Phases

John Taylor | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 2010)
• Label: CAM Jazz
• ASIN: B003TXS6OW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #226,044 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Spring (Phases)

2. Fedora

3. Ritual (Phases)

4. Summer (Phases)

5. For Carol

6. Frolics

7. Autumn (Phases)

8. Foil

9. Eulogy

10. Prelude N 3

11. Winter (Phases)

12. Duetto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars magnificent, February 10, 2010

By 

hanyi ishtouk (Budapest, Hungary) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phases (MP3 Download)

(The following review refers to the CD version.) Without much fanfare, the English pianist has garnered a solid reputation over the last 35 years among the jazz cognoscenti of classical music orientation, primarily for his contribution to various configurations of trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, British saxophonist John Surman, as well as for his own trio projects. Yours truly had the pleasure of being in the audience at his two concerts: with K. Wheeler's quintet in 1992 (the video footage of which is accessible online at you-know-where) and w/ J. Surman's quartet in 1997.

This is John Taylor's fourth solo effort, the other three being "Solo" (1992), "Insight" (2003), and "Songs and Variations" (2005). The general tone of this concept album is highly introspective and personal. The cyclic nature of seasons, human individuation and relationships, shifts in external and internal worlds, are all mirrored in expressive details thanks to the artist's sensitivity and sophistication.
The set starts off with 'spring', in likeness of melting ice over a frozen stream, and is followed by K. Wheeler's playful 'fedora'. The tunes called 'ritual' and 'frolics' are noteworthy for their abstract, unpredictable harmonic progressions and odd turns. Vibraphone-like, overdubbed celesta sound plays a key role in the peculiar 'foil' and 'duetto', as accompaniment in the former and as a vehicle for solo in the latter.
My favourites are the elegant dances as they unfold in their sweeping dynamics and virtuosity on the tracks 'summer' and 'eulogy', the heart-grippingly beautiful 'for Carol' with its solemn ostinato, and finally 'winter' which contains a bluesy theme characteristic of traditional americana.

While there is a bit of truth in one Phil Johnson's (newspaper The Independent) critique that "the lack of left-hand oomph can create a rather one-dimensional effect," all in all, this music, which was recorded in April 2006 but was released only in early 2009, leaves the listener with a lasting impression. Running time: 53.42 min.