Album Notes

Derrick Bang of The Davis (California) Enterprise writes:

"The Keith Taylor Trio’s O Christmas Tree-O (Startlingly Fresh Records) is a seasonal joy from start to finish: a delectable example of the sort of trio piano jazz I could listen to forever. Taylor is joined on piano by Jim Cavender (bass) and Tom Branch (drums), and tenor saxman Greg Chambers sits in....

"The lengthy tracks allow plenty of improv work.... Taylor demonstrates his inventive keyboard work with the album-opening ‘The Second First Noel,’ which also benefits from the first of Cavender’s many slick bass solos. Taylor and Cavender trade licks on several tracks; I’m particularly impressed by their work on the mid-tempo handling of ‘Once in Royal David’s City'. 'O Christmas Tree’ is an up-tempo finger-snapper, with a truly cookin’ bass solo from Cavender. An equally lively rendition of ‘We Three Kings’ proves that these heads of state really know how to groove on a track that boasts numerous tempo changes. But as much as I enjoy this trio’s faster selections, the slower pieces truly shine. ‘Silent Night’ ...[is] soft and mysterious... [a] lovely reading.... Great job, guys."

O Christmas Tree-O has received airplay on Douglas Turner’s show "Return To The Source" broadcast by WJAB-FM in northern Alabama and streamed over the web.