Hudspeth & Taylor – Folie a deux
self release
13 songs time – 48:47
Rejoyce! Vital acoustic blues drawing from but not imitating traditions is alive and well in the persons of Brandon Hudspeth & Jaisson Taylor, stalwarts on the Kansas City blues scene for close to twenty years.
Their collaboration began in 2015 resulting in this their first recorded effort. Brandon handles acoustic guitar in varying approaches. Jaisson lends his warm and expressive voice along with all manner of percussion with the cajon being the most prevalent. The African instrument the cajon translates to box. It’s a wooden box whose sides are drummed upon. The sound they attain envelopes Piedmont blues, ragtime, jazz and Chicago blues everything in between underpinned with an exuberant percussive assault. The CD title Folie a deux translates to a shared psychosis or a group hallucination. In this case an excursion into musical passion.
Right from the “git-go” the bouncy “Big Fat Hairy Lie” sets Jaisson’s rich tones over propulsive acoustic slide guitar and the omni-present percussive goodness. Next up an easy rollin’ stroll through the Delta via “Walking down the road”. Slide over “popping” percussion on the “knee-slapper” “I’ll be right back”. The reins are pulled back on the mournful, slow slide driven “I know it’s gonna rain again”.
The original “Candy Man” draws on the rag time tradition. Jaisson’s soothing voicing and whistle transports you to a ramble down a country lane. “Silly Billy” is full of jazz artist references and Django Reinhardt jazzy guitar styling’s. The late and lesser known Kansas City harmonica-singer Provine “Little” Hatch’s peppy “Rock with me baby” is the sole cover here. The narrator berates the “Low Down Dealer Man” for giving him a sh*tty hand while Brandon Slip and slides on his resonator guitar.
Oh yeah love the down home blues of “Sometimes you act crazy”. The guys turn out the instrumental rag “Folie a deux” in grand style. It’s boogie on down time on “Future” as guitar and percussion click in with each other. Toe tappin’ time is here with “When you comin’ home”. Jaisson sings in unison with Brandon’s slide guitar as he professes that he wants to be his girl’s daddy on what else “Daddy Baby” that includes the overlays electric slide by the half way point.
Without exaggerating this recording is a seamless pleasure from head to toe that begs you to give it another spin. Mostly original acoustic blues in the hands of Hudspeth & Taylor is a divine gift from the blues Gods. Don’t know how else to say it, you just gotta have this feel good treasure!
