Some of the best work ever from pianist Billy Taylor – and some of the earliest too! Taylor's 50s trio with Earl May and Percy Brice is augmented here by conga work by the great Candido – and this addition brings a lot of fire to the group, giving Taylor's normally safe style a harder percussive edge – one that really makes the whole set groove nicely! Proof of this can be found in the album's classic reading of "Mambo Inn", one of those Latin piano tunes that's been a jazz dance classic for years – and other tracks are great too, and include "Love For Sale", "A Live One", "Bit Of Bedlam", "Declivity", and "Different Bells". CD

An early classic from pianist Billy Taylor featuring his classic 50s trio with bassist Earl May and drummer Percy Brice! The tracks are mostly short and simple, and done in Taylor's warmly rhythmical approach to the keys – a groove that was clearly informed by the hardbop of the time, but which laid back in a much more soulful formation. The set features dozen tracks in all, including "Blue Cloud", "It's A Grand Night For Swinging", "Purple Mood", "A Bientot", "Early Bird", "Day Dreaming", "Radioactivity", "Long Tom", and "Daddy O". LP, Vinyl record album

Mellow and wonderful work from Billy Taylor – caught here in a setting that feels much more relaxed and unrestrained than some of his other 50s outings! The group's his classic trio with Percy Brice on drums and Earl May on bass – and Billy's incredibly inventive on the keys, working through a long original entitled "Midnight Piano", as well as great readings of "The London House", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Stella By Starlight", and "Gone With The Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work by Billy Taylor – cut at the height of his 50s popularity, with his famous trio of Percy Brice on drums and Earl May on bass. The title gives it all away – as Taylor plays soulful renditions of standards like "But Not For Me", "Cheek To Cheek", "It's Too Late Now", "All The Things You Are", and "More Than You Know". Not groundbreaking, but pleasant enough! LP, Vinyl record album

A great record – or half-great, as the case may be! One part of this album features Billy with his standard trio of Earl May and Percy Brice, playing mellow piano trio versions of tracks that include "Tune For Tex", "Goodbye", "Biddy's Beat", and "Eddie's Theme". Those cuts are fine, but the real strength of the album lies on the last 4 cuts – all killer Latin jazz numbers cut with a rhythm section that includes Machito, Jose Mangual, Charlie Smith, and Uba Nieto. The added conga, bongos, and timbales really make the tracks groove – and you'll find yourself coming back to "I Love To Mambo", "Mambo Azul", "Early Morning Mambo", and "Candido" more than you will the rest of the record. CD