Taylor brings the sunshine
Adam Guest
Guitar governor Martin Taylor gave a masterclass in jazz as the Shetland International Guitar Festival continued last night.
Taylor, the curator of this year’s festival, said it was “great to be back in Shetland”.
Having joined “Colonel” Tommy Emmanuel onstage for a few numbers the night before, nifty player Taylor mixed sumptuous chords, beautiful melody and Latin flavours in his own headline gig.
The intimate one-man show was a more laid-back affair than Emmanuel’s energetic guitar-slapping, neck-bending exertions, though Taylor’s playing really was top-drawer.
The highly-acclaimed musician played songs from his new solo EP One Day, including a stunning arrangements of Wild Mountain Thyme, and I’ve Never Been In Love Before.
Jazz standard They Can’t Take That Away From Me was slick and smooth, with tasty bass runs and toe-tapping rhythm.
Then it was off to Barbados for Down At Cocomo’s – the music came to Taylor while playing in a bar by that name in the Caribbean.
Muting the strings with a piece of cardboard, the clever trick made the guitar sound like a set of steel drums, and provided bit of sunshine away from the howling wind outside Mareel.
Brian Nicholson and Peter Wood also brought a touch of warmer climes too, when they opened up the show.
The duo played a jolly French accordion number, with Wood on the accordion and Nicholson on guitar.
Painting pictures of cobbled streets, French baguettes and warm Parisian sunshine, it was a far cry from last night’s miserable weather.
Nicholson swapped between electric and acoustic guitars, performing the lovely self-penned Jake’s Waltz on his Gibson, really making the guitar sing with the lead lines.
For more see next Friday’s Shetland Times.
