Gig Review
Matt Taylor Band
Saturday, 10 February 2007:
On their first ever visit to Bluesnights Matt Taylor (guitar/vocals), Mark Smith (bass) and Pete Radcliffe (drums) turned on a very tight and varied show. There was something for everyone in this performance.
Starting with Howling Wolf’s "Howling For My Darling", a nice chunky version with good wah-wah effect. They followed this with an original "Two Strong Arms". This turned into a very solid workout with peaks and troughs and throughout some very good licks. B.B.King’s "Rock Me Baby" swung really well and the rhythm section were locked tight. A Cheryl Crow tune "Every Day Is A Winding Road" was very well done – it drove along in the laid-back Californian style that is Crow’s trademark ! Next came "I’m Tore Down", an up-tempo Freddie King number (always a crowd pleaser) and was excellent. To finish off the set, an old standard - "Key To The Highway" – was treated to a Taylor makeover, producing a very listenable funky version.
Note: Click thumbnail to view full artist image.
Photo credit: Paul Martin.
... continued
The second set went up a couple of notches as far as energy goes. Kicking off with "Talk To Your Daughter" this was very very good and featured a superb solo. Big Maceo Merryweather’s "Worried Life Blues" was a lovely slow rendition, oozing plenty of emotion and well executed runs. Here is where it got extremely interesting, because sequentially they played Paul Simon’s "Late In The Evening" - very energetic and rhythmically African - then The Beatles’ "Come Together". This was a cracker - very solid and that they followed with a tribute to the late James Brown, an instrumental of great funky soul.
This trio of non-blues tunes showcased the band’s versatility – and the audience reaction showed that excellent musicianship is always popular, whatever its genre.
The end of the set was one of Matt’s own – the title track from one of Matt’s albums, "Radio City Blues". This was loud and wild, flowing chord changes and became an outright tour de force! We hauled them back for an encore which was Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee’s "Walk On" a nice easy going blues, and a fitting way to end what had been an excellent show.
A great evening!
Review by: Lewis A Harris.
© Bluesnights. The Dorset Blues Society.
10 February 2007.
