Search - Billy Taylor :: Uptown

Hip Billy!

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 01/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The booklet says that Billy had a very wide radio and television exposition in the years that followed the release of this live album. Sure it was in the States. In Italy I never heard anything about a pianist named Billy Taylor even in jazz clubs. You always listen to the same old cats names, Monk, Bud, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson few more. They're great of course, but if you take the time to search deeply in the history of jazz you may find exceptional musicians and real gems such as this "Uptown". It is a date recorded live at the "Prelude" a club in NY in february 1960 (very few people attended this concert if I have to say from the applauses). Billy played that evening with Henry Grimes (double bass) and Ray Mosca (drums). It is a delightful album this one. Perfect Jazz trio the NY way. Sophisticated, modern, hip, swinging, bopping, very balanced music. Billy knew very well how to swing, how to bop, his playing was really balanced (he knew how to play a ballad too, something that few cats know how to do properly). He may seem near some Oscar Peterson things here and there, but somewhere else he is perfectly sophisticated, educated, calm and reflective (not that Oscar wasn't able to besophisticated or educated of course, but I simply wanted to say that Oscar has a more "set the house on fire" attitude all the way.. Billy is more elegant in a sense). I love this record it is one of the best trio date I own, and I own many believe me. The program is also very entertaining. You have standards, originals, blues and even hard bop numbers (Jordu). You don't have really fast tempos. The atmosphere is swinging, relaxing, very coool. This concert is very very beautiful. If you love Jazz trio, you can't go wrong here. This album is like a bottle of precious, good old wine that I am glad to have in my cellar for a special occasion."