Ace Records переиздают классику James Taylor Quartet «1987»
В продаже уже с сегодняшнего дня.
«It’s 1987, I’m a young mod and not so cool that I remember to turn up late for my first ever gig at one of London’s most euro-trashy nightclubs, The Limelight. So whilst a group of about five of us are ushered into the James Taylor Quartet’s first London gig, where we get to hang out (for hang out read see at the other side of the room) with Absolute Beginners star Patsy Kensit. All the hipper members of the jazz world are locked outside dealing with a typically 80s velvet rope situation. We are treated to the most incongruous gig that the venue probably ever saw, as the Quartet propel themselves through the 20 or so minutes of music that make up their first mini album, then follow it with the same set. It was electrifying.
The James Taylor Quartet had been accidentally launched from the ashes of Medway garage heroes the Prisoners. Following their split in 1986 James had set off to Sweden to live with his girlfriend – but before he left he had used some already booked studio time to record a couple of tracks in a groovy organ style. About six months later, the Prisoners manager, Eddie Piller, offered to buy these masters from James and release them as a 45.
The two tracks, Blow Up and One Mint Julep, were released on the Re-Elect The President label in April 1987 and the James Taylor Quartet were off and running. The record was championed by John Peel, and climbed the indie charts, effectively launching Piller’s Acid Jazz label (though the term wouldn’t be used on a record for another year). A band was quickly put together featuring James’ brother David on guitar, Prisoners’ bassist Allan Crockford on bass and Simon Howard on drums. They quickly recorded the “Misssion: Impossible” mini album and followed it with the full-length “Money Spyder’” LP creating their own unique punk jazz mix – filmic and totally compelling - for a growing group of fans, who caught one of their plentiful live shows.
Within a year of the first recordings the James Taylor Quartet had moved onto a deal at major label Polydor, and found themselves caught up in the first flowering of the Acid Jazz movement, with what was possibly the defining new record of 1987 Theme From Starsky And Hutch. Since then, they have played the world over, scoring Top 40 hits, having their music in big Hollywood movies, and filling concert halls with enthusiastic fans. A JTQ show is always thrilling, always exciting. These recordings show the birth of that feeling.» By Dean Rudland
1. Blow Up
2. One Mint Julip
3. Be My Girl
4. Mission: Impossible
5. Goldfinger
6. Cat
7. Mrs. Robinson
8. Alfie
9. Stooge
10. Money Spyder
11. One Way Street
12. Car Chase
13. Spiral Staircase
14. Mr. Cool's Dream
15. Untitled No. 1
16. Real Mean Time
17. Onion Club
18. Stroll
19. "Los Cuevos Pablo"
20. Midnight Stomp (New Rhumba)
21. Busy Bee
22. In The Park
23. Untitled # 2
«In 1986 cult garage favourites the Prisoners split up after making four great albums but achieving no breakthrough. They left a massive cult following and a bunch of bills. Their organist James Taylor went to Sweden, studied jazz piano and on holiday back in the UK used up some studio time to record a punked-up version of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Blow Up’ which he left with his manager when he returned to Scandinavia. A couple of months later he got a call telling him to get back to the UK as his record was being championed by John Peel and was rapidly climbing the indie charts. This CD is the story of the hectic first year of the JTQ. It contains both sides of that number one indie record and, for the first time in 20 years, gathers together all of the band’s 1987 Re-Elect The President sessions that were to be the live birth of the acid jazz movement. Those sessions resulted in a mini-album that complemented the debut single, made up of hip movie themes and a debut album written by James Taylor with his brother David. The booklet contains in-depth notes based upon interviews with Taylor, Crockford and Taylor’s manager Eddie Piller. It includes all of the original artwork and photos of the first incarnation of one of the UK’s most consistently popular live bands of the past two decades.» |
