Versatile guitarist returns to The Homestead’s Music on the Mountain series

By Ross Boissoneau

Sun contributor

They say you can’t go home again, but guitarist Joe Taylor would beg to differ. The South Carolina native returned to the Palmetto State after decades in New York City and hasn’t missed a beat.

Now he feels like he’s coming home again, with a date: Aug. 19 at Music On The Mountain at The Homestead. “The fellas and I are really looking forward to it,” he says of himself and his bandmates. “We love the place.”

Taylor’s performance last year was one of the season’s most popular shows of the summer series, which was revived after going dark during the pandemic. For his part, Taylor hadn’t set foot in the Great Lakes State prior to his shows at last year’s Music On The Mountain. He and his three NYC bandmates were floored at the beauty of the area, including the venue at the top of the resort’s ski area.

He says playing while the sun set over Lake Michigan behind him was magical. “We had the best time playing there.”

His upcoming show features the same cast as last year: drummer Ray Marchica, bassist Paul Adamy and Jeff Franzel on keyboards, backing Taylor’s soulful guitar. It’s the same group who recorded last year’s Last Boat Home, and they’ve been back in the studio again. Taylor promises some new music from their recent sessions. “We’ll bring a handful of new tunes from the upcoming album, plus a few new covers,” he says.

Last year’s show saw Taylor and the group concentrating on music from his albums West Side Chill and Last Boat Home, which was officially released the day after his performance. But he threw in a few surprises as well, opening with Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” and including the rockabilly favorite “Rumble” by Link Wray. Taylor’s jazz ranges from smoothly melodic to the occasionally twangy, no doubt influenced by his favorite guitarist, Chet Atkins.

He has been compared to both Atkins and Jeff Beck, which he considers high praise. As neither was a vocalist, Taylor says they approached their guitar playing as their voice, an approach he emulates. He also became part of Atkins’s Saturday morning breakfast club late in the acclaimed guitarist’s life.

During Taylor’s decades-long tenure in New York, he became a prominent first-call session guitarist, working with industry legends like Ahmet Ertegun. He played on Broadway, serving as first-chair guitarist for major productions such as Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Starlight Express. He also held a residency at The Living Room, the legendary music venue that helped launch the careers of singer-songwriters like Norah Jones, Colbie Caillat, and The Lumineers.

Tiring of the pace and seeing studios closing and opportunities drying up, he moved back to South Carolina, building a home there in 2003 and a recording studio in 2010. He works as a producer for numerous acts at the studio, while he and his wife Stacey welcome their friends for recording, performing and camaraderie.

Taylor says his upcoming performance at The Homestead will include a handful of tunes that he’s written for others, including some vocal numbers. He says he wasn’t born with the pipes of someone like Michael Bublé, but in a typical performance he will throw in a couple vocal features. “I know how to sing,” he says. “I try to stay within my limited range.” He says the show features songs people will know, such as “Wichita Lineman” – which he says is his favorite song – or a tune by the Beatles. “It’s a fun evening.”

He says the upcoming album is along the same lines as Last Boat Home. “Maybe a little funkier. Like the Crusaders with Larry Carlton,” Taylor says, referencing the legendary ’70s and ’80s crossover outfit.

That portends good news for Taylor and his audience. As the British music magazine Melody Maker said, “Joe Taylor has built a successful career as a guitarist, composer, and producer whose work consistently bridges the worlds of jazz, blues, and instrumental music with effortless sophistication. Last Boat Home showcases exactly why Taylor continues to be regarded as one of the most versatile voices in contemporary instrumental music.”

Tickets for the show are $22 and include a ride to the top of Bay Mountain on the ski lift. Golf carts are available to transport attendees, who are welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chair or sit in the provided seating. Refreshments will also be available.

For tickets or additional information, visit tinyurl.com/Tickets-MOTM.