wed 04/12/2024

CD: Richard Fairhurst & John Taylor – Duets | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Richard Fairhurst & John Taylor – Duets

CD: Richard Fairhurst & John Taylor – Duets

Collection of originals and adaptations bears witness to Taylor's understated brilliance

With the sad news of John Taylor’s sudden death at the age of 72 following a heart attack during a performance at the Saveurs Festival (France) earlier this month, this delightful and intimate but low-key release acquires unexpected lapidary weight.

Taylor, an undisputed and much admired, though self-taught, master of contemporary jazz piano, made his name in London in the late 1960s collaborating with both mainstream (John Dankworth and Cleo Laine) and avant-garde (Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone, with whom he formed the influential Azimuth trio). He saw his fortunes follow that of the scene, with a higher profile in continental Europe - where he had a prestigious teaching appointment at Cologne - than in the UK.

Though he has released highly acclaimed solo works, he’s best known for his collaborations, where his generous and unselfconscious engagement with other musicians comes to the fore. The pieces collected here are about a third originals, a third adaptations of Bill Evans, and a couple of pieces by respected former collaborators Kenny Wheeler and Pete Saberton. The intention was that the duo sound be as seamless as possible, in which they have succeeded with remarkable success. Their approach is sufficiently spare and restrained to avoid the sound of fistfuls of notes, and the mutual understanding between the two is so good that the flow from one musician to the other is virtually seamless.

Taylor was known for the flowing delicacy of his lines, and the elegance of his harmonies, both of which are beautifully displayed here. Immediately apparent, too, is the depth of musical knowledge woven so subtly into the fragments of melody: a touch of Debussy here, Evans there, with Wheeler, Bartok, and more circling beneath the surface. The pieces vary substantially in mood and technique, but in each one, Taylor’s musical intelligence and far-sightedness are imbued, translucent, nurturing, passionate.

@matthewwrighter

Immediately apparent, too, is the depth of musical knowledge woven so subtly into the fragments of melody

rating

Editor Rating: 
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)

Explore topics

Share this article

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters