BTO Bliss - Taylor Guitars

24 www.taylorguitars.comSoundingsFish TalesAndy Hillstrand, co-captain anddeckboss of the crab fishing boat theTime Bandit from the popular DiscoveryChannel program Deadliest Catch,dropped by the Taylor complex in Aprilfor a tour with his wife Sabrina. Hillstrand,who owns an 810ce he says heloves, was initially drawn to Taylor afterseeing an online video of Bob Taylortalking about guitar making. Duringhis visit, Hillstrand shared some colorfultales, including a funny account ofthe dramatic demise of his first guitar,an Esteban, which he used to defendhimself in an altercation with anotherfisherman. He also recounted the perilsof battling six-story waves, on-the-jobsleep deprivation (his record is 80hours) and other treacherous workingconditions that keep Deadliest Catchviewers on the edge of their seats eachweek.While making the rounds at thefactory, Hillstrand had a chance tospend time with Bob Taylor, who happensto be a longtime fan of the show.The two chatted at length, during whichHillstrand assured Bob that the seventhseason, which premiered in April, wouldfeature plenty more gripping drama,including blood and broken bones,along with an epic prank at some point.Hillstrand also played a pair of tuneshe wrote following the death of anotherskipper on the show, Captain Phil Harris(the Cornelia Marie), whose passingfactored heavily into the drama at theend of the previous season. Hillstranddownplayed his singing and songwritingskills, but says that after Harris’sdeath on the show, he woke up withthe lyrics already formed in his head,and the rest of the songs came quickly.“Ode to Phil” is a poignant ballad thatpays tribute to his friend, while thebluesy tune “A Fisherman’s Life” is asalty homage to his seafaring trade.Taylor’s Andy Powers sat in and playedsome tasty fills, prompting Hillstrandto half-jokingly try to recruit him as hislead guitarist.Besides his 810ce, Hillstrand had apair of 812ce models on order, whichhe was planning to take on a string of“Captains’ Tour” live events startingin May with his brother, Time Banditco-captain Johnathan, along withCaptain Sig Hansen of the boat theNorthwestern. The shows mix firsthandstorytelling, previously unseen videofootage, Hillstrand’s songs, and anaudience Q&A.TAYLORCODECAPTAIN ANDYTo watch AndyHillstrand’s renditionof “A Fisherman’s Life,”scan the Taylorcode.North Face SouthYou can count David Murphyamong the happy new GS Mini ownersout there. A former professional marathonerand now Senior Brand MarketingManager for outdoor gear manufacturerThe North Face, Murphy touched basethis spring after returning from a photoand video shoot in Patagonia, Argentinafor some running apparel that will beintroduced this fall.The North Face has a built a reputationfor top-flight action photographyin their marketing campaigns, featuringimagery shot on location in areas andconditions that are authentic environmentsfor testing their respectiveproducts. For this shoot, photographer(and world-class mountain climber)Tim Kemple suggested the El Chalténregion of Patagonia, where the climate,terrain and light would be ideal, and acrew of about 10 made the trip, includingMurphy and his Mini.“The guitar was a massive hit withthe athletes and camera crew,” he says.“They really seemed to enjoy hearingme play music out there in the wild,as usually these shoots can get quitetedious with no entertainment. I wasplaying while some of the shooting wasgoing on, and Tim really enjoyed it. Hetold me I need to keep bringing it onthe shoots with me.”Murphy says he couldn’t help butbe inspired throughout the trip and washappy to have the Mini to express himselfmusically.“Between the landscape and thecreativity that’s going on around youvisually, if you tune into that it’s reallyspecial. And Patagonia has a uniqueatmosphere to it; you can really feel thatwhen you’re out there.”After the Patagonia shoot, Murphybrought his Mini with him on a shoot inSedona, Arizona for yoga apparel.“We were out at Red Rocks, and itwas spectacular,” he says. “The Mini isso portable — what I notice is you don’tget any hassle at airport security; youcan carry it right onto the plane, it fits inthe racks. And it’s just really versatile. Ididn’t have any hesitation putting it intothe car, and then just strap it on yourback and off you go. That’s what weneed when we’re on a trek like that.”Blue NoteWe were saddened to learn of thepassing of longtime Taylor friend SteveWhite on April 22, at the age of 61,after a long battle with throat cancer.White was a propulsive one-man bluesband, a musical dynamo, whose funky,gritty, soulful, churning grooves, wry wit,and generous spirit warmed the heartsand souls of many who encounteredhim. A true artist and a man of theworld, Steve’s bohemian spirit luredhim far and wide throughout his life,and he channeled his experiences intohis sinewy Delta-funk-blues-world-popfolk,giving his tunes an incredible colorand depth.Steve’s self-styled approach to playingwas mesmerizing to see in person:the percussive snap and twang of hisright hand as he wrung syncopatedrhythms out of his tuned-down acoustic;his delectably greasy slide playing;the locomotive chug of notes blownon a braced harmonica; the poundingof his clog-clad foot on an amplifiedstomp board; and vocals that mingledthe darker and lighter sides of life withclever lyrical wordplay. It’s no surprisethat he was also an accomplishedpainter; his songs were sonic canvassesthat he would masterfully layer witha brilliant collage of sounds.Though Steve’s work largely flewunder the mainstream musical radarin the U.S., he developed a strong followingin Europe, and he left a lastingimpression on nearly everyone who sawhim play.Even after cancer necessitated theremoval of his vocal chords in 2009,he continued to perform his regularweekly gig at an outdoor market in hishome town of Encinitas, California.For a number of years, Steve’s 510cwas his workhorse, and in addition toshowcasing for Taylor at events like theFolk Alliance Conference, he played ata number of Taylor gatherings over theyears.If you like roots music and haven’thad a chance to sample Steve’s work,do yourself a favor and soak up a bit ofhis music and life at stevewhiteblues.com. You’ll be glad you did.Homegrown VibeAs a singer-songwriter who typicallywrites and performs on his own, JustinRoth (812c) has learned that makingan album in a studio with other playerscan pose artistic challenges.“I’m on the clock, and I don’t havethe freedom to just experiment withhow I hear the music,” he says. “I’vealways hired players who I have somuch respect for, so when they’d hearsomething and play a part, I woulddefer to them sometimes because theymust know better than me. SometimesI’d think, wow, that’s not really how Iheard it, but it’s really cool. OK, let’sgo in that direction. All of a sudden itstarts turning into something else.”Though Roth insists he’s proudof his past records, he decided to gothe DIY route for his latest project,Now You Know, working out of hishome recording studio (a 10x12-footbedroom). Among his self-imposedlimitations were that the sounds on therecord would only be what he couldplay and record himself so the projectwouldn’t get away from him or soundlike a band. Despite — or perhapsbecause of — the restrictions, he saysthe experience was priceless.“You can do so much with micplacement and playing your instrumentwell,” he says. “Does it sound like me?Yes. Does it have a vibe? Yes.”Indeed. Roth’s singular vision yieldsa cohesive batch of songs that feel intimate,personal, and richly melodic. Atits core, the album is anchored by hiseloquent fingerstyle chops, which strikea nuanced balance between simplicityand sophistication, blending alternatetunings and percussive techniques. Thetone of his 15-year-old 812c is warmand sweet, and his expressive voicehas a soothing, complementary timbre.When he layers up his vocal harmoniesand soaks them in reverb-y effects, theyinflate the music with potent emotionalambience. Honorable mention goes tohis selection of percussion instruments,which include cardboard box kick drum,three-quart sauce pan, and aluminumgutter.Roth did enlist some friends forsome lyric co-writes on a few tunes,including talented indie artists BrianJoseph, Emilia Dahlin, and criticallyacclaimed singer-songwriter LJ Booth,with whom Roth has toured as a percussionist.He also covers a DarrellScott tune, “Love’s Not Through WithMe Yet.” From the atmospheric beautyof the title track like to the instrumentalgem “Spaghetti Junction,” Roth deliversa lucid record that reveals an artistwho’s taken his craft to the next level.You can watch newly posted performancevideos at www.justinroth.com.Maine EventAs his band’s national profile growswith increased AAA radio exposure,Portland, Maine-rooted singer-songwriterJason Spooner (910) has been atouring fool this summer in support ofhis latest release, Sea Monster. Frontinga tight, nimble trio that featuresAdam Frederick on bass and ReedChambers on drums and percussion,Spooner and friends continue to doleout tasty portions of rootsy, funky popthat manage to expand their alreadyrangy musical boundaries. ThoughSpooner’s songwriting bedrock remainshis acoustic guitar and his brightlyglimmering voice, his deft electric worktaps into a fresh palette of tones, andthis rhythm section is built to groove inevery stylistic direction.Frederick’s slick bass work overprogrammed beats on the opener,“Crashing Down,” lets you know thatthese guys are more than New Englandfolksters, and the scenic ride continueswith the wah-wah funk of “Half a Mind,”nuanced Reggae vibe of “Time is RunningOut,” and a soulful, R&B cover ofthe Terence Trent D’Arby dance-pop hit“Wishing Well.” From the gritty pleadingon “Let It Go” to the haunting, pedalsteel-infused folk of “Fossil,” Spoonerreels the listener in with his voice, andthe band keeps you on the hook withfluid interplay and plenty of pocketygoodness. There’s a wistfulness inSpooner’s voice that gives his lyricsextra resonance and, together witheverything else the band does, makesfor a great record that gets even betterwith repeat listens. www.jasonspooner.com.Crashing NashvilleIn June, Taylor artist relations repTim Godwin flew to Nashville withluthier Andy Powers and the Marketingdepartment’s Shane Roeschleinfor a whirlwind trip to make the roundsand meet some old and new friends.Among the events on tap were CMAFest, the CMT Awards, and a “GuitarTone” open house event that Taylorhosted for local players.The day-long Taylor shindig, heldat Soundcheck in downtown Nashville,was organized to introduce Andy to thelocal talent and to share some of hislatest guitar prototypes, featuring somenew bracing designs. A steady streamof players dropped by throughout theday to hang out and play.“The talent pool and the highlevel of musical ability are pretty eyeopening,”Andy said afterwards as hereflected on the experience, emphasizingthe value he places on interactingwith a diverse group of great players.“I’ve always found it enlighteningto watch and listen to other musiciansplay an instrument I’ve made,” hecontinued next page