The Pocono Blues Festival always begins on a Friday night. The Friday night tent show is for the hardcore blues fan. It is one of the best blues nights of the year. In 2006 it featured Eddie Taylor Jr. and I was struck by his performance. Eddie Taylor Jr. is the son of Eddie Taylor who was a Chicago blues icon. Eddie Taylor Sr. was Jimmy Reeds lead guitarist. The DVD "Antoine's Home of The Blues" features Eddie Taylor Sr. and is a must-own video. Eddie Taylor Jr. knows his fathers songbook, that of Jimmy Reeds, and also those of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. After the evenings performance, I went to the local roadhouse and there again listened to Eddie.

Wolf records just released Eddie Taylor Jr.'s new album "Mind Games". This is stripped down bare bones blues. Eddie sets the rhythm before soloing and the passion pours out, the way it was before some guy on a sound board tried to reach the people on the sidewalk outside the club. It took a lot of commitment to the blues to record this album. Eddie reminds me of a young Buddy Guy; this is understated Chicago Blues.

Eddie Taylor Jr. opens up with Albert King's "I've Made Nights By Myself"; his guitar work is clean and crisp. Next is "Use What You Got" from Sugar Pie DeSanto, usually advice from woman to woman. "Pink Champagne" is from Joe Liggins. "That's All I Need" is the Magic Sam classic and one of the albums highlights. Eddie's sister Brenda Taylor sings "I'm So Blue". "Look On Yonder's Wall" the Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup song popularized by Paul Butterfield follows. Next is Freddie King's "You Got Me Licked". Then Eddie's other sister, Demetria Taylor takes her turn singing on Willie Dixon's "Let Me Love You Baby". The best performance on the album however is Eddie's own authored "Trying to Play a Mind Game" which will be a soul classic, as it is worthy of being covered by anyone with the sense to re-record it. The vocal is smoothly delivered by Eddie. "Forty-Four" is the Howlin Wolf standard. "Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home", the Al Jackson Jr. song is sung by yet another sister, Edna Taylor. Eddie's brother Tim plays drums except when he hands them over to brother Larry. Eddie closes with an original instrumental "Eddie's Groove". The rhythm section is tight throughout the recording and special credit has to go to bassist Pete Rubber. The production is well done.

Eddie has become the patriarch of his talented family and it's a pleasure to see him follow in his father's footsteps and with such grace. Check out Eddie Taylor Jr. at www.wolfrec.com

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com