Sam 'Bluzman' Taylor - Keep The Blues Alive

Hear The Track Here

Way back in the sweet smoke filled days of my youth, while the rest of my peers were getting brained on the Beatles, the Stones et al, I was quietly grooving away to dub versions and American blues. Initially, I admit, that I was introduced to the music by a passel of white, English bands like Steam Packet and - more importantly - John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Personally one of my own Giants of Rock, John Mayall's blues outfit had it all, and every bit of it authentic to the bone. It started me on a road to Buddy Guy, BB King, John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim and a billion others. So, it's a fair guess that I've imbibed a few pints of the stuff, and - personal preferences aside - should be able to make an objective critique of whether this track does 'keep the blues alive'

The only trick I got master now is how to stop dancing long enough to write this review down...

You may remember for LAW's review a day or so back that Sam Taylor is his grandfather. A grandfather who has a list of credits to his name that defies description and inspires respect. Obviously though, as always, it has to come down to the music and on that score......I am speechless. As slick as s*** off a shingle, Keep The Blues Alive is a sharply focused, supremely confident peice of blues that have you reeling in musical references. Whether this music is created by a base of musicians or whether Sam got all of it down, it's a technical marvel of it's age. THIS, my friends, is the way to create music that lives and breathes, music that inspires and evokes emotions you won't even believe you had. Music, to put it simply, with immense heart and soul.

OK, I have to admit to a distinct bias, as I've tried to explain above, but I also know what works and what doesn't. So what would you, a casual listener, expect from a track that I would rave about? World class performance for starters, that's for sure (and on that stage, genre doesn't really play a part), it has to have life affirming qualities - as I've also explained above. What it has to contain, above all, is a meaningful, coherent arrangement, and a faultless production and Keep The Blues Alive scores on every single point. It's a terrific slice of HUGE fun that is probably best enjoyed in the company of friends. Fellow musicians, hold on to your jaws, the Bluzman shows how it's done. Keep The Blues Alive doesn't just breathe life into the genre, it expands it to encompass a blend of styles that can only come from a musician of the calibre of Sam 'Bluzman' Taylor - a very class act.

MUST HAVE