Decca Schallplatten & CDs

Review: British jazz composer, pianist and Cream co-songwriter Mike Taylor enjoyed a short solo career all to his own, and though momentary, it left behind a handful of striking recordings, Trio remaining one of the best among them. Recorded in 1966 with Dave Tomlin on bass and Norman Fearon on drums, the album walks a narrow rope between modal discipline and free play, with Taylor's playing both assiduous and somatic, its original pieces sitting alongside standards played with a close-knit looseness. Originally overlooked on release, Trio has attracted cult status among British jazz heads in the decades since. It's now been recut using vintage kit, including a 1967 Scully lathe identical to Rudy Van Gelder's, for a warm, analogue finish suited to the original's burnished understatement.