Charlie Haden & John Taylor - Nightfall (2004)

Once again The Naim Label has achieved the significant coup of recording with one of the worlds best known and most respected double bassists in the world, Charlie Haden. Along with previous recording "None But The Lonely Heart" with Chris Anderson (Naim CD022) and "The Capitol Sessions" with Mike Melvoin (Naim CD025,) "Nightfall" promises to be a wonderful album of the same calibre. As equally respected as Charlie, former ECM recording artist John Taylor is this time at the piano, providing his wonderfully intuitive and sympathetic musicality. John is a British pianist with many years experience of recording and performing. He has made records and played with Cleo Laine, Kenny Wheeler, Jan Garbarek, Joey Baron amongst many others and has recently played in acclaimed saxophonist Tommy Smiths Sextet, touring with him in support of their album. "Nightfall" is an album of musical beauty; an uplifting combination of Johns dancing fingers and Charlies trademark resounding bass and finger slaps. The tracks are all written by Charlie and John, apart from "My Love and I", an old Apache Love Song and a composition from William Waltons orchestral suite for Laurence Oliviers Henry V, "Touch Her Soft Lips And Part" Charlie has held a desire to work with John Taylor for several years, an artistic ambition that we were only too happy to help with! Nightfall is a celebration of the musical simplicity that comes from recording the double bass and piano live to a two track stereo tape recorder. Every tone and phrase is there, from Johns improvisation through plucking the piano strings on "Chairman Mao", to Charlies beautiful yet eerie bowing on "Song For The Whales"