Mick Taylor - Iridium, NYC, 5.13.12


by Michael Sherer
Posted: May 2012
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Mick Taylor - photo by Michael Sherer

Mick Taylor - photo by Michael Sherer

For a great deal of Rolling Stone fans such as myself, the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s was their finest period. They had truly found their own voice by then, after starting as essentially a cover band doing mostly blues based songs. To my mind, they had more swagger, ferocity and bite than ever before or since during this second period. This era coincides with the years that guitarist Mick Taylor was in the band, having replaced original member Brian Jones. Jones was sacked in ‘69, and shortly after tragically drowned in his outdoor swimming pool. He was 27. Taylor joined in ‘69, at the age of 20, and quit five years later in ‘74. One of the reasons he left was that his girl friend at the time persuading him to, predicting that the band didn’t have much life left. Look at how that turned out, 38 years on.

It’s actually been Taylor himself that’s been under the radar for the most part in the 38 years since leaving the Stones, although he did have very short lived band with bassist Jack Bruce just subsequent to his departure. He’s had his own band ever since, and makes rare appearances here in the states.

Taylor had a six night stand at the Iridium this month, two sets a night, and sold out every one I believe. I caught the second set on a Sunday, and very much enjoyed what I heard. Taylor and company played in a jazzy, bluesy and atmospheric mode, with a bit more emphasis on the jazzy side. Taylor’s known as a stellar slide guitarist, and employed this technique often, using a clear, fiberglass (or it could be plastic) slide. He mostly used Gibson Les Pauls, which is appropriate for a club that is essentially a shrine to the late, great Les Paul himself, who performed there every Monday night with his band for many years.

The other musicians with Taylor were Max Middleton on piano, formally of The Jeff Beck Group, drummer, Jeff Allen, who also serves as Taylor’s manager, bassist Wilbur Bascomb, who’s also recorded with Beck, guitarist Hamish Stuart, formally of Average White Band, and saxophonist Arno Hecht of The Uptown Horns. Taylor sang while playing some of the time, and sounded pretty good as a vocalist. Having had Mick Jagger as lead singer for five years, Taylor played with one of the most dynamic, energetic and distinct front men of all time. Mick Taylor is a far more shy and subdued than the other Mick, and the difference is highly apparent. He moved very little, (reminds me of former Stones bassist Bill Wyman) and concentrated on his playing.

Taylor played a couple of Stones songs, those being Secret Affair, a rather obscure one, and the very well known Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, the latter being part of the two song encore. Preceding that was Howlin’ Wolf’s Little Red Rooster, which the Stones covered. Knocking is from my favorite Stones record, ‘71’s Sticky Fingers, as well as being one of the best songs on it. It featured lots of heavy and soulful sax playing from Hecht. With the encore, the total running time for the set was just under and hour and twenty minutes.

The musicianship all around was very good, but even if it hadn’t been, Taylor’s reputation and status certainly preceded him. The fans would have likely left happy enough regardless, for he was Stone during their hey day, after all. To get to see and hear this heralded guitar man so close and personal in a club setting is treat indeed.