Creed Taylor

The life and career of a producer who sought to bring jazz to the masses

Creed Taylor was one of the most successful jazz producers of all time—and one of the most controversial. His career spanned five decades, in which he produced albums with legends such as John Coltrane, Ray Charles, George Benson, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Stan Getz, and Nina Simone. In 1960, he famously founded Impulse! Records and signed John Coltrane, and in later years he produced at Verve Records—where he introduced the US to Bossa Nova, producing "The Girl from Impanema"—and ultimately founded Creed Taylor Incorporated, which defined the sound of jazz during the 1970s. One of the most sought-after jazz producers, he had a knack for enhancing an artist's commercial appeal without sacrificing their creativity. Yet his approach did not win universal acclaim: having vastly expanded the audience for jazz, he also earned the scorn of genre purists who distrusted his commercial success.

Written with the full cooperation of Taylor’s estate, and based on years of interviews, this first biography of the man illuminates an era of dramatic change within jazz music. From Taylor’s childhood in Appalachia to his decades-long career at some of the genre’s most important labels, David Sutter’s painstakingly researched book tells the full story of a man who did as much as anyone to broaden the audience for jazz.