With a sound steeped in the sunlit tones of Laurel Canyon, the mid 60's pop and R&B of the Brill Building, and the lo-fi synths of early prog rock, Oakland resident Steve Taylor makes heartfelt soul music that pushes the envelope of the singer/songwriter genre. A multi-instrumentalist with a surprisingly diverse background, including stints in black gospel churches, avant-garde psych-rock bands, and now as the keyboardist in Brushfire Records band Rogue Wave; he layers vintage organs, pianos, analog synthesizers, and dead drums, creating a sound that's both modern and thoroughly informed by 70's AM rock.
His new album "Has the Size of the Road Got the Better of You?" was recorded by the likes of Aaron Prellwitz (Neil Young and Crazy Horse) and Jay Pellicci (Deerhoof), both at home and at the venerable Tiny Telephone Studio in SF. The new record shows the expanded influence of gospel music, something he explored while he was a guitarist and organist (and often the only white person present) in a number of prominent African American congregations. An almost completely solo record, he also invited his friends from New York's math rock via jazz outfit, The Benevento Russo Organ and Drums Duo to guest on the Philly soul revival track "Felicity".
Performing live around the world, including stops at The Hotel Café in LA, The Living Room in NYC, and The Hope & Anchor in London, he has shared stages with members of Wilco, Grandaddy, The Hawkins Singers, Deathcab for Cutie, The Dirty Projectors, and of course, Rogue Wave. In addition to playing in clubs, he can be seen busking up and down the West Coast. Making new fans one by one, many from around the world, he’s sold out of the first run of 1000 copies of "Has The Size of The Road Got The Better of You?". In between tours with Rogue Wave, a new CD is being recorded, entitled "The Land of Milk and Honey". A sparse, moody, acoustic album, it is being prepared for a summer 2010 release.
He can also be found every Tuesday night (when not on tour!) at The Layover leading the Oakland Improv Collective, a group focused on fusing disparate elements such as afrobeat, progressive rock, and free jazz. An offshoot of this project with drummer Daniel Yasmin, The Way, can be seen playing at venues like Jupiter in Berkeley.
