John Taylor
John Taylor (1942-2015) was an English jazz pianist and composer, born in Manchester. Largely self-taught, he moved to London in 1964 and entered the free jazz scene there. He became known for a style that drew on classical music and for his long association with ECM, above all through Azimuth, the trio he formed in 1977 with singer Norma Winstone and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Taylor first came to wider notice playing with saxophonists Alan Skidmore and John Surman.
Quintessence
A remarkable document finally surfaces after nearly 40 years in the NDR archives. John Taylor - the piano master of dense, orchestral voicings and skittish melodic invention - captured here in 1987 with the full NDR Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dieter Glawischnig. All music written and orchestrated by Taylor himself. This is the logical conclusion of everything the man stood for musically - from Azimuth to Johnny Griffin's band to this luxurious symphonic setting. Stan Sulzmann on sopra…
Tramonto
Recorded live in Birmingham during a Contemporary Music Network tour in 2002, Tramonto finds UK pianist John Taylor (1942-2015) in celebratory, outgoing mood, fronting one of his most dynamic and quick-witted groups, with US musicians Marc Johnson and Joey Baron – the energetic team that would later collaborate on the critically-lauded ECM recording Rosslyn. Here the repertoire features the well-known Taylor tunes “Pure and Simple”, “Between Moons” and “Ambleside” (heard in an epic 15 minute…
Ambleside Days
1992 release ** "A stunning album of duets performed by John Taylor and John Surman composed by the former. This recording documents the longstanding musical relationship between the two Johns captured by Jan Erik Kongshaug at Rainbow Studios in Oslo. Some of the most beautiful music you will ever hear."
Fragment
In 1975, the lead album "Fragment" by the acclaimed UK jazz pianist John Taylor, which was previously only released on cassette tape and hailed as a gem of UK jazz.
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On Loan With Gratitude
“On Loan with Gratitude was my first vinyl recording as leader released in 1977. Graham Collier started a label ‘Mosaic’ and invited me to record specifically for it. The times were fortuitous with BBC engineer Pete Freshney being able to record at the BBC transcription studios in Shepherds Bush. There was an excellent piano in situ, Pete was an excellent jazz engineer and fan, plus the studios were affordable. I led the quartet for approximately 10 yrs which included regular BBC Jazz club and J…
Pause, And Think Again
Eargong Records present a reissue of John Taylor's Pause, And Think Again, originally released in 1971. Pianist John Taylor's debut album featuring an all-star octet with John Surman (soprano sax), Stan Sulzmann (alto sax), Kenny Wheeler (trumpet), Chris Pyne (trombone), Chris Laurence (bass), Tony Levin (drums), and Norma Winstone (vocals). A great example of the fine art of British jazz in its marvelous original gatefold cover. A precious object from an unrepeatable era. Licensed from Turtle R…
As It Was
Box set of the four ECM albums by Peter Erskine (drums), John Taylor (piano) and Palle Danielsson (double bass): You Never Know, Time Being, As It Is and Juni, recorded 1992-97 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo. 4CD, ECM 2490-93, Old & New Masters series.
Juni
Fourth and last ECM album by the Peter Erskine Trio, with Erskine (drums), John Taylor (piano) and Palle Danielsson (double bass), recorded July 1997 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, and produced by Manfred Eicher. First released in 1999 as ECM 1657.
Somewhere Called Home
Norma Winstone's first ECM album as leader, a trio with John Taylor (piano) and Tony Coe (clarinet, tenor saxophone): standards and her own lyrics to tunes by Gismonti, Towner, Wheeler and Bill Evans. Recorded July 1986, Rainbow Studio, Oslo. ECM 1337, 1987.
Double, Double You
Kenny Wheeler album of four original compositions, with Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), John Taylor (piano), Dave Holland (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums), recorded in May 1983 at Power Station, New York. Produced by Manfred Eicher.
Celestial Circle
Debut recording of Marilyn Mazur's quartet Celestial Circle, with singer Josefine Cronholm, pianist John Taylor and bassist Anders Jormin: songs by Mazur and group improvisations. Recorded December 2010 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Rosslyn
Rosslyn (ECM 1751) is John Taylor's first album as leader on ECM, a piano trio with Marc Johnson (double bass) and Joey Baron (drums), recorded in April 2002 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, and released in January 2003.
Molde Concert
Live recording of a one-off quartet led by bassist Arild Andersen with Bill Frisell, John Taylor and Alphonse Mouzon at the Molde Jazz Festival, Norway, in August 1981. Expanded CD reissue (2000) of ECM 1236, first issued in 1982.