This duet by an emerging pianist and his mentor would have been of interest anyway – an opportunity to hear one of the most influential voices in European jazz (surprisingly) make his first two-piano recording.
But events have overtaken Duets, and it now stands as the only two-piano recording – and one of the last musical utterances – by the great John Taylor, who died earlier this month.
This gentle-spoken dialogue with a talented protege is all you would expect from such a master – thoughtful, explorative, revelatory, mischievous, with nods to his own formative influences, pianist Bill Evans and Taylor’s long-time collaborator, the late trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler.
Other epitaphs will no doubt follow, but this is a poignant listen nonetheless.
