Woman's Gotta Have It
Filmed at The Workplay Theater in Birmingham, AL 9-26-09 with Ona Watson.
Song available on Taylor's new album, The Distance.
On sale now! Pick your copy today!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Masterclass Expert Gives A Thumbs Up To Taylor Hicks!

We all know that Taylor has great chops, but it's always a nice read when a 'pro' gives their reinforcement nods. This is the case when the 'masterclass lady 'gave him a thumbs up on his recent performance of Billy Joel's New York State of Mind.

She says, "I found this Taylor Hicks video while exploring other video sites and thought that it did merit a blog topic. He performs an excellent version of Billy Joel’s “New York State Of Mind.”

Now, Taylor Hicks bluesy style may not appeal to all the listeners, but I loved it. However, what I loved even more so was his phenomenal vocal artistry. Additionally, his voice sounded extremely focused and resonant - check out the circular mouth and relaxed jaw and you will get what I mean.

He focuses and projects his voice so well, highlighting the progression of his technical skills. Hopefully, this will be an ongoing presence in his future performances, as it will certainly stimulate him to increase the dynamic possibilities of his vocal gifts.

I loved when he mentioned the “circular breathing” element in reference to his saxaphonist - looks like Taylor is becoming very astute in the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing.


Go take a walk over there and give her a few kudos for taking the time to bring this magnificant performance a spotlight on her blog. It's nice to see the world is seeing what his fans have known for a long time - that Taylor Hicks is a force to be recogned with in the world of music and entertainment.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is a link to another article she wrote back in May of 2006. It is awesome. She picked Taylor to win AI 5 before she even heard him sing. She saw a picture of him pre-idol, and thought he looked like a young Elvis. Anyway here is the link... read and enjoy!
http://www.timminsyouthsingers.com/TaylorHicksAmericanIdol.ivnu

Anonymous said...

I loved being reminded of that old article. She is so right about the achingly intense artistry of Taylor. NYSofM shows the range and resonance of his voice and how it can soar given the right material. And yet, he still seems self conscious and a bit shy sitting on that stool while he awes us with his voice.

cypfan