John Taylor: Tramonto

British pianist John Taylor (1942-2015) possessed a remarkable talent for eluding the global recognition his skills warranted. A former house pianist at London's Ronnie Scott's club, Taylor probably achieved his widest acclaim through Azimuth, the group he formed with vocalist Norma Winstone (his wife) and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. His trio recordings with drummer Peter Erskine and bassist Palle Danielsson further cemented his reputation.

Tramonto captures Taylor in another trio setting, this time collaborating with American musicians bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron. Their chemistry works; Taylor's playing frequently reflects Bill Evans' influence, while Johnson brings the unique perspective of having been Evans' final bassist. Baron (recently heard on Fred Hersch's The Surrounding Green (ECM Records, 2025)) demonstrates ideal intuition for Taylor's unpredictable musical directions. Recorded in Birmingham, UK, in 2002, this session preceded their collaboration on the highly praised Rosslyn (ECM, 2003) album, which they would record a few months later in Oslo, Norway.

The concert programme features three Taylor originals alongside Steve Swallow's "Up Too Late" and Ralph Towner's "Tramonto." Opening with his own composition, the up-tempo "Pure and Simple," Taylor heads towards the improvisational side with off-center rhythms and long, condensed passages overflowing with invention and unforeseen turns, with Baron adding earthy drum interventions.

Those long, flowing piano runs continue on another Taylor original, "Between Moons;" this time a contemplative, moody atmosphere prevails, with some sumptuous interplay with Johnson's resonant bass lines (see the attached YouTube for the version that appeared on Rosslyn). "Up Too Late" follows; the composition opens with bright rhythmic piano before briefly focusing into a groove. Taylor's driving improvisations occasionally hint towards a melody or a familiar pattern but never settle there. Johnson's arco bass and Baron's inventive drumming bring additional spice to the mix.

Towner's ballad "Tramonto" is a quiet delight. Introduced by Johnson's intensely focused bass solo, piano then bass take the lyrical melody further before Taylor's Bill Evans influence comes to the fore as he melds sadness and optimism into the harmonic structure. "Ambleside," a 15-minute saga involving arco bass, bright, up-tempo rhythmic piano and fiery drum eruptions, forms a terrific closer to the album.

Taylor was a world-class jazz pianist who balanced elegant, graceful phrasing with densely concentrated note clusters in his improvisations. His inventive lines consistently opened new directions, creating opportunities for Johnson and Baron to show their individualalities. The trio's interplay pulses with free-flowing vitality as they navigate between lyrical passages and intricate explorations, displaying remarkable collective imagination throughout this concert.