The James Taylor Quartet are a British jazz funk band. They were formed in 1987 by British Hammond organ player James Taylor, widely considered to be one of the greatest multi-instrumentalists of his generation, following the break-up of his legendary mod band The Prisoners. Renowned for their upbeat, energetic live performances and Taylor’s unique playing style, JTQ have set the standard for the coolest sounds in funky acid jazz for over 30 years.
One of the most exciting and well-respected touring bands in the UK, JTQ also has a prolific studio output. Since the release of first single, ‘Blow Up’, and their debut album Mission Impossible, they have released dozens of albums, in addition to several library albums. They scored a UK Top 40 hit with the single ‘Love The Life’, while the accompanying album, Supernatural Feeling, reached the Top 30 UK charts. Their most recent album, Soundtrack from Electric Black, famously premiered at the EFG London Jazz Festival.
In addition to their own body of work, the band has collaborated with a range of artists, such as Tom Jones, The Wonderstuff, Manic Street Preachers, The Pogues and U2. JTQ were nominated for a MOBO award in 1998 for their Whole Lotta Live album, scored the theme tune to iconic spy spoof movie, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, and had a spell as the house band on Gaby Roslin’s short-lived Channel 4 chat show.
