| Otis Taylor – Clovis People, Vol. 3 by Bob Gottlieb |
| This Colorado Bluesman is a mold maker of a hypnotic and pulsating style of blues that could be called “trance blues,” but might better be called dream reverie blues. He believes that the listener is as much a part of the music as the musician, and that his music can be ‘interpreted’ as the listener wishes; in other words it is the starting point of an experience. The music is both haunting and euphoric, primitive and futuristic at the same time, often within the same song. The only thing one should ever expect from this bluesman is the unexpected; for instance on this disc’s title, Clovis People, Vol. 3, there are no volumes 1 or 2. He at times plays blues banjo, uses jazz, rock, African and gospel musicians to express his music. He is both an image-breaker and innovator, that is going to use the history of the form to propel and develop it to new heights. On this disc he has jazz trumpeter Ron Miles, Fara Tolno on djembe, pedal steel guitarist Chuck Campbell (The Campbell Brothers Sacred Steel Band), guitar slinger Gary Moore, and his daughter Cassie on bass and theremin, among others. Before anyone thinks that the Cassie is here simply because of her father, think again, she is as solid and in the groove as a bass player gets Taylor’s songs—he wrote all twelve of the ones on this disc—are throwbacks and pioneering at the same time. He is young and he is old and one of those people who give great thought to their music. He has recorded seven genre breaking discs for the Telarc label and Clovis People propels his music to even more innovative possibilities, extending the blues experience and the trance experience with the use of the ground breaking musicians and instruments. This man is one of the few musicians I would gladly travel great distances to see. Do not miss him if he is anywhere in your vicinity. |
OTIS TAYLOR 