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JAMES TAYLOR’S 4TH DIMENSION Picking Up Where We Left Off Real Self RS5346

1. Picking Up Where We Left Off
2. Boot Up
3. Easy Time
4. Mr Z
5. Never in My Wildest Dreams
6. Acorn
7. Showdown
8. Dead Leg
9. French Quarter Strut
10. Like a Fool
11. Mincemeat
12. SpecialPlusExtra
 
James Taylor – Hammond organ
Nigel Price – Guitar
Andy McKinney – Bass
Neil Robinson - Drums
 

James Taylor is best known as the leader of the James Taylor Quartet – for which see our previous review. Now here he is with a new quartet, recorded in January this year. Twenty years on from the album I reviewed previously, this marks an improvement in sophistication and jazz content. There is still that pervasive boogaloo beat but it’s mixed up with other elements from the blues, pop and funk. The rhythm even slows down in Never in My Wildest Dreams for a thoughtfully laid-back piece with an eloquent guitar solo from Nigel Price.

However, many tunes still depend on repetitive riffs and the style can still sound old-fashioned, as in Mincemeat which has a feel similar to the Average White Band’s Pick Up the Pieces, which was a hit more than 30 years ago. James still seems to be looking back as much as forwards.

Tony Augarde

 

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