I noted from Wikipedia that: ”Billy Taylor was jazz activist and educator, who lectured in colleges, served on panels and travelled worldwide as a jazz ambassador. Critic Leonard Feather once said, "It is almost indisputable that Dr. Billy Taylor is the world's foremost spokesman for jazz." Taylor sat on the Honorary Founders Board of The Jazz Foundation of America, an organisation he founded in 1989, to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians, later including musicians who survived Hurricane Katrina. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.”
Taylor is cat I haven’t listened to before, which is nuts considering his amazing pedigree in the world of jazz. The well of jazz is a deep one. Will be a life long exploration for me. Very pleased that I came across this lovely title. Not one I have seen a lot before, if ever, from what I can remember. This trio plays some good stuff. The highlight for me and a big reason why I acquired this one is the presence of Henry Grimes. He has been one of my favorite bassists ever since I fell in love with jazz, in that moment back in 2007, when I saw him, Rollins and Joe Harris live from Södra Teatern in Stockholm on TV. I haven’t got many original LP’s though with him on double bass. So I’m very happy to have this beautiful example of his playing on the shelf. Another great example that I have with him is McCoy Tyner’s ”Reaching Fourth”, a piano trio session as well, on Impulse. Superb album.
The music is very enjoyable. Nothing groundbreaking, just great piano trio jazz. The sound is amazing on this original pressing. The double bass really shines through with plenty of backbone and the drums comes across earthy and detailed. Great piano sound as well. Clear and engaging.
I enjoy the leader’s approach and I’m looking to explore more of his work and see what I can find. Grimes plays beautiful with his big, warm, round and steady tone on the bass. Ray Mosca plays the drums and I really enjoy his playing as well. He does some lovely work with the brushes.
Do you have any other Billy Taylor titles you can recommend? Cheers!
