I would like to take a moment to thank the Irish Steel Guitar Association for inviting me to their show this year.

I got the chance to see old friends like Roy Heap, Spencer Scott, Gerry and Barbara Hogan and many others that I met when living in England in the 80’s.

I also had the pleasure of meeting my friends from France.

Special thanks to Sue Parkhouse, Maurice Wilson, Paul Brennan and Joe Ryan and the rest of the committee.

Debra and I had a great time.

The band was superb.

I got to hear some very fine playing. It was truly a privilege to be part of this Festival.

Special thanks to Jim Cohen for inviting me to share his set. Jamming Tenor Madness was a blast.

I would also like to thank Jim, François Deville and Percy Robinson for sharing their knowledge at our little seminar on Sunday. Bernard Glorian was kind enough to back me up on a little blues! Merci Bernard!

Merci! Thank you!

Bob

Que dire d’un week-end qui m’a donné l’occasion de faire de grandes retrouvailles et de rencontrer mes petits cousins français. Ma femme Debra a également eu l’occasion de faire de nouvelles connaissances. Nous nous sommes beaucoup amusés.

L’orchestre est formidable. Ce sont des musiciens de très grandes qualités. Ils ont fait preuve d’un professionnalisme hors pair. Je me suis aperçu, dès le premier spectacle samedi soir, que je pouvais interpréter plusieurs styles musicaux sans la moindre anicroche. C’est pourquoi j’ai ajouté les morceaux Minors Aloud et Hold it dimanche soir.

Merci à Patrick de m’avoir communiqué le vocabulaire de la steel utilisé en France et d’avoir affiché les photos.

Merci également à Bernard de m’avoir accompagné lors de notre petit atelier dimanche soir.

Notre petit blues en a séduit plus d’un. J’en suis très reconnaissant.

Lors de l’atelier, j’ai vraiment apprécié les conseils de Jim Cohen, de François Deville et de Percy Robinson. Ce sont d’excellents musiciens qui roulent leur bosse depuis de nombreuses années.

Je tiens à remercier les organisateurs du Irish Steel Guitar Association suivants :

Sue Parkhouse, Maurice Wilson, Paul Brennan, Joe Ryan et Andy Mcquire.

Andy m’a prêté son ampli Webb. Un homme super sympathique! Comme nous, il est un vrai passionné!

J’espère qu’un jour, j’aurai l’occasion de participer à l’une de vos rencontres de steel en France.

J’espère que je pourrai faire appel à vos services à la guitare monsieur Glorian!

Sincères salutations!

Bob

http://alternativ-steel.forumactif.com/evenements-f4/bettystown-2009-t222.htm

Ottawa Blues Festival

Bob has been invited to play
the Ottawa Blues Festival

The official announcement will be made in April.

This will be updated as more infromation is avilable.

Producing the Big Band Tune, “Don’t Fence Me In” for Northern Steel II at Sideman Studio (Left to right) Doug Deveaux, Sean O’Connor, Dave Dunlop, Bob Taillefer, Neal Davis, Paul Grecco, Andy Schick, Sean O’Grady

Jamming with (left to right) Jonathan Candler, The Campbell Brothers, Greg Leiz, Bill Frissell and David Lindley (Ottawa Blues Festival – 2005)

Jamming with the Campbell Brothers
(Ottawa Blues Festival – 2005)

Bob with Clair Abrams at the Steel Guitar Convention 2004 in St Louis.

Lakeland Steel Guitar Show in Florida (2008)
(left to right) Dan Whitaker, Bob T., Joe Wright, Chet Gibson and Ollie Strong

Bob with the Royal Crowns at The Red Hot and Blues Festival in Montréal

Bob with Cindy Cashdollar at the International Steel Guitar Convention in St. Louis

Bob and Lonnie Bennett at the International Steel Guitar Convention in St. Louis

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If the video does not play, try this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nHLWg3qmow

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“Bob Taillefer Y Los Hermanos” lead by Bob Taillefer saw a marked departure in playing style from country influences such as Conway Twitty’s John Hughey to the Latin jazz stylings of Dizzy Gillespie and Mongo Santamaria.

The CD is conceptual in that it is modelled after a live performance, particularly an Afro-Cuban performance where the band shares the spotlight with the percussion section. Bob explains that the Mexican born timbale player on this CD, Enrique Loyola, explained that in live Latin music concerts “conversations” where the percussion section is featured through out the show, are the norm. He emulates this with exciting Afro-Cuban rhythms between the regular repertoire such as Rumba, Guanguanco and some 6/8 rhythms where all three drummers alternate in delivering explosive solos.

The CD opens with Well You Needn’t a Thelonious Monk tune arranged as a Cha Cha Cha with the baritone sax holding down the bottom. At just over 1 minute in length it acts as a perfect opener leaving the listener wanting more and wondering what’s coming next. There are several jazz standards on this CD, such as Blue Bossa and Minors Aloud, each one treated with a Latin percussion and innovative in its arrangement and sonic simplicity. The latter tune a nod to the player that started the entire pedal steel jazz experimentation over 35 years ago, Mr Buddy Emmons. The pedal steel is a treat to hear in this relatively untouched genre of pedalsteellatinjazz.

While the songs written by other composers and covered by Los Hermanos are creative and interesting, perhaps the highlights of this CD are the 2 original tunes penned by Bob’s brother Michel Taillefer, an excellent composer and guitar player in his own right. One straight ahead jazz called Same Time Same Place and the other a Brazilian infused tune with a very memorable melody called Turn Right Here . They allow brother Bob to really explore the full textures and range of the instrument much to the delight of the listener.

Overall this CD very much worth seeking out and buying and I rate it at [ 4/5 Stars ]

Some background to the making of this CD.
Bob explains that he had been playing Bluegrass (he calls it fiddle tunes) and country music for many years in his home town of Orleans, Ontario when on the road in 1977 he heard Buddy Emmons. This was a pivotal moment in Bob’s life; he reminisces “I didn’t even know you could play jazz on this instrument” From then on he never looked at the pedal steel the same way and began experimenting the way Buddy Emmons and other jazz musicians were doing at the time. A short time after that, a fortunate turn of events (two British sisters) saw Bob and his brother Jean move to Manchester, England and promptly land a job at the BBC. His job? Compose music using the pedal steel as the lead instrument and explore every form of folk music from around the world. Hiring the best musicians and budget were rarely a concern and soon there were many hours of original music being used in their programming with the pedal steel being prominently featured. These sessions will soon be released in CD format and so far are aptly being called “The BBC Sessions”.

Bob Taillefer is a prominent member of Steel Guitar Forum and at 7000+ members it seems that this unique and temperamental instrument is not losing popularity. He also receives requests to travel to Pedal Steel Guitar conferences around North America and enjoyed a nice moment when Paul Franklin of Dire Straits invited him to play and complimented him on the boldness of the new CD.

Vince Maccarone
Humber Music News

Jazz Room – Scotty’s Convention in St Louis (2006) (left to right) Bob T., Jim Stahlhut, Kyle Honeycutt and Bob DeBoo

Vous connaissez la boutade? On dit de la guitare pedal steel qu’elle est employée pour nous rappeler, langoureux larmoiements à l’appui, que nous sommes en présence d’une chanson country. C’est peut-être vrai à Nashville, mais il s’agit là d’une vision trompeuse: que ce soit dans la musique hawaïenne (dès les années 1920-30), le western swing (à la Bob Wills) ou encore le sacred steel (veine ultra-jouissive du gospel afro-américain), cela fait des lustres que l’instrument a fait preuve de sa polyvalence.

Avec Bob Taillefer comme évangéliste, le pedal steel poursuit son œuvre œcuménique en investissant le créneau du jazz latin, grâce à Bob Taillefer Y Los Hermanos (autoproduction).

Mais le virtuose originaire d’Ottawa, qui a élu domicile à Oshawa (et qu’on a pu entendre aux côtés de Serge Monette et de Philippe Flahaut) n’est pas du genre à métisser pour métisser.

Hormis la juxtaposition d’instruments (steel, percus et section rythmique cubaine, pour l’essentiel), Bob Taillefer Y Los Hermanos s’en tient aux paramètres d’un jazz latin aussi conventionnel que convivial, qui se savoure tel un mojito bien frais au bord de la piscine.

Un léger bémol, pourtant: si l’on exclut quatre interludes de percussions, cette nouvelle galette frôle à peine la barre des 28 minutes.

Avec des musiciens du calibre d’André Roy (à la guitare) et Sean O’Connor (au saxo), l’ami Bob aurait pu en profiter pour poser sa griffe à quelques classiques du répertoire afro-cubain et s’imposer, pourquoi pas, comme le Chico O’Farrill du pedal steel.

Dominique Denis

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