- www.paultaylor.ws - email:[email protected] - P.O. Box 1427 Laramie, WY 82073 - 307.721.8853 CD Reviews The Walkabout The JourneyWalkaboutJourney ofof Paul Taylor by Tim Van Schmidt a social worker. Instead, he toured The result is Taylor's debut CD England, Scotland, and Wales as a cir- release, Walkabout. The album features cus clown. He also began training as an compositions based around the record- actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic ings from several Fort Collins perform- Art in London, which served him well ances dubbed the "Neo-Beatnik when he returned to Australia to work as Happenings." These events, held at var- an actor in regional theaters. ious times over the last three years at Then, another life-changing event Avogadro's Number and Bar Bazaar, occurred. Taylor was hired to take actor brought Taylor together with local musi- Bobby Bridger- a relative of famed cians in a spontaneous combustion of mountain man Jim Bridger- on a tour of creativity. Taylor and the musicians, the Australian outback. Bridger was including such talents as Pamela performing a one-man mountain man Robinson, Steve Amedee, Lloyd Drust, show and in the process of the tour, two fingers, Marc Sabatella, and many Bridger and Taylor became friends. more- became a make-shift orchestra to Bridger invited Taylor to come back back local poets who volunteered to with him to the United States to join his read. performing troupe and in 1990, that's "With the Happenings, we tried to exactly what Taylor did. To his surprise, create a genuine play situation and it he was received with open arms, espe- became a strong basis for the album," Paul Taylor storyteller, musician, traveler cially when showcasing the didjeridoo. Taylor said. That included NPR, who gave But more, Walkabout also features hen storyteller, musician, and Taylor a 45-minute spot to represent his music Taylor and Hopkins recorded on traveler Paul Taylor was a country in stories. That performance trips to the Navajo reservation, where W young man growing up in the became his first recording, titled, jamming on didjeridoo, horse trailers, south of Australia, he had no intention of Matilda and the Dream Time. One half and glass bottles turned into stunning becoming an artist. He lived in the sub- of the album featured stories from the tracks on the album. Hopkins and local urbs of Adelaide and graduated at the age aboriginal tradition of stories called the guitarist and composer Jerry Palmer took of 21 with a degree in social work. "dream time." The other half was devot- this material and recordings from the Taylor got a job working in Darwin, in ed to "bush ballads," or, as Americans Happenings and helped Taylor create an the tropical northern part of Australia, would label them, cowboy poetry. He album full of surprising, playful, and which became, for him, "a life changing not only recorded them, but he was also even magical sounds. The music strikes event." performing them. He went back to a powerful "human chord" while being "The job got me into contact with Australia and when he came back in undeniably danceable. aboriginal people and introduced me to 1992, he obtained a work visa and began To celebrate the release of the the music of didjerdoo. It also was an his long journey of traveling around album, Taylor has scheduled a introduction to a totally different view of America, celebrating Australian culture. "Walkabout Happening" for Jan. 15 at the world and the arts. I was never the Taylor made his home base in Avogadro's. The event will feature a per- same again," Taylor remembered in a Laramie, which he found to be very sim- formance by Taylor, spoken words group recent phone interview from his home in ilar to Australia's outback. In the TVS & two fingers and another free-for- Laramie. process of his travel elsewhere, Taylor all jam between select musicians and Taylor discovered that the aboriginal made plenty of new friends- including local poets. philosophy of life looked at painting, the cadre of musicians in Fort Collins Meanwhile, Taylor has already been singing, and storytelling not as art, but as that would deeply affect his recorded working on the next artistic step in his a part of every day life. While this made work. Especially through KIVA record- amazing personal journey- commis- a deep impact on Taylor, it wasn't until he ing studio operator Russ Hopkins, sioned pieces for didjeridoo and orches- traveled to England- on a "classic Taylor found kindred spirits who under- tra. Australian" journey to retrace his roots- stood the true meaning of "playing" that he realized he no longer wanted to be music. SCENE 7 MAGAZINE - www.paultaylor.ws - email:[email protected] - P.O. Box 1427 Laramie, WY 82073 - 307.721.8853 CD Reviews Walkabout Walkabout is the product of the neo-beatnik "Happenings" in "Stomp," get this CD and enlighten yourself about true sound the Fort Collins, Colorado area. You have never heard anything art! It is a top-of-the-lineproduction and will make your life like this CD! It is a brand new listening experience that will total- much brighter! Order your copy today. ly fascinate you. Be sure to read the inside of the cover for the details on recording dates and how the pieces were composed. Written by Alicia karen Elkins There are stories, poetry, sound art, and a diversity of musical Rambles instruments that will blow you away! There are also non-musical items, such as beer bottles and a horse trailer, that are transformed into musical accompaniments. The layering on this CD is absolutely otherworldly! To get the full effect, turn off the lights and quiet yourself in a relaxed snapshot position. Then start the CD playing and close your eyes. You will CD be drawn so deeply into the songs and tunes that you will com- Paul Taylor, 'Walkabout' pletely forget the world around you. Each time you listen to this CD, you will discover sometime new. The louder you play it, the The Front Range and the Australian Outback may seem more parts you discover. worlds apart, if your perspective is based on a map. But Paul This CD is impossible to classify as anything except world "Walking Stick" Taylor, an Australian storyteller and didjeri- music. "Humma" features the Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra, doo player, is making a case that the American West and "Tunas Makar" of Denver with flute by Pak Made Lasmawan and Australian Outback aren't that far removed. poetry by Gina Lalli. "Baba Ghanouj" and "Grand Pageant" were His CD "Walkabout" is a tribute to Taylor's recent travels composed for the production of "Midsummer Night's Dream" by in the United States and how they have influenced his music. OpenStage Theatre & Company. The story, "Trevor the Tulip," Taylor came to the United States in 1990 to perform with was written by five-year-old Cassius Rorke-Wickins. "The Good, Bobby Bridger in "Ballad of the West," which Bridger per- The Bad, & The Daffy" features what the CD cover refers to as formed throughout Wyoming in recent years. Having enjoyed "Appalachian breathing technique." We Southerners refer to it as the trip, Taylor returned to the states in 1992 to start an exten- "hambone." "Straight Native" has fourteen-year-old Navajo JR sive exploration of the country. He's settled in Laramie, which Bia rapping out a message that all should hear. Taylor considers the heart of the The talent on Walkabout is amazing. In addition to the ones American outback, but has grown already mentioned, it includes: the Red Mesa Ramblers from musical roots in Fort Collins. Tsakurshovi on the Hopi Reservation, Mangala Tiwari on vocals, Russ Hopkins recorded Andrew and JR Bia on vocals, Ron Close on didjeridoo, Pamela "Walkabout" at his Fort Collins stu- Robinson on baritone sax, Peter Knudson on percussion, Rod dio, Kiva Records; it also features Garnett on flute, Marty Rein on bass guitar, Mark Rosoff on a performances recorded at bunt pan, and Paul Taylor, Russ Hopkins, and Jerry Palmer being Avogadro's Number. Local artists multi-talented from beginning to end. They jointly produced this such as Hopkins, Jerry Palmer, piece. It includes the following groups and bands: TVS & Two Pamela Robinson and TVS and two Fingers, Happening I Band, Happening II Band, and Happening fingers appear on the CD. III Band. There is a special excerpt of the story, "Clancy of the Taylor's didjeridoo - an ancient Aboriginal musical instru- Overflow," by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson. ment, generally a tree branch hollowed by termites - is at the You will not be able to pick just one of these pieces as a heart of the recording. But Taylor and his guest musicians favorite. I am so torn between "Frogs" and "Bottles," although the seamlessly blend their different styles into a unique mix of massive layering just thrills me throughout this CD. "Frogs" com- world music. bines water sounds, whistling, Native American chanting, singing, Taylor will appear at the "Fifth Neo Beatnik Happening" at and turtle shell dancing in the background, with didjeridoo frog 8p.m. Saturday at Avogadro's Number, 605 S. Mason. sounds. I distinctly hear the frog say: "Checking on the food." Appearing with Taylor will be Hopkins, Palmer, Robinson, "Bottles" is the one with the beer bottle tune, of Lloyd Drust and TVS & two fingers. Admission is free. course. It fascinates and thrills me to no end. But so does "Horse "Walkabout" is available by calling (307)721-8853. Trailer," where they banged out the percussion sounds on Andrew Bia's horse trailer and then added the didjeridoo later.