Martin Taylor is one of the most exciting bop/swing guitarists working today, and Stepping Stones is a collection of material from his eight-year association with Linn records. The album kicks off with "John & Mary" and "Double Top," two cuts from Spirit of Django. The unique arrangements on these cuts feature Dave O'Higgins on soprano sax, and on the later cut, Jack Emblow on accordion. Taylor plays a relaxed duet with his old boss Stephane Grappelli on "Hotel Splendid" that achieves a great deal of intimacy. A lively ...
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Martin Taylor is one of the most exciting bop/swing guitarists working today, and Stepping Stones is a collection of material from his eight-year association with Linn records. The album kicks off with "John & Mary" and "Double Top," two cuts from Spirit of Django. The unique arrangements on these cuts feature Dave O'Higgins on soprano sax, and on the later cut, Jack Emblow on accordion. Taylor plays a relaxed duet with his old boss Stephane Grappelli on "Hotel Splendid" that achieves a great deal of intimacy. A lively version of "Undecided" finds the two of them in a larger group setting that includes vocals by Clarie Martin. On several cuts, like "Georgia on My Mind" from Aristry, Taylor plays solo, visiting the territory once charted by Joe Pass on his Virtuoso series. Taylor's guitar playing is always the epitome of good taste, and he never overplays. The only small complaint is that cuts like "My Vardo" and "Chez Fernand" from Gypsy seem lighter, with the soft tones of the soprano thinning the sound. These softer tones leave the listener with skillfully played, smooth jazz. Stepping Stones offers a chance to hear Taylor in a number of settings, with several different sounds. It also places Taylor's guitar style in a historical context, successfully following the paths laid out by Reinhardt and Pass. While it is doubtful that one could go wrong with picking up any of Taylor's Linn recordings, Stepping Stones works as a great introduction for the uninitiated. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi
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