James Taylor

Born: March 12, 1948

The embodiment of the American singer-songwriter in the late 60s and early 70s was the frail and troubled James Taylor. He was born into a wealthy family. His mother was a classically trained soprano and encouraged James and his siblings, including future recording artists Livingston Taylor (b. 21 November 1950, Boston, Massachusetts), Alex Taylor (b. 28 February 1947, Boston, Massachusetts, USA), Hugh Taylor (b. 24 July 1952, Durham, North Carolina, USA) and Kate Taylor (b. 21 November 1950, Boston, Massachusetts, USA) to become musical.

The young James Taylor wanted for nothing and divided his time between two substantial homes. He befriended Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar at the age of 15 and won a local talent contest. As is often the case, boarding school education often suits the parents more than the child, and James rebelled from Milton Academy at the age of 16 to join his brother Alex in a rock band, the Fabulous Corsairs. At only 17 he committed himself to the McLean Mental Institution in Massachusetts to undergo treatment for his severe depression. Following a nine-month stay he reunited with "Kootch" and together they formed the commercially disastrous Flying Machine. At 18, now being supported by his parents in his own apartment, the seemingly affluent James drew the predictable crowd of hangers-on and emotional parasites. He experimented and soon was addicted to heroin.

Sing You a Brand New Song

By Coleman Mellett

Label: Mirror Image Distribution
Released: 2025
Track listing: Everymornin'; Life Goes On; Rainy Days; Honeykiss; Morning Line; Oh Kayo; Digibob; What You Are To Me; You Got Me Too; Come On Home; Fire And Rain; Island Home.

Chicago Underground Duo: Hyperglyph

by James Taylor
August 18, 2025

International Anthem is a fitting home for the first Chicago Underground Duo album after an 11-year hiatus. The Chicago-based and buzzworthy label has carried the torch for avant-garde sounds in the city since 2014, and trumpeter and composer Rob Mazurek and drummer Chad Taylor are no strangers to the label's catalog, performing together on multiple IARC ...

Meet Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
August 1, 2025

I currently live in: A small village in the Lincolnshire Wolds, north of Lincoln, UK I joined All About Jazz in: 2023 Why did you decide to contribute to All About Jazz? I have always used album reviews as a guide to where to spend my hard-earned cash. As All About Jazz ...

Digibob

July 23, 2025

Album: Sing You a Brand New Song
By Coleman Mellett
Label: Mirror Image Distribution
Released: 2025
Duration: 03:32

The Circling Sun: Orbits

by James Taylor
July 17, 2025

The Circling Sun plays spiritual jazz with reverence and a sense of reverie. Formed in T��maki Makaurau (the M��ori name for Auckland, New Zealand), the seven- member ensemble crafts rich tapestries that stretch to the stars with feet planted firmly on the dancefloor. Their sophomore full-length album, Orbits, finds the collective coming into its own, expanding ...

Cecil Taylor: Flashing Spirits

by James Taylor
June 11, 2025

There is a gift that keeps on giving nature to jazz music. Whether unearthing previously unknown archival recordings or niche labels getting long overdue vinyl re-pressings, fans of the genre have no shortage of new-to-us releases hitting the market every year. Such is the case with Flashing Spirits, the latest release documenting the prolific ...

James Yorkston: Yorkston / Jaycock / Langendorf

by James Taylor
May 29, 2025

Yorkston Jaycock Langendorf is the latest trio outing from Scottish folk songwriter James Yorkston. A unique pairing that blends elements of Nordic folk, American primitive guitar, swirling saxophones, moody ambience, and a fair amount of free improvisation, the trio engages in surprising levels of interplay, despite recording their parts remotely. Each composition began with ...

Coleman Mellett: Sing You a Brand New Song

by Fran Kursztejn
February 19, 2025

If guitarist & singer-songwriter Coleman Mellett was “known" at all, it's for his brief yet exciting contributions to Chuck Mangione's ensemble. He played in Mangione's band between 1999 and the eve of his shocking death in 2009, along with 49 other passengers and crew members on the Colgan Flight 3047. His sensitive, versatile strumming challenged bandmates ...

Al Jarreau: Wow! Live at the Childe Harold

by Angelo Leonardi
February 3, 2025

Ecco un'altra brillante scoperta dal produttore Zev Feldman. Una registrazione inedita dell'agosto 1976, che documenta un concerto di Al Jarreau in un localino di Washington, il Childe Harold. Diciamo subito che la performance �� intensa e trascinante, una delle migliori tra le sue registrazioni. Jarreau aveva 36 anni, era nel pieno della sua maturit�� ...