The Julian Taylor Band— Keepers of the Toronto Sound

Toronto Sound? Never heard of it though I had heard it without knowing. The Julian Taylor Band plays it, according to some sources, and after hearing them they can call it whatever they want as far as I’m concerned. The music is mainly an offshoot of rock and soul and R&B and funk and a handful of other genres, I just never thought it was limited to Toronto. And it wasn’t. Toronto, though, held onto it, evidently, and nurtured it and let it grow until it became an animal all its own. As I read through the Wikipedia explanation of the scene and music, I noticed a ton of artists definitely limited to Canada in terms of success but who were deserving of international recognition if not fame: Eric Mercury, Little Caesar & The Consuls, Mandala, Little Anthony & The Imperials who I knew; Jackie Shane, George Oliver & The Soul Children, Diane Brooks & The Soul Searchers, and Prakash John among those I did not. I have always considered myself a music archaeologist of sorts, going where man had never gone before, at least in the case of my music loving friends. How little I knew. How little I know, in fact.

Taylor’s new album, Desert Star, is teaching me, though. If he is really a purveyor of the Toronto Sound, I’m in. He (and the band) certainly cover a lot of ground— and very well, too. This little piece of funk has just been added to CBC Radio’s playlist.

The band doesn’t stop there. They delve into a whole string of roots available to them since the sixties and put together a whole variety of dance/listening tunes. I mean, the guy can dance while sitting! But does it matter anyway? Yes it does!

If versatility be a reason to love a band, these guys are in. Rock, soul, funk, R&B, reggae— they play it all with a real flair. It is like they have lived the decades and gleaned the best for themselves. I mean, how many coke bottle candies could you stuff in your mouth. Was that seventies or eighties?

Taylor asked me recently if I thought “Chemical Low” was a good choice for the next single. What a question! One of my favorite tracks on Desert Star. But you decide.

I would pick Desert Star as Album of the Year based upon versatility alone. Song after song packed with roots— maybe newer roots in places but roots nonetheless. And talent? Taylor has it but is also surrounded by it. It makes a difference, you know.

Toronto Sound? I can buy into it, but it all comes down to the music and Desert Star is good and sometimes outstanding music front to back. Album of the Year? I think so. And you— you will never know unless you listen.  

BTW, way back in February,  John Apice covered five of the songs which were then released as an EP.  Here is what he had to say.