Otis Taylor

Clovis People, Vol. 3
Otis Taylor
Telarc

Otis Taylor calls his music “trance blues” and that’s as good a moniker as any. Freed from the 12-bar archetype, Taylor’s sound is sparse, measured, and personal. He leaves pauses where others would throw a cluster of notes; his vocals are weary expressions of emotion, compelling without ever overstating or grandstanding. The opening cut, “Rain so Hard” begins with delicate resonator picking, and builds the mood with subtle trumpet flourishes, almost ambient in presentation. “Little Willie” features some tasty electric guitar playing from Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy, et. al.), who guests on several cuts, and unlike Moore’s other work, he sounds positively restrained here to good effect.

In a time when the blues seems to be languishing between SRV wannabes and tired traditionalists, Otis Taylor has created a unique musical signature, hypnotically capturing a listeners attention, somewhat akin to Kelly Joe Phelps, but even more subtle than that. Once encountered, it cannot be easily dismissed — or forgotten. How often can you say that these days?

Originally published Ink 19, 2010

Kelly Joe Phelps: Slingshot Professionals

Slingshot Professionals
Kelly Joe Phelps
Ryko

With Slingshot Professionals, Kelly Joe Phelps moves away from the blues-based guitar histrionics that marked his earlier records and towards a more sedate, folkie style of presentation. And while the trademark sleepy strangeness of Phelps’s music is still largely intact (lyrically at least), overall, this record doesn’t quite work. His guitar playing is now primarily used as melodic accompaniment, instead of standing alone as a solo voice as in the past. Freed from the restraints of a blues song structure, he ventures into, but never really embraces, that sort of quiet energy that bands such as Willard Grant Conspiracy do so well. But where WGC’s music is unsettling and challenging without electricity, Phelps has sanded away almost all of his charming rough edges and left us with folk as background music. Even the presence of fellow fretman Bill Frisell or keyboardist Chris Gestrin don’t liven things up. While this is by no means a bad record, it is rather dull, and that’s the last thing we expected from Kelly Joe Phelps.

Originally published Ink 19, 2003

Kelly Joe Phelps

Shine Eyed Mister Zen
Kelly Joe Phelps
Rykodisc

Acoustic country blues guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps creates seductive magic on his latest release, an eleven-track showcase of his artful guitar and convincing vocal style. Reminiscent of Leo Kottke and John Fahey (but without Fahey’s preoccupation with death, thankfully), Phelps makes this bare music sound easy, which it most assuredly is not. From the slide of “Dock Boggs Country Blues” to the intricate picking of “Katy,” this Washington-born guitarist never tries to stun, preferring to lure you in on the virtues of the song at hand. But repeated listening will convince you of his talent, particularly if you’re a guitarist. But even if you don’t play, take a listen to Kelly Joe Phelps — good music is good music, after all.

Originally published Ink 19, 1999

Steve James

Fast Texas
Steve James
Burnside Records

Texan Steve James might not be the household name that say Kelly Joe Phelps is, but that’s more a marketing issue than one of talent. Steve James is indeed anyone’s equal with a guitar in his hands. His latest offering, Fast Texas, is 16 cuts of acoustic blues bliss. It’s part new takes on old (like prewar) blues, such as “Jack O’ Diamonds (Is A Hard Card To Play)” (a staple for Blind Lemon Jefferson) and “Cocaine Blues,” and part James’s own creations, like the driving title track and the Fahey/Kottke-ish “Sukey.” Joined by Del Rey on resonator and the legendary Cindy Cashdollar on steel guitar, James has impeccable taste and more chops than a Kung-Fu marathon.

Originally published Ink 19, 2003