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TAUK

Crossover Prog • United States


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Tauk picture
Tauk biography
Founded in Oyster Bay, NY, USA in 2007

Hailing from the New York metropolitan area, TAUK are a quartet consisting of Matt Jalbert (guitar), Charlie Dolan (bass), Alric "A.C." Carter (keyboards/organ) and Isaac Teel (drums). Their exciting brand of instrumental rock fusion combines influences from funk, jazz, ambient and even hip-hop, and has been honed by a brisk live activity, both in their home region and in other parts of the US.

A very experienced outfit in spite of their young age, Tauk released three studio albums and three live ones (the latter only as digital releases) between 2013 and 2014. Their latest studio effort, "Collisions", helped them land an opening slot on UMPHREY'S MCGEE 2015 US tour.

Raffaella Berry (Raff)

TAUK Videos (YouTube and more)


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TAUK discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

TAUK top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.32 | 12 ratings
Homunculus
2013
3.86 | 14 ratings
Collisions
2014
3.83 | 18 ratings
Sir Nebula
2016
3.68 | 10 ratings
Shapeshifter II - Outbreak
2018
3.40 | 5 ratings
Chaos Companion
2021
3.33 | 3 ratings
Equalizer
2023

TAUK Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

0.00 | 0 ratings
Live at the Electric Haze
2014
5.00 | 1 ratings
Live at Cafe 611
2014
5.00 | 1 ratings
Live at Tyrone Farm
2014
4.00 | 1 ratings
Live at Cosmic Charlie's
2015
4.05 | 2 ratings
Live at Terminal West
2015

TAUK Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

TAUK Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.00 | 1 ratings
Real TAUK, Vol. 1
2018
4.00 | 1 ratings
Real TAUK, Vol. 2
2019
0.00 | 0 ratings
Real TAUK, Vol. 3
2019

TAUK Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

5.00 | 1 ratings
Pull Factors
2013
0.00 | 0 ratings
Premises
2018
0.00 | 0 ratings
Convoy
2018
0.00 | 0 ratings
CMF 9000
2018
3.00 | 4 ratings
Shapeshifter I: Construct
2018
4.00 | 1 ratings
Come On Now
2020
4.00 | 1 ratings
Singles
2020

TAUK Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Homunculus by TAUK album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.32 | 12 ratings

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Homunculus
Tauk Crossover Prog

Review by siLLy puPPy
Special Collaborator PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic

3 stars Formed in Montauk, NY on the extreme eastern tip of Long Island, TAUK was conceived in 2007 by Matt Jalbert (guitar), Charlie Dolan (bass), Alric "A.C." Carter (keyboards/organ) and Isaac Teel (drums) but like many such acts from lightly populated areas moved to the closest metropolitan area which happened to be New York City in order to launch its career. TAUK has been known as a band that is known to defy typical genre categorization but is basically a fusion band of sort but not only drinks from the wellsprings of jazz, prog rock, funk, classic rock, hip hop and ambient but is known to deliver its instrumental tapestries in a rather post-rock fashion.

HOMUNCULUS was the band's debut album that received lots of praise upon its release for its hard-charging melodic fusion of disparate genres that create transcendental emotional connections in pure instrumental form. This album is basically a jammy fusion type of experience without any vocals to be heard. In addition to the four members of the band, Fredo Ortiz offers extra percussion on several tracks. The music is pretty much set to slow creeping tempos to more mid-paced processions and each track stands out from the rest with the tones and timbres providing the commonalities that keep it all connected.

TAUK is an interesting band indeed as it wends and winds its way through the ten compositions on HOMUNCULUS with the spacey opener "Dead Signal" setting the stage of a post-rock sonicscape decorated with jazzy drum rolls, Coltrane-esque chord progressions and occasional guitar antics with the jamming sensibilities of bands like Phish. Starting with the second track "Afro-Tonic" it becomes clear that TAUK is about changing things up and delivers a heavier funky bass groove and more accessible crossover appeal before drifting into the next track "Hello Narwhal" which begins with a metal guitar riff a la Black Sabbath but fortified with jazz chord progressions and Latin percussion.

One strength of this album is the professionally sounding production which was carried out by Robert Carranza of Mars Volta and Jack Johnson fame. While the musicians only craft a slow to simmering sound and never exercise any virtuosic chops at all, much of the album's appeal comes from the warm sounds in the mix as they overlap and provide sonic counterpoints to an otherwise fairly straight forward procession through the musical fields. While the album has a rather dream feel for most of its run, once in a while it does rock out a bit such as on the closing "In The Basement Of The Alamo," however these moments are fleeting and the album predominantly hums along in smooth jazz mode with spaced out atmospheres and post-rock percussive drive.

If you are in love with some of the slower paced jazz-fusion records of the past such as those by Nucleus or similar artists then you may love this a lot more than i do. While the music on here is beautiful in its presentation, the album comes off as a bit underwhelming with an aimless procession through smooth jazz-fusion by-the-numbers tunes that admittedly offer some extras to set itself apart from the pack but in the long run doesn't really deliver enough meat with the potatoes. This is the kind of music i really enjoy as background music while i'm focusing on another activity but the album fails to dazzle the senses with outstanding compositions or any sort of instrumental wizardry. Nice debut and well produced but ultimately misses the ultimate mark of inducing pure musical ecstasy.

3.5 rounded down

 Shapeshifter II - Outbreak by TAUK album cover Studio Album, 2018
3.68 | 10 ratings

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Shapeshifter II - Outbreak
Tauk Crossover Prog

Review by Squire Jaco

4 stars TAUK is a four-piece (guitar/bass/drums/keys) instrumental rock fusion group from Oyster Bay on Long Island, NY. I've been listening to their music since their first album in 2013, which was excellent. In the three studio albums since then (and a couple of EP's and live albums), they've only gotten better! I've rated all of their albums 4 stars and higher, and this latest offering "Shapeshifter II - Outbreak" may just be a 5...

They just have this consistent output of inventive, melodic, exciting songs that make you feel good, and all the while you're gushing in amazement at each member's musical chops. I saw them live in Buffalo in 2016 shortly after their "Sir Nebula" album came out, and they just tore down the joint with their energy. (By the way, they have another double-live album called "Headroom" that I don't see listed here yet on PA, and it's a great intro to their oeuvre up to 2015.)

I see some people comparing them to Umphrey's McGee, but there is less jamming here, and no vocals. Too bad there aren't many other album reviews here of this band. It's a real gem.

 Live at Terminal West by TAUK album cover Live, 2015
4.05 | 2 ratings

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Live at Terminal West
Tauk Crossover Prog

Review by Rivertree
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions

4 stars If you are looking for prog (related) bands with a proper improv/jam background, TAUK from New York might be a good choice as well. Composed of Matt Jalbert on guitar, Charlie Dolan (bass), Alric Carter on keyboards and Isaac Teel (drums) this quartet is acting rather similar to the undisputable US flagship Umphrey's McGee (UM). Hence please forgive me, when I'm comparing sometime during the course. The TAUK gigs are offering a sophisticated fireworks of fusion, rock and funk music basically - though a bit limited one or two will throw in, while missing any vocals all the way through.

So this is an one hour extract from a 2014 live performance, recorded in Atlanta, which shows them in great condition, that's my impression. For me it's their best live setting I could listen to so far. Due to the looooongtime experience playing together, UM are celebrating every gig like a happening, with much easiness and a greater variety in style, often intensively challenging the audience. TAUK are presenting their songs more concentrated on the own interaction here, it seems.

Some excerpts are close to the studio version, some extended, featuring much playfulness, like the impressive Tumbler for example. 'Live At Terminal West' is an enjoyable affair, should be played loud preferably. Overall this is well focussed on the jazz fusion component within the sound. Hereby the musicians' interplay is undoubtedly excellent. The compositions are above average, tricky enough to satisfy a prog fan, I would say. Easy to verify while visiting their bandcamp page.

Thanks to raff for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

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