Hammond-ology

Amazon.co.uk Review Hammond-ology is, at last, a truly comprehensive JTQ anthology: 35 tracks, including material from all the group's albums, culminating in a new and previously unreleased track. The disintegration of Medway modernists the Prisoners in 1985 saw shaven-headed Hammond hammerer James Taylor form instrumental mod squad the James Taylor Quartet. Their early material consisted of Booker T-inspired groovy movie soundtracks and kitsch TV themes, typified here by "Blow Up" and "Mission Impossible". As Taylor became increasingly inspired by soul jazz pioneers such as Jimmy Smith and Brother Jack McDuff, he gradually piloted the band in a funkier direction. This transition into soul jazz territory, with added brass and percussion, is exemplified by the hyper-tweaked wah-wah and afro-funk of "Starsky and Hutch", and a frantic reading of Gene Ammons "Jungle Strut". It was thanks to these funky organ grooves that JTQ soon found themselves figureheads of London's burgeoning acid-jazz scene. In an attempt to tinker with the formula, the chaps recorded their 1993 album, Supernatural Feeling with--shock! horror!--a vocalist: the rasping tonsil-led Noel McKoy, scoring a chart smash with "Love the Life". Since then, JTQ have generally stuck to their urban jazz imprint, with the occasional vocal foray. --Chris D King Album Description There are many JTQ compilations but this is the first time a truly comprehensive anthology, covering material from all the group's albums, has been put together. Hammond-Ology features 35 tracks, including all the favourites like "Blow Up", "Mission Impossible", and "Theme From Starsky & Hutch". It culminates in a new and previously unreleased track, "Message From Sicily", which gives a taste of the brand new studio album to be released by Sanctuary Records in 2002. At the centre of JTQ is Hammond ace James Taylor, who has lent his distinctive sound to such musical giants as U2, Manic Street Preachers, Tom Jones and Nitin Sawhney.