James Taylor, the Hammond organ-playing acid jazz star, says there is “no-one more surprised” than him that he has managed to create a successful career out of his talent.

That isn’t because life has just happened to him without him actually trying. In fact, he is constantly striving to create with fresh appeal.

The surprise is more down to his unassuming attitude, combined with his career being unexpectedly born out of his hobby.

“I suppose these things are in your blood though,”

he said, looking back to when he was a young boy and first started playing.

“My grandmother played the piano and so did my mum, so they would give me lessons from the age of about four or five. And there was always a piano in the house, so I would be tinkling on it, along to theme tunes on the radio or the telly. It certainly never crossed my mind that I would make a career out of it.”

But he did. In what he describes as “by accident”

he released an instrumental, called Blow Up, a funked-up version of Herbie Hancock’s main theme from Sixties film of the same name. It was released in 1987 on the Re Elect the President label, which would later become the Acid Jazz label.

The track was championed by the NME and John Peel, and a debut album, Mission Impossible, was released the following year comprising of covers of Sixties film themes, such as Alfie, Mrs Robinson (from the Graduate) and Goldfinger in an up-tempo, energetic style.

“The guy from the label had heard some recordings I did, which I didn’t really intend for anyone else. I just did them for me, so I could hear how I was playing. But we recorded Blow Up and it became a hit,” explained James.

“It was very strange, but then other people became interested and so they wanted me to do an album, but at that time I hadn’t really written anything, so we decided to do the covers.

But it was just what I had been doing my whole life, sitting in front of the telly and thinking ‘how did that go?’ and playing along.”

But as soon as James realised he was going to make a career out of his hobby, he started to pay attention to other musicans, saying he would watch and listen to the likes of Ian McLagan, keyboard player of the Small Faces and Jimmy Smith, the American jazz musician, to get inspired and get ideas.

“I had those guys’ records in my collection, and once I realised this could be my job, I would listen to what they would do much more consciously.”

His work paid off. For a quarter of a century, the James Taylor Quartet have set the standard for the coolest sounds in funky acid jazz. Their bulging catalogue of albums and show-stopping gigs continue to keep them in hot demand. Over the years, there have been chart entries in the top 40, a Mobo award nomination, and guest appearances with the likes of the Pogues, Tom Jones and the Manic Street Preachers.

For someone who hadn’t really thought of a career as a musician, he has certainly run with it, always on the look-out for new ideas.

“I permanently look out for inspirational figures,whether I am listening to the Proms or maybe watching a punk rock documentary, trying to find something really exciting to me,” he said.

“I also like to rely on an audience to give that excitement, and like making a discovery on stage with the band.”

I wondered whether leaving things open to “discovery”, jamming a set live in front of a paying crowd, could also be a pretty scary feat, given that something could go horribly wrong.

“No, I mean the guys I work with are good musicians, and we have a boundary on which we base everything, so we can’t violate that too much, but looking for that chink on stage where the light can come in, where something will be brought to life, the audience cannot avoid that,” he said. “It’s more of a danger to play it safe, because then it all becomes dead.”

They are currently developing and working on an album which incorporates 50 to 60 choristers – the Rochester Cathedral Choir to be exact. It was a idea that came to James after he heard their incredible sound, and wondered if he could work with it.

“To be honest, this recording will be more like the James Taylor Quartet supporting them, but I have done the composition for it,” he explained.

The premier to the album – which is expected to be out in October – will be held on June 19.

The band have visited Southend numerous times when gigging, playing at all sorts of venues, including Churchills, the Pink Toothbrush in Rayleigh and more.

On Sunday, they will be at the Boatyard restaurant in Leigh, with DJ support from Snowboy.

“I’ve been to Southend many times over the years, and have played for Tongue and Groove at the Boatyard in the past. We are very much looking forward to coming back,” he said.

  • Lounge tickets for the gig at the Boatyard, High Street, Old Leigh, are £18 or £50 for dining, including a four-course meal and waiter service. Call 07702 089264 / 07956 480473 for booking or information.