telarc Blues
By George W. Harris

There have been few musicians that have so captured my musical soul that they have actually inspired me to take up their instrument: Django Reinhardt for guitar, Johnny Hodges for alto sax, Jay McShann for piano, and Lester Young for piano. That’s been about it, until I heard this disc by banjoist Otis Taylor. This guy’s put together a disc with roots-styled banjo/mandolin players Keb’ Mo’, Guy Davis and Corey Harris that simply bores into your marrow with depth and grit. This disc, which is a tribute to the black banjo players of pre-depression era music, consists of mostly traditional and folk tunes told through Taylor’s world weary voice and the heartfelt support of Cassie Taylor’s haunting backup vocals and soulful bass. The rotating team of Taylor, Alvin Youngblood, Davis and Mo’ provide stark and harrowing support to these tales of pain, hope, sorrow and joy. Songs you may have heard thousands of times, like “Walk Right In” or “Little Liza Jane” have a rugged authenticity to them that conjures up images of wooden porches, scorching sunlight and parched red clay. Taylor’s treatment of the ubiquitous 60 rocker “Hey Joe” is given a bluesy resonance that makes even Hendrix’s version seem mild and tame in comparison. This is music by a man with a mission, and it better not be missed.