It’s sad to be engaging this music after Coryell’s passing, but nice to check in with his playing regardless of circumstance. The bustling, fulsome groove on “The One or the Nine” makes for a rousing start. There’s strongly motivic playing at the heart of things, and the leader Taylor sounds fantastic in the thick of it all. Coryell’s playing suggests he’s fallen back in love with Grant Green, with a much more pared down phraseology than many associate with him. “Loft Funk” sounds especially dialed in, and it’s certainly more than a pedestrian vamp, since there are nice chord changes and rhythmic shifts. Obviously, the key to generating excitement in such contexts is band chemistry, which is here in abundance with this trio. Indeed, as much fun as it is to focus on Coryell, you can’t help but be impressed by the tasty press rolls from Clark and the nicely rotund shapes from Taylor. “Jumbo Liar” is a kind of Monk-like lope, another tune where Taylor and Coryell dig into unisons in ways that don’t detract from the rhythmic needs of a trio. The back half of the disc finds the trio stretching out a bit more in thematic terms. They range from the soft, acoustic ballad “Song for Dennis” to a laid-back tour of Bud Powell’s “John’s Abbey” to Taylor’s fine “Hittin’ and Missin’,” which recalls some of Pat Metheny’s more Ornette-influenced pieces. On the latter two pieces especially, Coryell’s harmonic range and imagination shine through. And he’s in positively blistering form on acoustic on “ARC,” a vivid reminder of his power and technique. It’s fitting, too, that Coryell’s rousing “The Dragon Gate” closes out this fine session. Jason Bivins

My tune Hittin and Missin made the WRTI top 100 for 2017!

http://wrti.org/post/wrti-901s-top-100-jazz-countdown-2017-list

Dylan Taylor – One In Mind (BluJazz): Bassist/cellist Dylan Taylor has had a streak of very good luck over the years: A member of a local jazz band that backed up visiting players, he met and played with guitarist Larry Coryell. He later befriended and played with drummer Mike Clark. In 2015, the friends were set up to do a live performance which was wiped out by a heavy snowstorm, but also stranded the players in the performance hall. While stranded, they took advantage by playing AND recording their planned performance. Hence this disc. It may well be the last recording for Coryell, who passed away in February of this year. The program features five compositions by Coryell, one by Clark and three by Taylor, plus a cover of Bud Powell’s “John’s Abbey”. The performance is wonderfully varied and alive. Definitely a must for fans of Larry Coryell, jazz trios or varied explorations by three tapped-in musicians. http://www.wtju.net/new-jazz-adds-6172017/

DYLAN TAYLOR/One in Mind: So if you're a bass player of a certain age--hell, any age, you just don't turn down the opportunity to be in a trio with Larry Coryell and Mike Clark. A jazz trio working as a unit even if they aren't, even if they are pals, this is the stuff that keeps you out late at night at the club; the band is cooking and their left leaning edge is undeniable keeping you rapt and on the edge of your seat. Tasty stuff that won't happen again, this is as jazzbo as it gets and it's mighty fine. 
BluJazz 3450 http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1229.html

“… last year’s dramatic interplay with Dylan Taylor on the master bassist’s ONE IN MIND, which featured a remarkable degree of conversational funk and swing between Larry and the innovative drummer Mike Clark, an ideal pairing I was most certainly looking forward to hearing a great deal more of in the near future, Larry and Mike being two of my fave musicians and people, but then, we are all playing with the house’s money, are we not. It wasn’t meant to be. Chip Stern, http://radiofreechip.com/ 

53 STATIONS 

THE HILLTOP 

SESSIONS 

DREAMBOX MEDIA DMJ- 

1138 

LACY/ FOLLOW ME/ 53 

STATIONS/ SWEET 16/ BELLS/ 

PAGE 3/ LATER/ BLACK TIDE/ 

DEPARTURE 

54:42 

Jason Shapiro, ts, ss; Bob 

Meashey, tpt, flgh; Dylan 

Taylor, b; Skip Rohrich, d. 

February 1, 2007; June 9, 

2007; June 12, 2007.

53 Stations is a piano-less quartet of musicians 

from South Jersey, Southeastern Pennsylvania, 

and Northern Delaware. The group is firmly rooted 

in tradition and polished musicianship. Each 

member of the quartet, besides being a seasoned 

veteran of their instrument, is a respected educator 

in their own right. The Hilltop Sessions is a 

collection of compositions by Shapiro, Taylor, and 

Rohrich. The compositions take their influence 

from jazz standards, Broadway tunes, classic R&B, 

and mainstream jazz. The highlighting features of 

this album are the band’s cohesive sound, precise 

articulation of phrases, and clear identity. The 

music is adventurous, but never goes so far out to 

sea that it alienates the listener. In fact, the music 

has equal suitability to venues such as cocktail parties, 

weddings/parties, jazz clubs, and festivals. The 

album begins with Rohrich’s ode to saxophonist/ 

composer Steve Lacy, which features a swinging 

Lacy-esque melody. The band also displays their 

versatility with dynamically sensitive ballads like 

“Sweet 16” and Latin-influenced compositions 

like “Departure.” The album benefits from a clear 

recording quality that allows the listener to hear 

each individual voice and their contribution. The 

music is effortlessly digestible but remains edgy 

enough to keep the jazz aficionado’s attention. In 

fact, the language of each player suggests a wealth 

of understanding of the different periods this 

music’s rich history. 

Dustin Mallory
(CD available at www.dreamboxmedia.com)