Melany Denyse Melany Universe

Danish multi-instrumentalist Robin Taylor has many outlets for his musical visions, one being his Taylor's Universe band. This group plays a more melodic and progressive style than his highly avant-garde/free jazz ensemble Taylor's Free Universe. With him on this project is sax legend Karsten Vogel, drummer Rasmus Grosell, flute/trombone/sax player Kim Menzer, guitarist Henning Plannthin, Jan Marsfeldt on keyboards, and Jytte Lindgerg on vocals. Taylor himself handles all sorts of instruments, like guitar, bass, keyboards, loops, and percussion. Experimental Health contains some very solid material, and in spots you will hear the band rocking out more than normal, yet there is also some very good jazz and fusion material here as well. Overall, this is a very enjoyable release from a batch of musicians that are helping to keep the spirit of avant-garde music alive, and doing a great job of it.

Perhaps the busiest man in progressive music, multi-instrumentalist/composer Robin Taylor is here with another release from his outfit Taylor's Universe, this one titled Evidence. Joined by longtime bandmate Karsten Vogel (sax, clarinet), the group also features Klaus Thrane (drums), Claus Bøhling ( guitars), and Thomas Thor Viderø Ulstrup (synthesizer), with Taylor contributing guitars, keyboards, bass, flute, and percussion, and guest vocalist Louise Nipper on one track. Though there are only four songs here on Evidence , you get over 40-minutes of material, so that's a lot of bang for your buck. The music is squarely in the instrumental prog-rock/jazz-fusion mold, the songs lengthy and expansive, allowing for plenty of atmosphere as well as dazzling solos…

Worn out? Anything but! For years Robin Taylor has been leading his bands to new vistas, be they of the more traditional symphonic and melodic prog variety (Taylor’s Universe), or the more challenging and jazz oriented Taylor’s Free Universe. Taylor is primarily a guitarist, though here he covers bass and keys as well; but as the composer of five of the six tracks here, and arranger of all, it’s worth mentioning that he doesn’t write like a guitarist - that is to say he doesn’t write in a way that puts his guitar front and center in every song. More of a consummate composer in every sense, along the lines of Pekka Pohjola or similar artists who have a wider vision than simply showcasing their playing with other musicians supporting; that’s not his way…