Creed Taylor was one of the most successful producers in jazz history. “Getz/Gilberto”, the album he produced for Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, sold over a million copies worldwide and singles by Jimmy Smith and Deodato were pop smashes.
Taylor started his career working for others, first as an in-house producer and then with his CTI imprint via A&M in 1967. In 1970 he went out on his own and CTI became successful, but controversial for its sweetening and commercialisation of jazz. This is the legend, but behind it was a diverse, soulful and innovative label, where, in its finest moments, CTI wrote itself into jazz history. “Incorporated!” looks afresh at the first five years of its existence to celebrate its sounds and the man behind it.
We have chosen 10 tracks that reflect those five years and the incredible range of styles that were recorded under the CTI banner. So we have small group sessions, jazz funk, and full orchestral works, arranged by the likes of Don Sebesky, Bob James and Eumir Deodato. We’ve selected key moments but also some surprises. Most of all we have beautiful music by some giants of jazz.
Their breakthrough star was trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who made CTI his home with a series of successful albums, none more so than “First Light”, which we feature. Stanley Turrentine’s ‘Gibraltar’ is a slinky, Brazilian-influenced slice of soul jazz totally bossed by the master saxophonist. Elsewhere we have deep spiritual sounds from Randy Weston and Joe Farrell, a beautiful take on Philadelphia soul from Milt Jackson, and folky jazz from Hubert Laws. For the dancefloor we have George Benson getting down and dirty with James Brown side-man Pee Wee Ellis, a Bob James sample classic and Deodato’s funk monument ‘Skyscrapers’.
“Incorporated!” is expertly put together by Dean Rudland, who has also written an extensive note explaining why CTI was so important at the time and is still today, and also why the comp is all about CTI, rather than its subsidiary Kudu.
Released on double vinyl and in CD formats, make sure you (re) acquaint yourself with Creed Taylor’s legacy.
