My pride in my children knows no bounds. But, c’mon, you’ve seen Brandon “Tax” Niederauer, right? Hardest working Yale grad on the jam band scene.
For the past decade, I’ve had the privilege to witness this young man evolve into one of the jam scene’s most essential and joyfully welcomed players. There’s a special energy down in the crowd whenever Taz strolls on for a guest appearance. Inevitably, you see people shout into their friends’ ears that they are in for a treat.
I first met him when he almost hit me with a frisbee at Tumbledown 2017. He had just impressed the hell out of me. (Not with the Frisbee. On the Main Stage.) But screw my introduction to Taz, check out Buddy Guys’ first impression.
When I first met his Dad one night at Garcia’s, he was both roadie and merch table vendor. Good dad. Supportive dad. My kind of dad. His mother is a delightfully friendly woman. His brother Dylan is no slouch on the bass.
One last note, just to correct a couple things I’ve heard. Taz is not “the next Hendrix,” or “the future of the jam scene.” My friends, Taz is a monster all this own. Here and now. Annihilating a Hendrix cover is but one of the smaller tools in this craftsman’s chest.
His skills are obvious with a listen, but watch for his real magic… how comfortably he walks onstage with any band and humbly finds his place. And, somehow he seems to make everyone else sound better.
As always, your milage may vary.
Now, go hear him play.