RE: James Taylor Quartet albums

Se-Wai Lee (cxylee@exchange.MICROSOFT.com)
Tue, 9 Jan 1996 14:41:54 -0800


Two more:
"The BBC Sessions" (1995). Ten mostly-instrumental tracks recorded in BBC
studios between '87 and '94.
"Extended Play" EP, JAZID 110 (1994). 6 track EP featuring "Stepping into
My Life", which is also in "In the Hand of the Inevitable" album.
- C.Y.
> ----------
> From: Edward Griffiths[SMTP:101471.122@compuserve.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 1996 12:12 PM
> To: Acid Jazz mailing list
> Subject: James Taylor Quartet albums
> Fellow funksters,
> Time for a quick album discography of Hammond groovers, the JTQ:
> -Mission Impossible EP (instrumental)
> A covers EP, mostly 60's theme tunes, played by the original
> stripped-down
> quartet. Production is a bit cheesy, but generally groovy.
> -Money Spyder
> Sounds like you all know about this one...
> - Wait a Minute (instrumental)
> Again, many of the tracks are performed by the original quartet; fairly
> thin-sounding generally but some good grooves (I always thought that
> the
> original drummer was crap, but when you've used Steve White- see later-
> no-one
> can touch him for feel (?)) HOWEVER, this album is an essential
> purchase due to
> the manic cover of the 'Starsky and Hutch' theme, starring the JB
> Horns. Total,
> undisputed AJ genius. Don't get the CD, by the way, as it features a
> hacked
> about remix.
> - Get Organised (mainly instrumental)
> Am I the only person around who really rates this album? It seems to be
> really
> hard to find at the moment, but it's a monster- brilliant tunes,
> excellent
> production, and the personnel list from AJ / young jazz heaven. It's
> like a big
> band, live acid jazz sound, all driven by Paul Weller's current
> drummer, Steve
> White. Excellent stuff, quite varied- some jazzy stuff in with the ONE.
> - Do Your Own Thing (mixed vocs / instrumental)
> A more commercial release, slightly less 'live' feel. A good album,
> though- some
> interesting raps and good vocal tunes along with a steaming, uptempo
> 'JTQ
> Theme', which sounds similar to the GetOrganised horns stuff.
> - Supernatural feeling (mostly vocal)
> Very tinny and commercial sounding release. I read an interview with
> the
> drummer- apparently he only had three weeks to learn the material. It
> shows. The
> one album I'd avoid, although there are a couple of interesting tunes
> on it.
> Most of the singles from this album, incidentally, had excellent
> B-sides: the
> themes from Six Million Dollar Man and the Tomorrow People for example.
> Pick 'em
> up 2nd hand if you see them.
> - In the hand of the inevitable
> The JTQ return to Acid Jazz records for their latest album: again,
> there are
> some commercial tunes, but the quality is better. A couple of good
> covers,
> soulful vocals, in with some SERIOUSLY funky instrumentals make this a
> worthwhile buy.
> Hope this was useful,
> Don't fake the funk or your nose'll grow...
> Ed