"The obvious impetus for playing fingerstyle guitar is the ability to combine bass lines, chords and melody simultaneously, effectively creating the impression of several musicians playing together. But unless you've already heard Martin Taylor, you've never experienced it quite like this. In Martin's playing, the three elements are so well integrated that the music transcends the technique. But you won't miss the details of his touch. Tight left-hand positions move with the precision of a servomotor; each digit appearing to have a mind of its own, but playing in perfect harmony with the others. Arrangements fly off his fingers in such a seemingly effortless manner that they create the illusion of accessibility." – Fingerstyle Guitar

Martin Taylor has been playing guitar for as long as he can remember, ever since his father gave him his first instrument at the age of four. It was to be the start of a career which has delighted audiences worldwide and drawn critical acclaim from some of the world's finest musicians. Chet Atkins, Barney Kessel, John Williams, Joe Pass, Stephane Grappelli, Toots Thielmans, Yehudi Menuhin, David Grisman, Bill Wyman are just some of the musicians who have collaborated with Martin. In this 75 minute concert, recorded at the Manchester Craftmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, PA, Martin explores all the facets of his dynamic solo playing.

Titles include: Georgia, I Got Rhythm, Can't Take That Away From Me, In A Mellow Tone, Why Did I Choose You, The Dolphin, Medley: Dixie/Old Man River, Sweet Lorraine, Stella By Starlight, Lulu's Back In Town, I Remember Clifford and Taking A Chance On Love.

Running Time: 75 minutes

Review: For those of you who are acquainted with Martin Taylor only through his CD’s, this video will be a treat for you. I’ve seen Martin perform for the past few years at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in Nashville, as well as at NAMM shows, and he never ceases to amaze me. Martin has the uncanny ability to combine bass lines, melody and chords and make it appear easy to do. You’ll swear he has about 15 fingers working the strings.

In this 75 minute video, recorded at a concert at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh, PA, Martin plays his Yamaha archtop. He works his way through thirteen tunes including such gems as “Georgia” (probably the best version I’ve heard), the showstopper “I’ve Got Rhythm,” “Stella By Starlight,” “Can’t Take That Away From Me” and a swinging version of the rarely performed “Lulu’s Back In Town.”

What makes this video especially interesting to me is that he takes a break between tunes to discuss each one and his approach to playing, while demonstrating some of them on a Stromberg. Sit back, relax and enjoy. This one is a winner! – Just Jazz Guitar