The Billy Taylor Trio with Candido (1954)

Having already dedicated half of 1953's Cross Section to numbers with Machito's band, it was no surprise that Bill Taylor's 1954 follow-up, Trio with Candido, would feature more Latin touches -- this time with star Cuban conga player Candido. In line with fellow jazz pianists George Shearing and Red Garland, Taylor doesn't incorporate the Cuban clavé beat so much as he includes the percussion for accentuation. In spite of this, Candido offers up some provocative solos, especially on the fast-paced Taylor original "A Live One," which features the pianist and percussionist trading an energetic set of fours. Medium to slow-tempo Taylor originals, though, dominate the program, including "Bit of Bedlam," where the chaos is decidedly cool. Throughout the album, Taylor uses his fleet, Teddy Wilson-informed solo chops to pleasant effect, even stretching out a bit on "Mambo Inn" to complement Candido's own lengthy workout.

Review by Stephen Cook

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-billy-taylor-trio-with-candido-r148606

1. Mambo Inn

2. Bit of Bedlam

3.Declivity

4. Love For Sale

5. A Live One

5. Different Bell

Billy Taylor (p) Earl May (b) Charlie Smith (d) Candido (Conga)