Not to be confused with the American musician James Taylor (famous for such hits as "Carolina On My Mind" and "Fire and Rain"), this foursome of funk hails from the Great part of Britain. With a sound that takes you back quite a few decades at this point, it's surprising to hear such an authentic sound come out of a group that got its start in the mid-eighties.
This tasty treat was borrowed from the great Herbie Hancock, who wrote the original music for the film of the same name, "Blow Up." Perhaps us 80's babies most remember it from the sample Deee Lite used in a song that flooded our airwaves and brains in youth, "Groove Is In The Heart." Nonetheless, the James Taylor Quartet hits it spot on here, and created what became their first single in 1985. The Hammond, played by James Taylor, stands out the most to me in this, but there's not a weak link in the sound. The song can be appreciated at full face value, but if you go in and listen to each individual instrument on repeat plays, you will not be disappointed.
From what I've read, these guys put on a hell of a show live, and that was one of the biggest attractions about them. They're still at it today, albeit with a revised lineup, and their most recently released album is from 2011. It's called The Template, and I gave it a listen. It did not disappoint. The roots are still alive, the funk is still strong. Check out "Light Up Your Soul" and their cover of Gil Scott Heron's "Home Is Where The Hatred Is." I'm a big fan of Soulive and The New Mastersounds, and I'd say these guys fit right in there with them, the only difference being that Soulive and the New Mastersounds came out over a decade after JTQ. I'll tell you one thing, if they're here in New York anytime soon, I'll be looking for tickets.
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