The Sky and Ocean Aren’t the Only Way to See Inspiring Blues in Laguna in 2024

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center has stepped up to preserve one of America’s most powerful and influential art forms, by providing a memorable OC haven for national touring blues legends.

The LBCAC offers its intimate listening room, stellar acoustics, state-of-the-art sound system and a host town recognized as one of the nation’s leading arts-centric resort destinations.

Born to Play Guitar

With shows that sell out all over the world, Melvin Taylor is one of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock, blues, and jazz. He is often referred to as a guitar players guitarist. 

This self taught master was influenced by many of history's true guitar pioneers including - Albert King, Jimmy Reed, Wes Montgomery, and Jimi Hendrix. He has appeared on the same ticket with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana, George Benson, Buddy Guy, and BB King.

Melvin Taylor was born in 1959 in Jackson, Mississippi. His musical roots however have always been in Chicago, where he moved with his family when he was 3 years old. The proverbial musical prodigy, started playing guitar at age 6. Melvin was influenced and inspired by some of the world’s greatest blues players, many of whom lived in or near his Chicago neighborhood.

By the age of twelve, he was working in clubs. He taught himself slide playing, finger-picking, and flat-picking styles from listening to his favorite artists. By the time he was a teenager, Melvin’s incredible ability and unique style was already grabbing attention on Maxwell Street. In 1980, he joined veterans Pinetop Perkins, and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith of the Muddy Waters Band to form the Legendary Blues Band and tour Europe. Melvin made an immediate impact on the European circuit, and while in France, he cut his first two albums - Blues on the Run(1982), and Plays the Blues for You (1984).

Following his return to the US, Melvin recorded four additional CD’s for Evidence Music - Bang That Bell (1999), Dirty Pool (2002), Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band (2003), and Rendezvous With the Blues (2004).

"One of the most exhilarating blues guitarists to emerge in the past decade is more a blues innovator than a purist, mixing jazz chords and rock influences into his tapestry of electric blues."

-Rolling Stone Magazine

"A volcanic guitarist the sort of virtuosity that drags an audience into a world of risks and chances and excitement."

-The New York Times

For more information, go to www.MelvinTaylor.com

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center, located at 235 Forest Avenue in Laguna Beach, upstairs. Right next door to The Candy Baron

Check out our calendar at

www.LBCulturalArtsCenter.org

LBCAC has installed a Patriot Air Purification System to ensure

a virus free environment. www.patriotairsystems.com

Grant funding was made possible by the lodging establishments

and the City of Laguna Beach.