The James Taylor Trio - The Truth (The Jazz Sessions Vol. 3) The James Taylor Trio

Volume 3 of the Jazz Sessions is here and brings the original Acid Jazz star James Taylor into play, on the 40th anniversary of his solo career.

Formerly a member of The Prisoners, who split in 1986, he recorded his first single as the James Taylor Quartet — a take on Herbie Hancock’s Blow Up — later that year for Acid Jazz-precursor Re-Elect The President, before working extensively with the label in the foundation of his lauded career and beyond. It is apt that the anniversary of that session is marked with James’ first release in a trio format.

The Truth sees him working with noted players Theo Carasco on drums and Orlando Flemming on upright bass, to recreate a sound influenced by the records that Les McCann, Hampton Hawes and Lonnie Liston Smith were making in the early ’70s.

The sound world of the trio involves an extensive interaction with analogue electric keyboards, be it the Fender Rhodes — James’ lead instrument throughout — the Solina string synthesiser and Hammond organ. The trio is joined by Aref Durvesh’s tablas and, on three tracks, vocals are added by gospel-trained singer Liz Jai.

The material includes takes on Vince Guaraldi’s Lucy & Linus and Thus Sprach Zarathustra, as well as the inspirational vocal title track and the cosmic jazz of Aref’s Space.

A fitting continuation of James Taylor’s catalogue on Acid Jazz, as he returns to the label that started his career.