mike taylor remembered

Label: Lantern heights

British jazz composer, pianist and songwriter Mike Taylor (a.k.a. "The Syd Barrett of the avant-jazz scene") died tragically young, leaving just two albums as well as co-writes with Ginger Baker for Cream's 'Wheels Of Fire' album to his name. In 1973, under the direction of Neil Ardley, several of the performers who had worked with him recorded an album of Taylor's surviving orchestral music, jazz tunes and songs as a memorial to him and to preserve his work as a composer and song writer for posterity. Taken from Ardley's master tapes, this is a critically-acclaimed tribute from friends and colleagues to a master of groundbreaking jazz. Collective personnel: Tony Fisher, Greg Bowen, Henry Lowther, Ian Carr (trumpets, flugelhorn), Chris Pyne, David Horler (trombones), Ray Premru (bass trombone), Barbara Thompson (flute, alto flute, soprano sax), Ray Warleigh (flute, alto sax), Stan Sulzmann (flute, alto sax, soprano sax), Bob Efford (oboe, tenor sax, bassoon), Dave Gelly (bass clarinet, clarinet, tenor sax), Bunny Gould (bass clarinet, bassoon), Peter Lemer (piano, electric piano, synthesizer), Alan Branscombe (vibraphone), Chris Laurence, Ron Mathewson (bass, bass guitar), Jon Hiseman (drums, percussion), Neil Ardley (director), Norma Winstone (vocal). Limited to 500 copies.

Track Listing:

• A1 Half Blue / Pendulum
• A2 I See You
• A3 Son Of Red Blues / Brown Thursday
• A4 Song Of Love
• A5 Folk Dance No 2
• B1 Summer Sounds, Summer Sights
• B2 The Land Of Rhyme In Time
• B3 Timewind
• B4 Jumping Off The Sun
• B5 Black And White Raga