By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Taj Farrant was just hanging out at home in the backyard around the fire when a live version of “Comfortably Numb” started playing.
He declared he wanted to learn to play that guitar solo.
He’d only just gotten his first guitar for his birthday, but he set about mastering the solo.
And he did.
He was 7 years old.
His father, Brandin Farrant, wanted to share it with his family, so he put a YouTube video of it up on Facebook.
The image of a 7-year-old, with a smile that revealed a gap where he’d lost a baby tooth, wielding a guitar like a pint-size David Gilmour was irresistible. It went viral.
What followed was an appearance on “Ellen” and a gig with Michael Jackson’s guitarist and fellow Australian Orianthi. Through her, he met Carlos Santana, who as her mentor. And as he’d done for a teenaged Orianthi, the guitar legend invited Taj on stage to perform with him.
Now 13, Taj, and his family, split their time between Australia and the United States.
On Saturday, March 11, Taj will perform at Howard’s Club H. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the show at 7 p.m. Admission is $35. Click for tickets.
This North American swing, the Nothing But the Blues tour, will move on from Ohio through Missouri and into the heartland of the blues with shows in Arkansas ending up at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) convention in California.
Taj will be performing with the Missouri blues band Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice.
Brandin Farrant said early on in Australia they tried to put together bands of other musical prodigies, but they couldn’t find youngsters who could keep pace with Taj.
On this tour, Taj will be joined for a half-dozen songs by his 12-year-old sister Jazel on drums. “She can keep up with him because they live together and play together all the time,” their father said, so she’s in synch with his virtuosity.
Taj’s musical journey started on his father’s shoulders. They were at an AC/DC concert, and Taj was perched on his father, so he got a good look at frontman Angus Young emerging from the ground.
That right there made an impression on him, Taj said. Then Young started playing guitar.
“It must be pretty hard to play like that and I just wanted to try to learn,” Taj said. “I want to do this for the rest of my life.”
For his next birthday his parents and grandparents pitched in to get him a good quality Ibanez Prestige. He now has upgraded his instrument, but that guitar still goes on tour with him. He has all the stars he plays sign it. Other artists including Santana have also contributed to his growing guitar collection. The proceeds from this tour will go to buying a Gibson Custom 355 – the same model as B.B. King’s “Lucille.”
At first , Taj took a few lessons, but his father then assumed the role of instructor. Brandin Farrant is a drummer, but he started learning guitar so he could teach his son. What he learned in the afternoon, he’d pass on to his son when he got home from school.
Now Taj picks up tips from some of the greats.
His father has made videos of his playing all along as part of Taj’s instruction. This way he could listen back and analyze what he needed to improve on.
Those videos though became the conduit for sharing Taj’s talents with the world.
While COVID put a crimp into live performances, Taj said it was good for him.
He holed up at home in Australia and practiced and started to hone his singing chops.
He continued to post a weekly video.
He’s now working on the demos for his first album at their family’s home studio.
He’s back on the road. After this American swing, there’s a European tour planned.
Brandin Farrant said they hope to get buy their own tour bus soon for traveling around the United States.
His parents are both highly regarded tattoo artists who can schedule their work around Taj’s touring schedule.
Brandin Farrant has as high praise for his wife’s artistry as for his son’s. Opening his shirt, he displays the photographic tattoo she made for him of Taj in full swing on stage.
Taj said he doesn’t suffer from stage fright. He admitted the one time he had a touch of nerves was when he joined Rob Thomas on stage in front of an audience of 40,000. But that’s the size crowd he wants to attract. “Moving on from here,” he said. “I want to be able to play to as many people as I can. The goal is just to make people happy with what I do.”
