Otis Taylor: My World Is Gone

Roots music visionary Otis Taylor's 13th album, 'My World is Gone' is a lightning bolt of musical creativity and social commentary. His powerful and unique blend of the blues and narrative poetry explores the struggles of Native Americans with contributions from Indigenous frontman/guitar virtuoso Mato Nanji. Its songs crackle with poetic intelligence and a unique, adventurous sound that balances the modern world with echoes of ancient Africa, Appalachia and more. To call Taylor a cutting edge artist is an understatement. Although his music is based in the blues and folk realm, his meticulously crafted recordings crash the barriers of jazz, rock, funk, Americana and myriad other genres to create a hybrid that Taylor labels "trance blues." And that signature style serves as a backbone for his frank tales of struggle, freedom, desire, conflict and, of course, love. The central theme of 'My World is Gone' was fueled by Taylor's friend Mato Nanji, the singer-guitarist and cornerstone of the band Indigenous. "Mato inspired the entire direction of this album," Taylor relates. "We were talking about history backstage at a Jimi Hendrix tribute concert that Mato had just played, and, in reference to his people, the Native American Nakota Nation, he said 'My world is gone.' The simplicity and honesty of those four words was so heavy, I knew what I had to write about." Taylor embarked on a soul-searching journey into the past and present, and into the psyche, of America's indigenous people. With his customary brevity, power and grace, Taylor conveys his stories in intimate detail and uses his rich baritone voice to give his characters breath and humanity.