Jorgensen Center for the Performing Art
Storrs, Connecticut
February 17, 2023
Joanne Shaw Taylor a wonderfully gifted singer and blues guitar player and her band consisting of Rob McNelley (guitar), Steve Mackey (bass), Jimmy Wallace (keyboards, piano), Nick Buda (drums), treated the audience at the Jorgensen Center for the Perfoming Arts at the UCONN campus in Storrs, CT to a great night of the blues.
Taylor has been up and coming in the blues world and she shined this evening with a 90 minute set of varied tempo tunes. Playing since the age of 16 in front of audiences she has honed her skills and has a wonderful stage presence.
Starting off her career in England she is now touring and making the blues community in America take notice. Taylor sang both older tunes from her beginnings off her first album “White Sugar” that was released in 2009 right up to songs off her newest released album “Nobody’s Fool”.
Taylors voice has a deep but not raspy voice, more of a husky tone that is perfect for the blues. She was well rested and ready for a great entertaining evening as this was her first tour date of her 2023 tour season. The crowd was happy she made this her first stop.
The blues guitar world has in the past been mostly made up of men on guitar but in the last decade or so there are so many women who have smashed that barrier and Joanne Shaw Taylor is one of them. Like Beth Hart, Ana Popovic, Samantha Fish she is of a new generation of blues women who have shaken the roots of what blues guitar playing was most famous which was men on guitar. Sure there have been many women blues singers in the past, even in the far distant past. But Taylor as well as other women have taken on the blues nation with guitar in hand as well as singing the blues and they are making their lasting mark on the music scene.
Not limiting herself to the blues though she also plays a bit of 80’s style material, rock and other music that has shaped her career. She clearly loves being on stage and entertaining an audience. Her and the band played well together and meshed on harmonies effortlessly.
Taylor and the band completed the evening with the encore of the song Mudhoney the audience showed their appreciation of the band’s efforts and a great night of music by Joanne by giving them a rousing standing ovation.
Review by Donna Erichsen
Photos by George Bekris
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Setlist:
Stop Messing Round
I Want You To Love Me
Nobody’s Fool
If You’ve Got To Make A Fool Of Somebody
Can’t You See What You’re Doing To Me
Two Time My Lovin’
Let Me Down Easy
Three Time Loser
Dyin’ To Know
Bad Blood
Won’t Be Fooled Again
Watch ‘Em Burn
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
Just Another Word
Fade Away
Run Away
Bad Love
Going Home
Encore:
Mudhoney