John Taylor, Palle Danielsson, Martin France - Giulia's Thursdays (2012)

British pianist John Taylor's Giulia's Thursdays is a tribute to Italian film composer, Carlo Rustichelli. It is the fourth in a series of trio albums that Taylor has made for Cam Jazz. Giuliana's Thursdays is a spirited, lushly romantic outing in which Taylor, bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Martin France shine. Rustichelli wrote well crafted, attractive tunes - but like most screen composers, he relied on orchestration and instrumental texture rather than harmonic invention to sustain interest. His tunes, pretty as they are, do not, ultimately, offer Taylor much to explore in a trio context. Taylor makes the best of the material in front of him - which is to say, more than it had in it before he started - and anyone who has been listening since the masterpiece that is Angel Of The Presence is likely to enjoy it. ~ Extract by Chris May, AAJ. 

Cam Jazz, CAMJ 7847-5, 2012
Recorded 20th-22nd October, 2006 at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg, Germany 

Musicians:
John Taylor - Piano
Palle Danielsson - Double Bass
Martin France - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Titoli - Main Titles {Carlo Rustichelli} (5:39)
2. Canto D'Amore {Carlo Rustichelli, Nino Nicotra} (4:50)
3. Un Amore A Roma {Carlo Rustichelli} (5:58)
4. Marcia Funebre {Carlo Rustichelli} (6:05)
5. Tarantella Della Liberazione {Carlo Rustichelli} (4:14)
6. L'Onuri DI L'Ascaluni {Carlo Rustichelli, Nino Nicotra} (5:17)
7. Guerresco Ed Elegiaco {Carlo Rustichelli} (6:27)
8. I Giovedì Della Signora Giulia {Carlo Rustichelli} (6:33)
9. Partons Partons {Carlo Rustichelli, Walter Annichiarico} (4:55) 

Total Time: 50:03 

Credits:
Producer - Ermanno Basso
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Johannes Wohlleben
Mastering Engineer - Danilo Rossi
Photography - Andrea Boccalini, Peter Bastian
Liner Notes - Federico Scoppio 

Canto D'Amore

John Surman - Way Back When (1969)

In October 1969, John Surman left his native England to join bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin in a new group in Belgium. Right before he left, he appeared at a recorded jam session in England. The tapes were then lost until 2003 and made their first appearance on record on this 2005 CD. The music is particularly interesting for two reasons. Surman, who is best known for his baritone playing, is mostly heard on soprano. And the performances are reminiscent of a slightly more accessible and gentler version of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, although the Davis set was just in the process of being released. These renditions show that some jazz musicians in the United Kingdom were going through a parallel evolution as their American counterparts. Surman is showcased with the rhythm section during the four-part "Way Back When," and the ensemble is joined by altoist Mike Osborne on the final two selections. This is an important set in the history of fusion, showing that not only the biggest names were exploring the new music in 1969. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Cuneiform Records, Rune 200, 2005
Recorded 7th October, 1969, Tangerine Studios, London, UK 

Musicians:
John Surman - Baritone & Soprano Saxophones
Mike Osborne - Alto Saxophone (#5,6)
John Taylor - Electric Piano
Brian Odgers - Electric Bass
John Marshall - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Way Back When, Part 1 {John Surman} (7:30)
2. Way Back When, Part 2 {John Surman} (5:39)
3. Way Back When, Part 3 {John Surman} (4:49)
4. Way Back When, Part 4 {John Surman} (3:43)
5. Owlshead {John Warren} (13:56)
6. Out And About {John Surman} (8:21) 

Total Time: 44:01 

Credits:
Executive-Producer - Peter Eden
Engineer - Robin Sylvester
Remastering - Michael King
Coordinator [Release] - Steven Feigenbaum
Cover Painting - Judy LaMar
Liner Notes - John Surman 

Another intriguing document from way back in the form of a previously unreleased John Surman recording from 1969, featuring John Taylor on electric piano and the searing sound of Mike Osborne on two tracks. Surman's work of a couple of years later reflects the soundscape of Coltrane, and though his own sax-playing here does that too, the ambience is more reminiscent of the Miles Davis band that made In a Silent Way. The opening of the four-part suite Way Back When features the 25-year-old Surman's fizzing soprano swooping over a bass ostinato, and various incarnations of the era's jazz-funk fixation underpin the subsequent developments. But it's John Warren's eloquently languid Owlshead, for Surman's baritone and Osborne's alto, that grips the attention most, with the latter unfurling a solo of typical fluency over John Marshall's crackling drums. As for the emphatic two-sax melody of Out And About, it hints at Surman's distinctive 1970s sets for Decca/Deram, most evident on the likes of How Many Clouds Can You See? ~ John Fordham, TheGuardian.com.

Kenny Wheeler with John Taylor, Steve Swallow - One Of Many (2011)

Kenny Wheeler sticks to flügelhorn exclusively for this unusual yet intimate trio date with pianist John Taylor and electric bassist Steve Swallow (whose nimble playing makes it seem like he is playing an acoustic guitar at times). Together the three veterans explore the leader's stunning originals, most of which are ballads, beginning with the buoyant Brazilian-flavored "Phrase 3." "Anticipation" is a tense affair, with the rhythm section introducing a hypnotic, intricate vamp before Wheeler makes a powerful entrance stating its melancholic theme. "Old Ballad" has an air of despair, as if recalling a long-lost love, as Wheeler's expressive tone conveys the mood without the need for lyrics. "Fortune's Child" is another emotional ballad, with Taylor at times recalling Bill Evans' elegant touch. "Ever After" is played in two versions. The first omits Wheeler, with Taylor and Swallow delivering a breezy, post-bop performance. The trio version takes a while to get underway but the interplay between the three men is a joy. Highly recommended. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG. 

C.A.M. Jazz, CAMJ 7835-2, 2011
Recorded & Mixed 30th-31st July 30, 2006 at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg, Germany 

Musicians:
Kenny Wheeler - Flügelhorn
John Taylor - Piano
Steve Swallow - Electric Bass Guitar 

Tracks:
01. Phrase 3 (6:12)
02. Anticipation (5:25)
03. Aneba (5:59)
04. Any How (3:16)
05. Canter #5 (4:04)
06. Ever After [Duo Version] (3:06)
07. Now And Now Again (5:13)
08. Old Ballad (6:58)
09. Fortune's Child (6:20)
10. Even After (5:41) 

All Compositions by Kenny Wheeler

Total Time: 52:20

Credits:
Artistic Producer - Ermanno Basso
Engineer, Mixing, Quotation Author - Johannes Wohlleben
Mastering - Danilo Rossi
Quotation Author - Stefano Amerio, James Farber
Photography - Peter Bastian
Cover Photo - Andrea Boccalini

Kenny Wheeler & John Taylor - Where Do We Go From Here? (2004)

On 14th January 2005, Kenny Wheeler turns 75, and the title of this duo album on Italy's CamJazz label very likely sums up his attitude to the landmark day. The Toronto-born trumpeter, flugelhorn player and composer has been quietly but progressively inventive all his life (the British jazz scene has been the main beneficiary, since his move here in 1952), and that hasn't changed since he entered his 70s. As with Chet Baker later in life, slight hesitancies of pitching and intonation now seem only to add deeper timbres of humanity to Wheeler's voice, which can be remote at times. The music here, however, is anything but distant, with Wheeler's improvising on 10 songs (mostly originals) full of glancing ambiguities and softly startling turns. Pianist John Taylor is dazzling all the way through, without disrupting the fragile romanticism of his composing partner's muse. 

Wheeler balances idiosyncratic melodic journeys with shrewdly placed accents and his trademark falsetto squeal on the only imported piece (Summer Night), with Taylor first patrolling supportively around him, then launching into a solo flood of time-changes, percussive sounds, classical rhapsodies and ambiguous chords. Taylor's plangent Au Contraire and the dignified dance of Canter exemplify this session's mix of improvisational inventiveness and harmonic audacity. The title track is a lost-and-found exercise, the irresolute steps of its opening becoming firmer as the theme unfolds, and Taylor's steadily pulsing Dance deploys colourful trumpet overdubs. Ostensibly low-key and twilit music, but a quiet turmoil of invention beneath. ~ by John Forsham, TheGuardian.com. 

C.A.M. Jazz, CAMJ 7764-2, 2004
Recorded 17th-19th February, 2004 at Artesuono Studio, Cavalicco, Udine, Italy 

Musicians:
Kenny Wheeler - Trumpet, Flügelhorn
John Taylor - Piano 

Tracks:
01. Summer Night {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (6:21)
02. For Tracy {Kenny Wheeler} (5:04)
03. Mabel {Kenny Wheeler} (5:01)
04. Au Contraire {Kenny Wheeler} (4:31)
05. Canter N. 1 {Kenny Wheeler} (5:25)
06. Squiggles {Kenny Wheeler} (5:57)
07. One Two Three {Kenny Wheeler} (6:45)
08. Where Do We Go From Here? {Kenny Wheeler} (5:12)
09. Dance {Kenny Wheeler} (3:38)
10. Fordor {Kenny Wheeler} (6:20) 

Total Time: 54:14

Credits:
Producer - Ermanno Basso
Recording, Mixing & Mastering Engineer - Stefano Amerio
Management Contractor - Andrea Marini
Photos - Luca D'Agostino
Graphics - Studio Grafite
Sleeve Notes - Ian Carr 

Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and pianist John Taylor have worked together in many settings through the years. Their duet set features lyrical explorations of nine originals and Harry Warren's "Summer Night." Wheeler and Taylor often echo each other's thoughts and, although much of the music is melancholy and ballad-oriented, it never gets sleepy or overly predictable. The two musicians operate as equals and consistently uncover quiet beauty in these pieces. This outing is well worth exploring by those who are patient and listen closely. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Paolo Fresu, Furio Di Castri, John Taylor - Contos [Tales] (1993)

The Italian label EGEA began its journey when Paolo Fresu and Furio di Castri felt the need to leave the tried and tested formula of the duo to welcome other musicians. The ‘Open Trio’ (which also gives its name to a composition by Paolo Fresu) became an open structure capable of hosting percussionists, drummers, pianists and multimedia artists. The meeting with the English pianist John Taylor documents a happy moment of the twenty-year collaboration between Fresu and Di Castri and a prelude to the subsequent formation of the PAF Trio together with pianist and accordionist Antonello Salis. The nine songs, largely the result of Taylor's lyric pen, interact with the compositions of Fresu and Di Castri and are also the result of a successful Italian tour. The CD is recorded live in the Teatro di Città di Castello and is part of the project to enhance the historical theaters that Egea has been pursuing for some time. ~ paolofresu.it.

EGEA Records, SCA 039, 1993
Recorded in 1993 At Teatro Comunale Di Città di Castello, Italy 

Musicians:
Paolo Fresu - Trumpet
John Taylor - Piano
Furio Di Castri - Double Bass 

Tracks:
1. Sueños [Dreams] {Furio Di Castri} (7:18)
2. Evan Song {John Taylor} (5:13)
3. Walkabout {Paolo Fresu} (5:57)
4. Satie {Paolo Fresu} (9:27)
5. Evening Song {Furio Di Castri} (5:24)
6. Ninna Nanna Per Vale {Paolo Fresu} (4:22)
7. Blue Glass {John Taylor} (5:51)
8. Lovely Ballad {Paolo Fresu} (5:14)
9. Mandarin {Furio Di Castri} (3:45) 

Total Time: 52:27

Paolo Fresu's beautiful trumpet tone comparable to Miles and Chet Baker is quite unsurpassed within today’s jazz world. Equally on this date, John Taylor conveys a hauntingly bittersweet feeling to his playing, differing to his usual cold image, which fades away into beautiful solos of a greater fieriness. In addition, bassist Furio Di Castri, a long-term counterpart of Paolo Fresu, seamlessly binds the musicians together. All players contribute a number of compositions to the mix enhancing a diverse flavour to the listener’s experience. Overall, this album is a good example of the superior jazz released on the Italian Egea label, enjoy!

Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor guest Gabriele Mirabassi - Moon (2001)

 

Wheeler and Taylor have produced some great music together in the past, but seldom as irresistibly gorgeous as this. Confining himself to flugelhorn, Wheeler is lyric beauty personified, his mellifluously songlike improvisations burnished by a richly expressive tone; Taylor is the perfect partner, his piano matching and echoing Wheeler's explorations at every turn. It says much for clarinetist Mirabassi that he fits into this closely-knit duo so well when he joins them on three pieces. The material, six originals by Wheeler, three by Taylor, allow free rein to their imagination and the results are sublime, their beauty enhanced by the sensitively detailed recording, done in an acoustically warm old Italian theatre. ~ by Enzo Vizzone, AAJ.

Egea Records, SCA 086, 2001
Recorded February, 2001 At Teatro Comunale di Gubbio, Italy 

Musicians:
Kenny Wheeler - Flugelhorn
John Taylor - Piano
Guest:
Gabriele Mirabassi - Clarinet (#3,6,8) 

Tracks:
1. After The Last Time {John Taylor} (4:27)
2. Flo {Kenny Wheeler} (5:03)
3. Ambleside {John Taylor} (6:06)
4. Introduction To A No Particular Song {Kenny Wheeler} (6:11)
5. Moon {John Taylor} (4:50)
6. Sly Eyes {Kenny Wheeler} (7:56)
7. 3/4 P.M. {Kenny Wheeler} (5:39)
8. Deriviation {Kenny Wheeler} (5:58)
9. Medium 30 {Kenny Wheeler} (5:55) 

Total Time: 51:05 

Credits:
Engineer - Francesco Ciarfuglia
Photography - Adriano Scognamillo 

Mostly Flugelhorn-Piano Duets
----------------------------------------
I've just rediscovered this little-known album, and thought sharing my impressions might be of some interest. The venerable Canadian-born but Britain-based Kenny Wheeler is featured here exclusively on eloquent flugelhorn, performing a repertoire that consists of six of his originals (#2, 4, 6-9) and three by long-time friend and collaborator, the phenomenal English pianist John Taylor. The acoustic quality of the CD is first rate thanks to the material being recorded in the Teatro Communale of the Italian town of Gubbio, in February 2001. The set starts at a measured pace with Taylor's bit melancholic #1 'after the last time,' coloured by a restrained touch of tango in a similar vein to the prancing #6 'sly eyes,' where the influence is more pronounced, that extensively features the virtuosic playing of clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi and an engaging piano solo reminiscent of Chick Corea. The Italian musician also contributes to Taylor's merrily playful #3 'ambleside,' a piece I first heard on Time Being /#8 (1994, ECM), and to the somewhat dreamy #8 'deriviation'. Wheeler's slightly veiled sound on the bittersweet #2 'flo' reminds me that of the legendary Chet Baker, while he produces some long, sustained notes - alongside Taylor strumming the piano strings - leading into a majestic rendition of #4 'introduction to a no particular song,' a tune I've been familiar with from the celestial Angel of the Presence /#8 (2005, CamJazz). The spacious and introspective title song #5 'moon' offers occasionally soaring flugelhorn, whereas #8 '3/4 p.m.' is a nostalgic, straight ahead fare. The album closes with the moderately dynamic #9 'medium 30'. ~ inner exile, Amazon.com, 4 Stars.

Kenny Wheeler Quintet - Flutter, By Butterfly (1987) [re-rip]

Warmly expressive work from trumpeter Kenny Wheeler - a set that's got the same depth of tone as his work for other labels, but which has a bit of a different feel as well. The record has maybe a bit more bite - not necessarily on Wheeler's trumpet or flugelhorn, the latter of which still retains its wonderfully airy sound - but instead on the overall conception, which makes careful but creative use of other group members - especially John Taylor on piano and Dave Holland on bass, as well as Billy Elgart on drums, and Stan Sulzmann on soprano, tenor, and flute. All tunes are originals by Wheeler, and really lovely ones at that - and titles include "Gigolo", "The Little Fella", "Miold Man", "We Salute The Night", and "Everybody's Song But My Own". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

The return to light of a true gem by modern jazz master Kenny Wheeler. Flutter By, Butterfly was recorded in 1987 and originally published by Soul Note in 1988. Wheeler's visionary musical concepts develop through the interplay of this stellar quintet. A wide-open space for dense and lyrical dialogues between the leader's flugelhorn and cornet and Stan Sulzman's reeds, John Taylor's painterly harmonies and the Dave Holland, Billy Elgart floating rhythm section. ~ Juno

Soul Note Records, SN 121 146-1, 1988

Recorded 26^th & 27^th May, 1987 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano, Italy

Personnel:

Kenny Wheeler - Flugelhorn, Cornet

Stan Sulzmann - Soprano & Tenor Saxophones, Flute

John Taylor - Piano

Dave Holland - Bass

Billy Elgart - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Everybody's Song But My Own (9:30)

A2. We Salute The Night (5:07)

A3. Miold Man (9:17)

B1. Flutter By, Butterfly (8:47)

B2. Gigolo (8:20)

B3. The Little Fella (7:14)

All Compositions by Kenny Wheeler

Credits:

Producer - Giovanni Bonandrini

Engineer - Giancarlo Barigozzi

Mastering - Gennaro Carone

Cover Art - Giuliano Crivelli

Liner Notes - Mike Hennessey