Dennis Taylor :: Dayspring

taylorThe Minnesota-based Grass-Tops Recordings has earned the love of guitar soli devotees over the past few years thanks to its stellar reissues of some of Robbie Basho’s hard-to-find masterpieces, as well as new works by talented players like Chrisopher Bruhn, Kyle Fosburgh and Mariano Rodriguez. For their latest effort, they’re shining a well-deserved light on a mostly unknown early 1980s LP by solo acoustic guitarist Dennis Taylor. Originally slated for release on Windham Hill, but ultimately self-released, Dayspring is an elegant, subtle gem that can sit comfortably next to albums by Richard Crandell, William Ackerman and even Basho himself.

Pristinely recorded, Taylor’s expert fingerpicking dazzles and delights throughout, whether he’s casually rambling through “Bicycle Country,” or tearing through the speedy “Going Nowhere Fast,” playing runs that might make even Leo Kottke pause. As its title suggests, this album is the perfect spring soundtrack.   words / t wilcox

Dennis Taylor :: Bicycle Town

2 thoughts on “Dennis Taylor :: Dayspring

  1. “playing runs that might make even Leo Kottke pause” – come on! It’s a nice little album for sure, but it’s no where in the Kottke’s dazzling musical league, and nothing like the out there imaginative range of Robbie Basho.

  2. Thank you for your comment, James. While I certainly appreciate Tyler’s enthusiasm for my music, I would never try to place myself in the league of those masters and musical heroes of mine. I was simply trying to write some songs that would be as fun for people to listen to, as they were for me to play…and hopefully in the process, to touch on a range of moods, that would connect emotionally in some way with the listener’s sensibilies. I truly do appreciate you saying “it’s a nice little album for sure”. That’s the kind of coment I can enjoy and feel very comfortable with. dt

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