Join David Sutter, Creed Taylor’s authorized biographer, and me as we discuss his book “Creed Taylor – The Man Who Put Jazz on the Pop Charts” – Sept 19th, 2 PM Eastern – free and online.
Creed Taylor: The Man Who Put Jazz On The Pop Charts
David Sutter’s authorized biography of Creed Taylor is now available for pre-order, set for release on October 29, 2026. The book details Taylor’s influential role in jazz history, drawing on extensive research and interviews. Pre-orders are available in multiple countries, with formats including hardback, eBook, and audiobook.
OTD: The “lost” Cal Tjader live Album
On January 18, 1967, Wally Heider transported recording equipment to San Francisco for a live session of Cal Tjader, overseen by Creed Taylor and Chico O’Farrill. While Tjader found success at El Matador, the fate of the recorded album remains uncertain, what happened to the unreleased tracks and other important events in Tjader’s 1967. Post includes a 1969 live set to listen to.
OTD: The Record Men: Creed Taylor
The January 1965 issue of Jazz magazine highlights Creed Taylor’s influential role as a jazz A&R producer. Known for his commercial success and artistic sensitivity, Taylor shaped numerous significant jazz recordings. The article discusses his innovative techniques, including unique project concepts and collaboration with artists, emphasizing his foresight in navigating the evolving jazz landscape.
On This Day: Smokin’ At The Half Note
Wes Montgomery’s “Smokin’ At The Half Note,” recorded in June and September 1965, represents a significant moment in jazz history, showcasing his guitar mastery alongside Wynton Kelly’s Trio. Despite misconceptions about its recording venue, the album reflects the transient nature of jazz life, with notable performances and early deaths of three of the musicians involved.
Seen Online: Moochin’ About -Kenyon Hopkins
An Internet find, the albums of Kenyon Hopkins and Creed Taylor in digital format. Got any interesting internet finds, let me know.
On This Day: Wes Montgomery Wins Grammy Award, 1967
Wes Montgomery won a Grammy for “Goin’ Out Of My Head” at the 9th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 1967, transforming his career. Produced by Creed Taylor, the track achieved commercial success, reaching #7 on the Billboard R&B chart. Despite criticisms of “selling out,” Montgomery remained true to his artistry until his untimely death in 1968.
OTD: Conversations With Myself
I’ve been having a lot of conversations with myself after the Recording Academy left Creed Taylor out of the “In Memoriam” segment of the 65th GRAMMY Awards show on sunday. It is not just disappointing, it’s unforgiveable. Which is the reason the following was posted 12-hours late. More on that later. On February 6th, 1963, 60-years ago today Bill Evans […]
Jack Teagarden and the Verve Records Era of Creed Taylor
This is a long research piece on Jack Teagarden and the albums he recorded with Creed Taylor, the last before Teagarden’s lonely death following years of brutal touring, bankruptcy, racism and so much more.
It is also a celebration of his music, in stereo including the only studio albums he recorded in stereo and which have a lush, mellow and heart warming quality.
Also coming soon to the youtube channel an audiobook version and a Teagarden laserdisc conversion.
Creed Taylor in 1979
Today marks what would have been the 95th birthday of Creed Taylor, a producer celebrated for his subtle yet impactful influence in the jazz music industry. Despite facing significant challenges, including CTI’s bankruptcy in 1978, Taylor’s dedication to crossover music has left a lasting legacy, exemplified by his nurturing of artists like Wes Montgomery. His approach, blending commercial elements with jazz, aimed to broaden the genre’s appeal without compromising its essence, a reflection of his deep commitment to both the art and its artists.
The 2024 Reissue List
The post discusses various 2024 vinyl reissues of Creed Taylor productions, spotlighting artists like Idris Muhammad, Nina Simone, and Stan Getz among others. Each entry details the vinyl quality, special editions, and availability across different regions, with mentions of both European and U.S. sources. The author, not owning most releases, encourages reader input to keep the music legacy alive. Links to past posts on older reissues are provided for readers seeking more information.
On This Day: Getz/Gilberto
Yep, 10-days late, I didn’t plan for this to become the definitive guide to Getz/Gilberto, maybe it isn’t but here it is. I had the audio recordings to add next week.
On March 18th, 1964, the Getz/Gilberto album was released, marking a significant moment in the history of jazz and bossa nova. Produced by Creed Taylor, it featured Stan Getz, João Gilberto, and introduced Astrud Gilberto with the hit “The Girl From Ipanema.” The album became a cultural phenomenon, earning considerable press, books, controversy, and solidified bossa nova’s popularity in the U.S. Its significance in the music industry is undeniable, highlighted by its inclusion in a film and unique archival materials.
Thumb Produces Green for Wes Montgomery
On this day in 1923, jazz guitarist #WesMontgomery was born, known for his successful crossover from jazz to popular music. Before his death, he played a multi-night gig at the Living Room in Cincinnati, revealing a lucrative shift to commercial music without forgoing his jazz roots, supported by a quintet featuring his brothers.
His innovative playing, transcending genre boundaries, appealed to varied music followers, cementing his legacy. Wes Montgomery’s defining success and distinctive style were celebrated up until his performances just months before he passed away.
Mondo Cane #2 – The Worst Jazz Album Creed Produced?
Pop goes the ondioline – A really quite unusual production by Creed Taylor, but was it jazz? Kai Winding’s “Mondo Cane #2” despite consisting of 12 short tracks diverges into space-era pop with Hawaiian themes, not pure jazz. Winding plays the ondioline on several tracks, attempting to capitalize on earlier success. A long form read and review where I suggest that despite its name, the album wasn’t intended to be a jazz classic and Winding didn’t play the ondioline, unless you know better!
On This Day: The Little Sisters
On This Day, December 7th in 1962 a singing duo of sisters made their third of four appearances on TV. They’d be snapped up and recorded by Creed Taylor for an M.G.M album. Just when you think you’ve heard all the vocalists Creed Taylor produced, along comes another one, or in this case two. This album was hiding in plain […]
Born Day: Little Eva (The Loco-motion)
For a website that deals with the productions of legendary Jazz producer Creed Taylor, you might wonder why I’m remembering the birth day of “Little Eva” who became famous for her 1962, Carole King and Gerry Goffin penned track “The Loco-motion”. Well, a few years later, Creed produced two 45RPM/Singles with Little Eva. Possibly some of the lessor known tracks […]