Otis Taylor

Otis Taylor

My World Is Gone

Telarc

“My world is gone,” Indigenous frontman Mato Nanji once told local bluesman Otis Taylor, in reference to his people, the Nakota Nation. The heaviness of those four words inspired Taylor to make this album, which, for the most part, deals with Native American culture and history. Taylor digs into his trademark trance blues on cuts like “Lost My Horse,” the unhurried, John Lee Hooker-esque “The Wind Comes In,” and “Never Been to the Reservation,” all of which feature outstanding guitar work from Nanji, who plays on six of the album’s songs. The title track, one of the many on which Nanji also contributes vocals, is more of a deep, soulful affair, while “Jae Jae Waltz” is a relaxed, banjo-driven number featuring trumpeter Ron Miles.