The Blues Masters Featuring Cassie Taylor
Exulans
10 tracks
The soul band The Blues Masters have recorded with a plethora of top notch blues musicians and rockers and here we have Cassie Taylor fronting this fine band. What an excellent album they have produced together! This is their 7th studio release and they have also participated in a Michael Shane-produced concert film.
Cassie Taylor is the daughter of trance-blues great Otis Taylor. She began as his bassist. She gained fame with the trio Girls With Guitars and released her noteworthy own work, too. The grind of music caught up with her at 28; she has since recovered from a suicide attempt. She is a powerhouse singer who is just amazing and her work with the Blues Masters is faultless.
Cassie is on vocals, bass and banjo, Kassidy Kent on bass and background vocals, Christian Teele is on drums, Eric Moon is on Fender Rhodes, B3 and accordion, Tim Tucker is on guitars and bass, Stella Ann provides percussion and background vocals, Kylee Ribble, Larea Edwards and Chrissy Grant are also on backing vocals, Sally Van Meter plays lap steel and Doug Lynn is on the harmonica.
“Downward Road” starts the album, a Pops Staples tune he wrote for the Staples Singers. Beautiful, passionate Gospel music with ringing guitar. Taylor emotes and grabs at the listener’s hearts. Then it’s Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” Taylor delivers a breathy and beautiful rendition of this classic, again taking us to church with her beautiful vocals. There is some nice harp work here, too.
“Sit Down Servant” is another cut popularized by the Staples and Cassie delivers the good. Slow, deeply emotional and something that makes the listener want to raise their hands in praise. The guitar rings brilliantly here. Next is Ramsay Lewis’ “Wade In The Water” and Taylor once again displays her vocal prowess. This one’s uptempo and slick and her sultry vocals make this special.
“You’re Gonna Make Me Cry” is a classic O.V. Wright cut. Taylor sings with soul and passion and makes this her own. Up next is “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again.” Cassie takes this Loretta Lynn song and turns it into a rocking Gospel styled tune. More stinging guitar and a whirling tempo makes this cool.
Following that is “If You’re Ready,” another tune from the Staples family. Taylor continues to nail each song and this one is a funky and nice rendition of this great tune. We get a good little instrumental interlude here, too. More Staples follows with “I Wonder Why.” This one is a slow and gritty cut with Taylor testifying to the listener. Great stuff once again and the greased up harp gives us more grit to enjoy.
More Staples with “Respect Yourself” follows. Cassie does a superb job with this hit song as she and the backing vocalists give us something to savor. The guitar gives us something to enjoy here and Taylor and company deliver winner after winner. Taylor concludes with “Chain of Fools,” an Aretha Franklin standard. Taylor continues to showcase her powerful voice in this song. Her forthright approach reminds us of Aretha. The harp punctuates the cut sweetly and we get a super finale to an outstanding album.
This is Gospel, blues and soul with a very modern and slick sound. Taylor on vocals is amazing. The band is exemplary. The blend of guitar, keys, harp, and other instruments if super. The backing vocalists are also outstanding. Go get this now– you won’t be disappointed!
