Larry Taylor's “I Paid My Dues” Reaches International Songwriting Competition Finals
Larry Taylor's original song “I Paid My Dues” from the Nola-Blue album “Generations of Blues” has advanced to Finalist in the Blues category of the International Songwriting Competition for 2023. Scroll down the ISC page to see all the finalists.
...Accompanied by veterans who honed their craft playing the “real deal” in genuine blues settings, Larry, Eddie Jr. (both as a guitarist and a vocalist), Demetria and especially Brenda sound surer, with greater timbral and emotional resonance and flexibility, than they ever have. Let’s hope the Taylors can continue to work and grow in settings like this as they move forward. --David Whiteis
African-American Folklore Magazine
The studio making of "No Shine," the talents of each Taylor sibling, and much more...
B-Man's Blues Report “A solid release packed with talent.”
Blues @ Greece: Q& A with Larry Taylor
The Taylor family stands treetop tall as a fully-fledged and remarkably enduring Chicago Blues dynasty... The Taylor legacy now extends to a third generation as Larry’s teenaged son, rapper Liljet2x, brings his contemporary sensibilities to the equation. There’s just no end to this family’s talent, as Larry Taylor and the Taylor Family: Generations of Blues so powerfully illustrates.
Southland Blues
Larry Taylor and The Taylor Family Generations of Blues West Side Legacy Nola Blue Records Family lineage passes along skills as well as likes and dislikes. So, it’s no wonder that the Taylor family inherited a love of pure blues and the ability to do the genre justice. Mom and Pop provided inspiration and wonderful examples for vocalist Larry Taylor, guitarist Eddie Taylor, Jr, drummer Tim Taylor, Hip-hop artist Liljet2x, and vocalists Brenda and Demetria Taylor. Eddie Taylor, Sr (1923-1985) carved a big piece of the pie in early Chicago with a passion for the blues. His wife, Vera, sang and wrote songs, so their life together produced great music. Her uncles Eddie and Jimmy Burns, prodigal bluesmen, provided additional inspiration for Eddie, Vera, and their children. These days, the offspring get together and do the music right. Led by Larry for this session, the family provides pure Chicago blues with authenticity. Original songs as well as covers paint the scene with memories. Vera Taylor’s “I Found Out” features daughter Brenda, Eddie Senior’s “Big Town Playboy” features son Eddie Junior as vocalist and guitarist, and Senior’s “I Feel So Bad” features Larry as vocalist. Larry Taylor’s singing stands out for much of the album, and provides a clear blues presence that stands together with Chicago and its remarkable blues history. --Jim Santella |
Southland Blues | 6475 E Pacific Coast Hwy #397, Long Beach, CA 90803
Vol. 17, Issue 47, Nov. 24, 2023
The Taylors in "Making a Scene"
Arguably, no single family has been more important to the blues than the Taylor family, headed by Jimmy Reed’s renowned guitarist and bandleader in his own right, Eddie Taylor, Sr. and his wife, singer Vera Taylor, part of the Great Migration that settled on Chicago’s West Side in the early ‘50s...
La Hora del Blues review (Spain): "13 songs of the most genuine, pure, hard and exclusive Chicago blues"
American Blues Scene Review of Chicago Blues Fest including Taylor Fam
...The entire family kicked it into high gear when all four singing Taylors took their act out to the audience on the floor and cajoled the crowd to join in on Demetria’s “Bad Girl,” her first release on Delmark Records..
Review reprinted in Atlanta Blues Society by Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro "
...An original of Mama’s, titled “I Found Out”, features daughter Brenda plotting revenge for the things she ‘found out’ her man was up to and, from what I’m hearing, she’s gonna have fun doing it...
“Big Town Playboy”, another Chicago blues style shuffle, not only features Eddie Jr. on the smokin’ blues guitar leads but sounding real smooth on his only vocal performance as well. Another highlight is Matthew Skoller nailing the Jimmy Reed thing as he blows some of the disc’s best harmonica.
...On a song he wrote – with a raspy, gravely tone to his voice – Larry belts the blues right out of the park on “I Paid My Dues”.
--The disc closes with a laid back instrumental titled “Larry & Eddie Jr. Groove (Blues In The Rain)”. It’s four-and-a-half minutes of slow, foot tappin’, knee slappin’, body swayin’, slow blues bliss, with Larry (drums), Michael Riley (bass) and Stanley Banks (piano) trippin’ out in a lazy rhythm groove; Eddie Jr. finessing out some wonderfully soft blues guitar licks; and Matthew Skoller– literally from opening to closing notes – putting on a most amazing low key, yet absolutely phenomenal harmonica performance. Yeah, this one got replayed many times.
Global Music Award for "Generations of Blues"
Global Music Awards is a merit based competition. We judge and curate based on creativity and quality of musical craft.
...We want the artist to remind us why we care about music so much in the first place. Our judging process honors both polished artists and those in which we sense future potential.
Blues Matters , by Stephen Harrison (UK)
...She Treats Me Just the Same” is the opening track, written and sung by Larry Taylor. What a way to kick off an album, so much blues and soul packed into this great tune. The plethora of musicians enhances every note perfectly. With just one song, this album has completely engaged my blues juices. “Bad Girl,” written by Eddie Taylor, features his sister, Demetria Taylor on vocals. Now, many of you will be familiar with Demetria, as I am, but this tune is one hell of a belter.
...This album produces song after amazing song, each one holding its own alongside the previous ones. Not to be outdone by her sister, Brenda Taylor lends the vocals to “I Found Out,” and “Talk To Your Son,” an adaptation of “Talk to Your Daughter...” Generations of Blues is exactly what this album professes to be. Every blues enthusiast should get a copy of this album.
West Side newspaper highlights Taylor family album: Austin Weekly News
Taylor unveiled the new album in a heartfelt and energetic performance on June 18, on the Juneteenth weekend and during Black Music Month... For years, Taylor has pushed for the West Side blues to be celebrated, enjoyed and remembered by the community.
At FitzGerald’s, the historic musical venue at 6615 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn, IL, Taylor and his family took the stage to present their musical interpretation of songs inspired by Chicago blues and recorded on the West Side.
This is a critical review, but what the heck. It's a change from all the nice ones! Or maybe it loses something in the translation?
"Since the death of Eddie Taylor Jr., who loomed ingloriously in the historical shadow of his father, the family has been trying to resolve an inheritance and artistic dilemma: how to claim ownership of the founder, assert themselves individually with a certain stylistic and modernity. fight "the Chicagoan plantation mentality" , says Larry Taylor in his atrabilary 2010 book, also a better backbeat drummer than a singer, and mentor of Tim, who has nothing to envy of Kenny Smith?
With its eight covers on thirteen tracks and some vocal weaknesses in his sisters, the record leans resolutely towards the tradition of the parents (Eddie and Vera Taylor), starting with nine participations by the late Eddie Jr., Matthew Skoller (hca) in four, Ray "Killer" Allison (guitar period), Barrelhouse Bonni (piano, unconvincing as usual), BJ Emery (trombone)... What are they missing when they claim to be "West Side"? A distinctive guitarist, like Magic Sam or Otis Rush, who would make a difference...
André Hobus "
Rating: ★★½
... Reunion of a family united by their deep roots in and dedication to the blues, which their parents passed down to them...
Austin Weekly News: Larry's West Side Blues Quest: 2022
Francia Garcia Hernandez of “Austin Talks” interviews Larry for the Chicago West Side neighborhood Austin Weekly News about his efforts to revive the local music in community festivals