This acoustic blues duo is making big waves. They are not well known quite yet, but it won’t be long.
The acoustic blues duo of Jaisson Taylor on vocals and percussion and Brandon Hudspeth on guitar is a bit unusual, pairing a singer/percussionist with a guitarist. Taylor sings in a rich-toned tenor and keeps the beat, while Hudspeth, a guitarist’s guitarist, accompanies as tastefully as he is technically brilliant. Their combined sound is unique, blending perfectly and complementing each other fittingly. In the long history of blues duos, harmonica-guitar and guitar-guitar duos prevail. This constellation of vocals backed by gentle percussion and refined guitar finesse creates powerful and engrossing blues, just different enough to stand out with instrumental finesse and deep feeling. They have their own sound! There may be just two of them, but they create full sonics of far more. Brandon Hudspeth deserves credit for his exquisite and elegant playing, both on slide and fingerpicking, perfectly supporting Taylors soulful singing.
Guitarist, singer, teacher, and songwriter Brandon Hudspeth was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma and was the guitarist for the band Leveetown, with whom he released nine albums. He has taught guitar lessons for over 25 years and has had quite a career playing with Curtis Salgado, Chuck Rainey, Albert Lee, Tommy Castro, Ana Popovic, Mike Zito, Watermelon Slim, Randy Mcallister, Lazy Lester, Clark Terry, Dustin Arbuckle, RJ Mischo, Chris Duarte, Larry McCray, Louisiana Red, Lee McBee, Albert Castiglia, John Nemeth, Victor Wainwright, Big Bill Morganfield, Mud Morganfield, Bob Margolin, Kenny Neal, Gary Nicholson and many others.
Jaisson H. Taylor, percussionist, singer and teacher is based in Kansas City. He has performed around the world including shows for American troops, NATO allies, and other audiences including concerts in Africa, Europe, North and South America. He has toured with many international acts including B.B. King, Bill Withers, Al Green, Tina Turner, Joe Louis Walker, Charlie Musselwhite, Provine “Little Hatch” and the Houserockers.
The duo’s first collaboration, the album Folie a deux reached #1 on Roots and Blues Radio chart in 2021. Hudspeth & Taylor advanced to the semifinals in the solo/duo competition at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Hudspeth & Taylor received the Blues Music Awards nomination for Emerging Artist, 2021.
Their sophomore album Ridin’ the Blinds takes its name from the old hobo reference to riding the freight cars between the cars. They deliver an even dozen Delta blues covers, all from the annals of the 1930s, most of which are well known to serious pre-War blues fans. The artists claim in their press kit that they “…pay homage and (to an extent) reinvents them at the same time.” To a limited extent perhaps, but they actually stay close to the originals, covering some of the Delta Blues greats.
They deliver hot and authentic covers, starting with Poor Boy, Long Way from Home and Blues in the Bottle. Probably the most obscure song is Otto Virgials Little Girl from Rome. The take on Mississippi Fred McDowell’s famed Write Me a Few of Your Lines. Blind Blake is featured as the duo tackles Police Dog Blues. Mance Lipscom’s Run Sinner Run and Willie Brown’s Lonesome Home Blues kick up some dust. Curtis Jones’ Hard Time Killing Floor Blues is sung in Skip James’ style. Booker White’s Parchman Farm Blues and Muddy Waters I Can’t Be Satisfied make a statement. The album aptly closes with Big Bill Broonzy’s Hey, Hey.
Hudspeth & Taylor have quickly ascended as one of the most exciting blues duos today. According to the artists, Ridin’ the Blinds is supposed to take you “from old time to new.” Maybe so, but surely it will take you to a happy place.