Curtis Taylor

Taylor Made

Self-Released, 2024

8/10

Listen to Taylor Made

The trumpet extraordinaire Curtis Taylor has an exceptional career as a sideman, and this debut full length as leader brings some excellent help for the 7 involved jazz tracks.

“Kham’s Dilemma” starts the record with Taylor’s bright trumpet alongside Alex White’s skilled drumming and Theron Brown’s agile keys in the rich climate, and “After The Rain” follows with Jonathon Muir-Cotton’s well timed bass complementing David Castañeda’s intricate percussion via the thoughtful mood.

“For Her” and “Indomitable” reside in the middle, where the former is a precisely textured display of meticulous brass amid a cozy rhythm section, while the latter employs Marcus Elliot’s radiant tenor sax for a mesmerizing album highlight. The quick listen finishes with “Journey”, where the sax and trumpet interact with much care that aligns with the cautious rhythm section.

An effort that swings playfully and embraces soul, blues, gospel and bebop nods, Taylor pens a memorable listen in the area of modern jazz.

Travels well with: Tony Monaco Trio- Over And Over; Cliff Beach- You Showed Me The Way