For those unfamiliar, Curtis Taylor is an award-winning trumpeter and recording artist. He is also Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Iowa School of Music. The fact that a talent like this resides in our community is worth celebrating.
Taylor’s resume is impressive, from work with Grammy winner Gregory Porter to performing in some of the finest halls in the country, including the Kennedy Center and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club.
This pedigree was apparent the moment my needle hit Taylor Made, the latest LP from the artist. I felt something special at first spin. There was a love present in the grooves — not a passing lustful emotion but a nurturing, sheltering type of love. It felt like every note and phrase had meaning, depth and purpose.
Upon doing research on Taylor, I found that the album opener “Kham’s Dilemma” was dedicated to his son Khamari. This is exactly how fatherly love should feel: caring, protective and open. In every piece on this album, he is saying something worth being heard.
Often, the complaint from jazz newcomers is that the genre is too esoteric or inaccessible, that the meaning or tune is lost in the freedom of the solos. Though the compositions and solo stylings on display are incredibly lyrical, these aren’t just exercises to get to a place where the soloist can show off his chops. These are tunes that have incredible depth and world-class playing.
The style of the album is very reminiscent of the Blue Note catalog of the early ’60s, albeit with some modern twists. (In fact, the album cover reminds me greatly of the Eric Dolphy classic Out to Lunch!.) Like a lot of great jazz, these compositions ride the fine line of pushing boundaries while still creating comfortable lyrical atmospheres. “After the Rain” has a fun, playful nature, a freeing sensibility not unlike the effects of negative ions after a great rainstorm.
Countering this is the incredible frenzy of “Heightened Awareness,” which feels as though you are taking in more frames per second than is natural. Like in a superhero movie where, in the depths of chaos, the hero has a moment of clarity. Breathe in. Breathe out. Play it again.
This is an album that refuses to leave my turntable. It demands attention that is willingly given. If you are already someone who is a jazz aficionado, you are going to find work here that both challenges your ear and fulfills your needs in new music. If you are new to jazz and find all the verbiage describing the myriad styles of the last 100 years of culture daunting, this is a great place to dip your toes. Try out something new and tailor-made to give you a rewarding experience.
This article was originally published in Little Village’s November 2024 issue.
