Mike Taylor Quartet

I think he only released two albums as a leader but the first 'Pendulum' has to be one of the most prescient and atypical jazz records to have been created in the UK in 1965. Not sure where it would fit but Taylor's compositional style was unique and he seems to inhabit a realm between post bop and the sort of static harmonic progressions that would surface in later experimental rock and minimalism/systems music (they hint at Crimson and beyond)
However, this ain't fusion nor is it the sort of piano jazz of Bill Evans or even Monk and I like to think that Cream, the Graham Bond Organisation and Colosseum would acknowledge the palpable influence of Mike Taylor on their music.
Taylor's life was a sad case of unfulfilled potential as it's widely believed he drowned himself in the River Thames at just age 30, a homeless derelict and acid casualty whose behavior during his final years had alienated most of those who loved and cared for him. It's tempting to think of him as the Syd Barrett of UK Jazz but fact is, there are many forgotten musicians in every genre who lose their way and meet untimely ends (see Graham Bond). Mike Taylor worked with a host of British jazz alumni including Jon Hiseman, Ron Rubin, Dave Tomlin, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Graham Bond, Tony Revees, Ian Carr, Henry Lowther et al and wrote conventional 'folk' and 'rock/pop' songs which were covered by Cream and Colosseum. He destroyed most of his manuscripts before his death so very little survives from what is estimated to have been a prodigious output for such a short career.

More info here:

http://galacticramble.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/mike-taylor-mystic-who-looked-like-bank.html

Pendulum recorded in 1965 on Colombia
Trio recorded 1966 on Colombia (I've never been able to obtain a copy of this one)





Edited by EntertheLemming - 11 May 2014 at 5:39am

added