Larry grew up in a house full of blues. His stepfather Eddie Taylor Sr. (that steady boogie guitar behind many blues greats including Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker and Elmore James) and his mother, singer Vera Hill Taylor, both migrated to Chicago from Mississippi. They ended up moving their eight children many times around the city, sometimes living in dangerous housing projects.

But also, born in 1955 and growing up in a blues family, Larry experienced “things that kings and queens will never know about” (to quote one of his favorite tunes, JB Oden’s “Going Down Slow”, as sung by his hero, the late Howlin’ Wolf.). At 1131 S. Mozart Street off Roosevelt Road, his parents played host to the Wolf, who used to eat plates full of Vera’s home cooked greens. Other blues guys happened by their house--Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Sunnyland Slim.

As Larry picked up drumsticks in his five year old hands, he was coached by Howlin’ Wolf’s drummers: Cassell Burrows, S.P. Leary, Chicken House Shorty, “Wine Head Willie” Williams. Larry then taught his brother Tim to play drums. Younger brother Eddie would follow in his father’s footsteps with electric guitar. As a teen, Larry also picked up on the sounds of soul, funk and doo-wop singers like Wilson Pickett, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, George Clinton, and the Chi-Lites, the Intruders, Stylistics and Dramatics.

For the next 30 years, Larry drummed and sang professionally behind blues stars and soul such as Carey and Lurie Bell, Big Walter Horton, Syl Johnson, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Jimmy Rogers, and of course Eddie Taylor Sr. Larry toured Europe in 1977 with Willie Dixon’s “New Generation of Chicago Blues,” just as the Berlin Wall was starting to be torn down.

Larry’s debut vocal CD, They Were in This House, on his own AV label in 2004, pays tribute to Wolf and other blues elders who visited the house. David Whiteis wrote in Chicago Reader: “Taylor revels in the aggression and unbridled sensuality that infuses classic R&B and soul.” Tom Hyslop wrote in Blues Revue: “Taylor’s vocals are confident, soulful and intense; he could front any band on his microphone presence alone.”

As Sage Jupiter and the Universal band, Larry’s impeccable rhythm and heartfelt melodies are spinning folks of all ages onto the dance floor in a dizzying mix of James Brown funk, gutbucket Howlin’ Wolf, Johnnie Taylor soul standards, and 21st century Old School originals.

Larry Taylor Hill, also known as Bilal Muhammad al Shabazz, aims to practice his music profession with faith and integrity. By giving family-oriented shows in parks, churches, colleges, and community centers, Larry aims to bridge the generations and shine the light on the under-recognized talents of fellow African American musicians on Chicago’s West Side and in cities where he tours.

In addition to his five-to-seven piece band, he’s also available as a guest singer with other bands, and a speaker about seven generations of African-American music.

LARRY TAYLOR HILL has performed at…the Wang Dang Doodle Fest in Vicksburg, sponsored by the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame; in Chicago at the Blues Fest, House of Blues, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Kingston Mines, Bill’s Blues, Bossmans; Maximum Blues (Quebec province, Canada), Chicago Parks, Illinois Central Blues in Springfield IL. and many other venues.

DISCOGRAPHY:

Larry Taylor: They Were in This House, 2004, AV Records (all vocals; drums)

Delmark: 50 Years of Jazz and Blues, Delmark Records, 2003

Chicago Best of West and South Side Singers Vol. 2, Wolf Records 2004, 3 vocals; Singers Vol. 1, Wolf Records LP 1987, vocals

Eddie Taylor Jr. Wolf Records albums Worried About My Baby, 2003, 1 vocal and drums; Lookin’ for Trouble, 2001, drums and 1 vocal; Mind Games, 2006, drums.

Vera Taylor, You Better Be Careful, Wolf Records 2000, drums

Eddie Burns, Snake Eyes, Delmark Records 2002, drums

Jimmy Burns, Back to the Delta, Delmark Records 2003, drums

Johnny B. Moore, Born in Clarksdale Mississippi, Wolf Records 2002, drums

Eddie Taylor Sr and Vera Taylor, I Found Out, Wolf Records LP 1983, drums

A.C. Reed, Ice Cube Records, President Plays the Saxophone, drums