David Taylor

Lest anyone doubt the wicked humor of bass trombonist David Taylor, this recording is a reminder that he, well, might be missing a screw or too but he is easily forgiven for his unusual, utterly original, and usually compelling flights of depraved discombobulations. Taylor's reputation as a singularly virtuoso bass trombonist is virtually unparalleled and while he has dabbled with jazz improvisation, his best work is undoubtedly in the genre of modern classical music. This one is not exactly "jazz" by almost any definition, but a deliciously self-indulgent freestyle improvisational splurge where Taylor yields to a host of postmodern techniques, from raucous pedal tones, multi-phonics, flutter-tonguing, nonsense vocalizations (with his voice), to distorted muted tones, and more. Sometimes, Taylor's articulation is disappointingly inexact, as he fluffs several notes, although the results aptly reflect producer Robert Rusch's goal to simulate an untouched concert setting. There are a few influences throughout: modern European composer Daniel Schnyder, who penned almost half the compositions; Jewish references: "Morning Moon (Elohai N'Shomo)," "Tammuz," "Kislev," and "Kislev (Nuch a Mul)"; and Johann Sebastian Bach, whose work is credited on "Exercitium Bassorum Cum Rhythmo" and "Un Parcours Capricieux." Although most of the tracks feature a trio of only trombone, acoustic bass, and drums, the presence of Dominic Duval, in particular, adds considerable depth, and his solo excursion on "Un Prelude Sportif" is characteristically impressive. As a whole, this is likely to appeal most of all to aficionados of the bass trombone, for whom Taylor's improvisational flights (or burrows) forge largely uncharted ground. While it is difficult to compare him entirely favorably to tenor trombonists such as George Lewis or Wolter Weirbos, who have fine-tuned the art of modern free improvisation on the trombone, there is no questioning Taylor's vision. And, after all, who can deny his chutzpah in letting loose paroxysms of fancy that are audacious if not deranged. ~ Steven Loewy, All Music Guide