Singer/songwriter Ben Taylor tempts some of his friends from London to come to the Vineyard for the summer to create and record music. First we see Ben artfully explain to his mother Carly Simon the imminent British invasion and then we follow him as he hosts David Saw, Carrie Tree, Rumor Joyce, Amity Fletcher, Jonathon Quarmby and his family.
Aside from being a gifted musician, Ben Taylor co-owns his own independent record label, Iris Records. Since this episode was shot, Iris Records has released David Saw’s latest CD, “Broken Down Figure”.
Born in New England and raised in North Carolina, Kate Taylor’s dual musical heritage is one she shares with brothers James, Livingston, Hugh, and her late brother Alex. In this episode of “The Vineyard Scene”, Kate talks about spending summers on the island as a child, and brings us back to the Vineyard of the 60s and 70s with stories about the music scene past and present, and about setting up a life on the island.
The Black Brook Singers of the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah on the island of Martha’s Vineyard use Native American musical traditions to create new songs for today.
It is only fitting that David Saw be this week’s Musician of the Week because 1) a couple of our loyal readers suggested him, 2) he is an incredibly talented singer/songwriter and 3) just this week he released a KILLER album “Broken Down Figure” that you’ve GOT to check out.
Don’t be fooled by the title - the work is as uplifting and fun as it is introspective. There is really something for everyone in the thoughtful lyrics, haunting melodies, and toe-tapping, irresistible collection of songs that feel like instant timeless classics. If you choose to download his songs from iTunes, there is no need to cherry-pick tracks. It’s well worth the complete download, as each song is an accomplishment unto itself.
I was privileged to hear this album in its early stages, because my husband and I met David about 3 years ago, when he first arrived on Martha’s Vineyard to work on some musical projects with my cousin, Ben Taylor. Over the years, Ken and I have been filming David recording, performing, and working with Ben as well as Ben’s mom Carly Simon, who is also a fan of David’s music. She even recorded the first song David ever penned on her last album, “Into White”. When you have that level of endorsement, you know you’re on the right track.
The video above is just a small sample of what we shot. We’ll be releasing a DVD of these great moments we’ve captured with David coming soon, so keep your ear to the ground. In the meantime, you can buy Broken Down Figure here.
