Topic: Eddie Taylor - Acoustic

[blueshome]

I don't know if this has been posted before. Shades or pre-war Delta blues.

[Bunker Hill]

The 1972 Advent LP can be listened to and sleeve notes read here  http://www.wirz.de/music/advenfrm.htm

[frankie]

wow.

[frankie]

not all acoustic, but very, very real:

[Bunker Hill]

Quite so Frank. Whilst it comes to mind here's something I knocked out at the last moment as a sleeve note when nominated "author" reneged. I draw your attention to paragraph six regarding the VJ recordings of "Stroll Out West '' and '' Ride 'Em On Down."

Eddie Taylor
Big Town Playboy
Charly CRB 1015

"New face Eddie may steal the blues concert"* proclaimed the Melody Maker headline in 1968 in anticipation of Eddie Taylor's first UK visit. A new face in Britain, certainly. A new name as implied, definitely not.

Born January, 1923 in the cotton town of Benoit, Mississippi, Eddie Taylor's childhood idols were Charlie Patton, Son House and Robert Johnson. Their intense Delta blues styling inspired Eddie to teach himself blues guitar. Leaving home at an early age, he travelled through Mississippi during his teens, playing guitar at country suppers and getting acquainted with many of the recorded bluesmen of the day.

When he was 25, Eddie Taylor moved to Chicago where he formed a small combo which performed at the clubs and night spots of the city. In 1953 he auditioned for Vee Jay Records, a Chicago independent, along with his back up guitarist, Jimmy Reed. Ironically, fate deemed that Vee Jay would prefer Jimmy's style to that of Eddie and the roles were reversed. However, this unforeseen setback proved to be a most fortuitous beginning, rather than a drastic end, to the career of Eddie Taylor.

Two years later he recorded in his own right for Vee Jay and in 1955 scored with "Big Town Playboy," which reputedly sold 37,000 copies. This success earned him the nickname 'Playboy Taylor' which stuck for many year's. In all he recorded 16 titles over a nine year period, of which only 10 were issued. But his main source of work and income, was as Vee Jay house musician, primarily for Jimmy Reed sessions but also on those of John Lee Hooker, Elmore James and Sunnyland Slim.

This compilation contains all of Eddie Taylor's Vee Jay recordings bar one. Search as we may, "Good Hearted," the missing title, was untraceable. Nevertheless, the 15 tracks on this album gives the best representation of Eddie's Vee Jay career blues fans have yet had.

Although greatly influenced a teenager by the Delta giants, his first recordings demonstrate little of this and, surprisingly, show a debt to that enigmatic Tommy McClennan stylist, Robert Petway with "Stroll Out West '' and '' Ride 'Em On Down." More readily recognisable as Catfish Blues, "Stroll Out West" is a masterpiece of infectious simplicity. Why Vee Jay chose not to release it will, for me, be one of those eternal blues question marks.

Perhaps less surprising are some of the echoes of  Eddies fifties contemporaries: the Jimmy Reed approach to "Bad Boy", his first side; the tune and guitar figure of Jr. Parker's Feelin' Good in ''I'm Gonna Love You"; the Elmore James Dust My Broom effect on "Leave This Neighborhood," a song sadly marred by inconsistent harmonica from Jimmy Reed. Eddie's best seller, "Big Town Playboy", was inspired by the 1950 Aristocrat recording by pianist Johnny Jones who, incidentally, is present on the last four tracks on this album, boasting an all star Chicago line-up of Taylor, Jones, Hubert Sumlin and Jimmy Reed.

Outside of his recording contract, Eddie was prolific on the Chicago club scene. In 1968 he toured Europe with label-mates Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker. Following this there was a period of sporadic studio work until 1972 when he cut an album for Frank Scott's Advent label on the West Coast. The critical acclaim this album received brought offers of European tours and in 1973/4 he toured Europe again under the aegis of Big Bear Promotions for whom he cut his second album in London.

The past five or six years have been uncharacteristically quiet for Eddie. This compilation of his excellent early recordings will give those of us familiar with his music the chance to re-evaluate this underrated Chicago bluesman. And for new fans of a 'new face,' the chance to discover 15 original and dynamic performances.

*David Illingworth Melody Maker (19 October 1968 p.18)

Alan Balfour
December 1980


 

[Johnm]

Thanks Alan, Phil and Frank for posting the music and information on Eddie Taylor, a new name to me.  His version of "Catfish" reminds me of Robert Curtis Smith, who was close to Eddie Taylor in age, though I guess a bit younger.  Is it known when Eddie Taylor passed?  I'm assuming he is no longer living.  Thanks for any additional information.
All best,
Johnm

[Pan]

I got curious too.

According to Wikipedia, Taylor passed on December 25, 1985.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Taylor

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-taylor-mn0000176673

Thanks to all for posting about him, I had never heard from him before either.

Cheers

Pan

[Old Man Ned]

Thanks for the acoustic Eddie Taylor posting.  I wasn't aware that he had recorded acoustic.  I was familiar with his work with Jimmy Reed and in the late 70's, early 80's I was lucky enough to meet him and see a band he had playing around Chicago on a couple of trips I made over there.  The most amazing though was a set he played at a club on the South side, I forget which club now, where he just let rip with a whole of, for want of a better description, 'jazz' style chords, comping over the band. And he looked like he was having a ball. He came across to me as a quiet, reserved and modest type of guy.  Very under-rated, I think.  I love his music.  Thanks again.

[jpeters609]

Speaking of Eddie Taylor and "Catfish," have a listen to one of my favorite versions: "Just Can't Stay" by Willie Nix with, you guessed it, Eddie Taylor on guitar...



"Put somethin' on the bar 'scusin' your elbows!"

[Bunker Hill]

Here's something that I and Bill Rowe were working on in 1994. Bill died a couple of years later and it never got finished.  Make of it what you will.

[Prof Scratchy]

That represents a lot of hours of dedicated hard work, BH. The story of Eddie Taylor's recordings maps out quite a history of activity in post war blues. There must've been many tales to tell of the lives and times of all those musicians involved. I hadn't realised he'd played such a key role in Jimmy Reed's recordings over those years.

[Bunker Hill]

That represents a lot of hours of dedicated hard work, BH.

Not that long ago, this appeared on the WangDangDula discography site  http://koti.mbnet.fi/wdd/eddietaylor.htm making it all out of date and redundant. That's life.