Steven Taylor – Touch & Go
Self-Release – 2022
10 tracks; 30 minutes
Steven Taylor is the son of Greg ‘Fingers’ Taylor and stepson of Kim Wilson, so has been surrounded by blues music all his life. Although both father and step-father are harp players, Steven is a guitarist and singer and this is his third album release. Steven wrote seven songs and covers one of his father’s tunes, plus two other covers. The core band is Steven on guitar/vocals, Zander Griffith on bass and either Marty Dodson or Boyce Hartsell on drums. In addition a host of mainly West Coast musicians make guest appearances: guitarists Tommy Harkenrider and Kid Ramos, drummer Shane Diamond, bassist Hunter Taylor harp player Vincent Bury and an appearance by Fingers himself; backing vocals on two tracks are by Maria Macias and Johnny Ramos.
The CD opens with the title track, Steven’s echoey guitar well supported by the rhythm section as Steven worries about how long this relationship may last. “Say What You Will” adds Tommy Harkenrider’s guitar, a bright, upbeat tune which quickly sets the toes tapping as the two guitarists play well together, each comping behind the other’s solos to provide an excellent cut. A brooding riff underpins the next tune, in which Steven describes the girl as “Timeless”, immediately followed by “How I Feel About You”, a thumping shuffle given additional Chicago feel by the addition of Vincent’s harmonica.
The first cover is “Shim Sham Shimmy”, a Champion Jack Dupree tune which Jack once recorded with a young Eric Clapton (at the time a Bluesbreaker) on guitar. Steven’s version has more of a rockabilly feel with plenty of rocking guitar. Steven wrote “You’ll Live On” about his father and found a recording of him playing harp on the song, so we are able to hear Fingers here: “You’ll live on through your music. You’ll never be replaced and that’s what makes you great”, sings Steven in a touching tribute.
“Conditional Love” has a jagged stop/start rhythm and a fine solo from Steven before he and Kid Ramos go head to head on a pounding, rapid-fire instrumental with a distinctive border feel, a hot tune that fits its title, “Cholula”. A cover of Willie Cobbs’ “You Don’t Love Me” bounces along in familiar style and the album closes with Steven’s interpretation of his father’s tune “Extra Mile” which has an attractive core riff, choral backing vocals and harp player Vincent switching to slide guitar, making the track a little rockier than most of the album.
A little short in length by contemporary standards, this is, nevertheless, a thoroughly enjoyable album and should appeal to a broad swathe of blues fans.
