James Taylor’s 4th Dimension - Picking Up Where We Left Off

‘Less is more’ approach adopted by Medway Hammond guru

James Taylor has never been afraid to experiment within the soul-jazz idiom. Forming from the ashes of Medway garage combo The Prisoners, his quartet scored an indie chart-topper with their debut 45, Blow Up, a pounding Hammond reworking of Herbie Hancock’s film title theme in 1987. After recording the Mission Impossible mini-album and The Money Spyder LP (conceived as the soundtrack to an imaginary film), they signed to Polydor offshoot Urban, and released the dancefloor favourite Theme From Starsky & Hutch, which featured the JBs’ Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis. Since then Taylor has embellished his basic sound with horns, flute, guest vocalists and even a funk orchestra. Now he has come full circle, returning to what he calls “the classic Hammond quartet”.

This fully instrumental album was recorded over two days in January 2007. While a more sophisticated affair than his debut, Taylor does capture a similar urgency on Mr Z, Like A Fool and SpecialPlusExtra, and he seems reinvigorated throughout, ably supported by the Grant Greenesque guitar of Nigel Price. Boot Up recalls Taylor’s side project New Jersey Kings, French Quarter Strut the New Orleans groove of The Meters and elsewhere the influence of Charles Earland and Booker T & The MGs shines through.

Real Self | RS 5346

Reviewed by Jon Harrington
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