St. Andrew’s Church, Grinton. 2 June 2024. Swaledale Festival.
Framed by a grand archway lit in blue and purple, it took only a few notes from guitarist Martin Taylor, playing solo, to have the crowd under his spell.
Opening with Neal Hefti’s Girl Talk, the guitar legend’s calm, self-effacing presence coupled with his lush and complex sound had a palpable effect on the audience, drawing in every listener before finally pausing to introduce himself.
Returning to the Swaledale Festival for the first time since the pandemic, Taylor made sure to satisfy the Yorkshire locals, gushing over the beauty of the setting and the privilege of being back in ‘God’s own country’.
Just a year after celebrating his 50th year as a professional musician – or as he put it, “50 years without a proper job” – the roll call of musicians that pepper his anecdotes is unsurprisingly star-studded, from Chet Atkins to Stéphane Grappelli, mentioning each with genuine warmth and reverence for their influence and friendship.
Among the best things about watching an artist with five decades of experience is the unpretentious joy that radiates from every note. Seamlessly moving from incidental chat to eye-wateringly intricate arrangements, Taylor has the easy confidence of someone who knows how to please an audience, performing just as much for his own enjoyment as anyone else’s.
Though his virtuosic dancing fingers bring new magic to standards like They Can’t Take That Away From Me and Georgia on My Mind, the real gems of the night included an achingly romantic arrangement of Hymne à l’Amour, and a gentle, luscious rendition of Hushabye Mountain, both pulling an audible sigh of satisfaction from the audience.
Joined on stage for three numbers by old friend and festival director Malcolm Creese, the conversational improvisation between guitar and double bass added another level of colour and playful variety to the evening. Completely unrehearsed and obviously loving every minute, the pair bounced off each other, taking it in turns to showcase the breadth of tone, dynamic and rhythm their instruments could offer.
Bringing the night to a close with a fizzy, vibrant piece inspired by the Caribbean, somehow making his Fibonacci guitar sound like steel pans, the whole evening was a masterclass in style and musicality. From blues and bossa nova, to Calypso rhythms and a hint of Nashville, Taylor keeps you on your toes at every turn. The unspoken theme: “think you’ve seen everything I can do? Think again.”
Kate Relton is a freelance journalist specialising in music and the arts based in North Yorkshire
Martin Taylor and Alison Burns’s album Songs for Nature has just been released on 5 June on P3
