Otis Taylor Band January 23, 2010

Gentle upon first listen, blending the austerity of Delta blues with the expansiveness of free jazz, Taylor's ancient-sounding, avant-garde 'trance blues' has a dangerous pull. Taylor's fragmented, moaned and groaned lyrics are like prayers inscribed on paper boats carried forward by a river current. His collaborators-including the guitarist Gary Moore, the pianist Jason Moran, the cornetist Ron Miles and Taylor's daughter Cassie, who plays bass and sometimes murmurs a lead vocal-modestly state their parts to create a hypnotic whole. It's a strange and subtle sound, not for those who turn to the blues for nostalgia or a party soundtrack. Fans of Cat Power, the late Chris Whitley or the freak-folk scene will appreciate it. But the eeriness of these songs doesn't diminish their emotional immediacy.

Official Website: http://www.fairfieldtheatre.org