Mike Taylor (musician)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Michael 'Mike' Taylor (1 June 1938 - 19 January 1969) was a British
jazz composer, pianist and co-songwriter for the band Cream
.
Born in Ealing
, West London, Taylor was brought up by his grandparents in London and Kent, and joined the RAF for his national service. Having rehearsed and written extensively throughout the early 1960s, he recorded two albums for the Lansdowne series produced by Denis Preston
: Pendulum (1966) with drummer Jon Hiseman
, bassist Tony Reeves and saxophonist Dave Tomlin) and Trio (1967) with Hiseman and bassists Jack Bruce
and Ron Rubin. They were issued on UK Columbia
and are among the most challenging and powerful jazz recordings of their time. Original pressings are now extremely rare and expensive.
Despite his brief recording career, Taylor was a prolific and much-respected composer, several of whose pieces were played and recorded by his contemporaries. Three Taylor compositions were recorded by Cream
, with lyrics by drummer Ginger Baker
"Passing the Time", "Pressed Rat and Warthog" and "Those Were the Days", all of which appeared on the band's August 1968 album Wheels of Fire
. He was also much admired by the members of Neil Ardley
's New Jazz Orchestra, whose September 1968 recording Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe features one original Taylor composition "Ballad" and an arrangement by him of a Segovia piece "Study".
Mike Taylor drowned in the River Thames
near Leigh-on-Sea, Essex in January 1969, following years of heavy drug use (principally hashish
and LSD
). He had been homeless for three years, and his passing went almost entirely unremarked. Taylor is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend on Sea, grave 23588.
In summer 2007, independent record label Dusk Fire Records released for the first time Mike Taylor Remembered, a 1973 tribute to the musician recorded by Neil Ardley
, Hiseman, Ian Carr
, Barbara Thompson
amongst other major modern British jazz names.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
jazz composer, pianist and co-songwriter for the band Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
.
Born in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, West London, Taylor was brought up by his grandparents in London and Kent, and joined the RAF for his national service. Having rehearsed and written extensively throughout the early 1960s, he recorded two albums for the Lansdowne series produced by Denis Preston
Denis Preston
Sydney Denis Preston was a British record producer and music critic. He has been described as "Europe's first independent record producer".- Biography :...
: Pendulum (1966) with drummer Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
, bassist Tony Reeves and saxophonist Dave Tomlin) and Trio (1967) with Hiseman and bassists Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
and Ron Rubin. They were issued on UK Columbia
Columbia Graphophone Company
The Columbia Graphophone Company was one of the earliest gramophone companies in the United Kingdom. Under EMI, as Columbia Records, it became a very successful label in the 1950s and 1960s...
and are among the most challenging and powerful jazz recordings of their time. Original pressings are now extremely rare and expensive.
Despite his brief recording career, Taylor was a prolific and much-respected composer, several of whose pieces were played and recorded by his contemporaries. Three Taylor compositions were recorded by Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, with lyrics by drummer Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
"Passing the Time", "Pressed Rat and Warthog" and "Those Were the Days", all of which appeared on the band's August 1968 album Wheels of Fire
Wheels of Fire
Wheels of Fire is the name of a double album recorded by Cream. The release was largely successful, scoring the band a #3 peak in the United Kingdom and a #1 in the United States, and became the world's first platinum-selling double album....
. He was also much admired by the members of Neil Ardley
Neil Ardley
Neil Richard Ardley was a prominent English jazz pianist and composer, who also made a name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science and technology, and on music.-Brief biography:...
's New Jazz Orchestra, whose September 1968 recording Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe features one original Taylor composition "Ballad" and an arrangement by him of a Segovia piece "Study".
Mike Taylor drowned in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
near Leigh-on-Sea, Essex in January 1969, following years of heavy drug use (principally hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
and LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
). He had been homeless for three years, and his passing went almost entirely unremarked. Taylor is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery, Southend on Sea, grave 23588.
In summer 2007, independent record label Dusk Fire Records released for the first time Mike Taylor Remembered, a 1973 tribute to the musician recorded by Neil Ardley
Neil Ardley
Neil Richard Ardley was a prominent English jazz pianist and composer, who also made a name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science and technology, and on music.-Brief biography:...
, Hiseman, Ian Carr
Ian Carr
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, Barbara Thompson
Barbara Thompson
Barbara Gracey Thompson MBE is an English jazz saxophonist, flautist and composer. She studied clarinet, flute, piano and classical composition at the Royal College of Music, but the music of Duke Ellington and John Coltrane made her shift her interests to jazz and saxophone...
amongst other major modern British jazz names.
External links
- [ Mike Taylor's page at All About Music]
- Review of the Trio album by John Fordham in The Guardian 9 July 2004.