Song:Theme from Starsky and Hutch
Album:Wait A Minute
James Taylor is an organist who was a big part of establishing England's Acid Jazz scene in the late 80s. Those into funk will want to check them out. Taylor is from Rochester, Kent, England. He was in the 80s neo-psychedelic band The Prisoners. They released four albums and split up in 1986. Taylor and Prisoners bassist Alan Crockford decided to start a jazz band. Other members were Taylor's brother David Taylor on guitar and drummer Simon Howard. Both guys were in The Daggermen. Their first single was a cover of Herbie Hancock's theme for the film Blow Up. This got the attention of legendary BBC DJ John Peel. Taylor appeared on one of Peel's BBC Sessions radio shows. This led to the band recording several movie and TV themes like Mission Impossible, Alfie and Goldfinger. The 1988 album Wait A Minute was Taylor's first album for Polydor. The album was mostly produced by veteran session musician Pete Wingfield, known for his blue eyed soul classic Eighteen With A Bullet. The big hit and one of Taylor's signature songs was this cover of Tom Scott's theme from the TV show Starsky and Hutch. That was produced by Simon Booth of the band Working Week and it featured horns by the studio group The Kick Horns. The trombone solo is by the great Fred Wesley. Pee Wee Ellis also appears. That really got them going and they got into the Acid Jazz scene and used guest vocalists on their albums. You may have heard The James Taylor Quartet in the 1997 film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Taylor still leads the band. They released the 2018 album Soundtrack from Electric Black. And they are a terrific live band. They are very popular in England. Here's The James Taylor Quartet performing Theme from Starsky and Hutch at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
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