Velvety-voiced RUSSELL TAYLOR combines all the elements of himself on his inspired debut record
By Etan Rosenbloom
 |
Russell Taylor |
|
Graced with an effortlessly smooth set of pipes and an exceptional debut album that harks back to the classic soul of the 70s, Russell Taylor is one of the freshest voices to emerge from the soul mecca of Philadelphia in recent years. Playback sat down with the charismatic singer-songwriter to talk about the creative spirit and the advantages of taking the independent route.
How would you describe your approach to songwriting?
I approach songwriting with performance in mind. I imagine all the instrumentation, what type of vibe the crowd will get from the song, from the words, from the melodies and the arrangement. I always keep in mind that the end goal is going to be performing it in front of a live audience.
Does your connection to the music that you write change over time?
It has to. In order for me to keep it fresh, I have to find a different connection to it. Every time I perform the title track of my record Somewhere in Between, I've had to relate it to different experiences to make it real for myself. And it also involves the audience - sometimes you go for different crowds. For instance I've done shows with Mint Condition and Tamia, and that audience generally knows a lot about music. So the music can be a little bit more complicated, and they'll appreciate it. Flipping to the other side, when you play for a pop radio-type crowd, they are less flexible and they want form and a little more structure to the performance.
You've worked with some of the most talented names in contemporary soul - Mary J. Blige, Eric Roberson, Lalah Hathaway. How have they influenced you?
Eric Roberson is like a big brother, and his creative and business acumen inspire me to have faith in my music, even if I don't have the validation of a major record label. Lalah Hathaway is an amazingly emotive performer, and just watching how she connects with her music and in turn with the audience is a gift. You know Mary � the raw energy she has when she performs. I'm a musician and a technician, but Mary reminds me that sometimes it's not important how perfect the songs are, more about how real the experience is. I'm definitely a sum of all of my parts, and I don't limit myself just to R&B and soul. There is no limitation; you can gain or learn something from everything.
Somewhere in Between tackles spirituality, emotional connections, social commentary. Are these different facets of the same impulse?
When you're riding on the train in the afternoon, you see people from different neighborhoods, with different objectives and different things on their minds. I take it all in, keep a journal everyday where I write down my feelings, thoughts, observations. So the spiritual, the love, the anger � I'm a culmination of all of it. It's hard to separate my spirituality, even when I'm in party mode.
What was it like recording Somewhere in Between on an independent budget?
I'm glad that I did this record independently because it taught me a lot about the entire process, the contracts, the marketing and PR, even so far as distribution and licensing and international markets. There's so much involved that people don't know unless they take this route. And I'm able to take all the lessons I learned and repair the mistakes I made for the next record.
Is your understanding of the business side at odds with your creative spirit?
Sometimes folks are not as open to working with the actual artist for whatever reason. So yeah, right now I have experienced some places where the creative part of Russell and the business part of Russell are at odds. But it's coming to the point where I have to start relinquishing the control I have on the business end so I can concentrate more on the creative end.
What can we expect from Russell Taylor in the near future?
I have a music video playing on BET-J for "To Be Loved," the first single from Somewhere in Between. I'm working with a couple of industry executives now that like the record. I'm writing for some other artists now that are on the scene, and I'm working on a limited 5-song EP for the summer, then I'm looking at a February 2008 release for my next record. In the meantime, I'm pushin' and performing all over the U.S. and abroad to support my music. And I believe in the endeavors of all independent artists � Eric Roberson, Peter Hadar, St. Juste, Gordon Chambers, Sy Smith � all of us have something to be heard. The more I push, the more I grind, the more I represent for our cause.
