New Jersey Kings

New Jersey Kings is the clandestine alter-ego of the James Taylor Quartet (JTQ), formed in the mid-1990s as a creative rebellion against Polydor Records. During a period where JTQ was being pushed toward a more commercial, vocal-led acid jazz sound, the band used this pseudonym to return to their roots: hard-hitting, instrumental soul-jazz and mod-funk.

The project allowed James Taylor to focus on the raw, distorted textures of the Hammond B3 organ without the interference of session singers or pop-oriented production. Their sound is deeply indebted to the Blue Note 'soul jazz' era of the 1960s, specifically artists like Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff, but it is filtered through the high-energy lens of the UK's 1990s acid jazz scene. Critically, the New Jersey Kings are often preferred by purists for their 'no-frills' approach and focus on rhythmic precision. They occupy a unique space in the UK funk revival, bridging the gap between traditional jazz musicianship and the club-oriented breakbeat culture of the era.