James Taylor Quartet – Best Of Acid Jazz

The James Taylor Quartet rode the late-Eighties/early-Nineties acid-jazz wave to find well-deserved fame alongside the likes of the Brand New Heavies – and, like that band, are still very much around today. Modeled on Sixties instrumental icons Booker T. and the M.G.’s, and led by eponymous keyboardist Taylor, they have long since shrugged off the coincidence of names with the veteran US singer/songwriter. There’s a fine live cover of that Booker T. and the M.G.’s ‘Green Onions’ here, but the rest of the music is distinctively and unashamedly their own. The current line-up teams the main man with Chris Montague (guitar), Andrew McKinney (bass) and Adam Betts (drums), although recordings and live performances feature a horn section comprising John Willmott (tenor sax/flute) and Nick Smart (trumpet), along with vocalist Yvonne Yanney.