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Martin Taylor
Multi award winning guitarist and composer MARTIN TAYLOR has established a unique musical career as an internationally acclaimed musician, and his inimitable style has seen him recognized as the world’s foremost exponent of solo jazz guitar playing.
Although completely self taught, he has enjoyed a remarkable musical career spanning across five decades, and during that time has invented and developed a way of playing the guitar that is admired, and often imitated, by guitarists all over the world. As well as being a true guitar innovator, he is also a master concert performer, dazzling audiences with his solo shows, which combine virtuosity, emotion, humor, with a strong stage presence.
He spends much of the year traveling the world, playing in concert halls in Europe, North America, Japan, Asia, and Australasia as well as presiding over the uniquely innovative Martin Taylor Guitar Academy Online.
As well as his solo concerts and recordings, he has also collaborated with musicians from many different musical genre including, Stephane Grappelli, Jeff Beck, Chet Atkins, Bill Wyman, George Harrison, Dionne Warwick, Diane Schuur and Jamie Cullum.
From 1979 to 1990 he toured the world and recorded over 20 albums with the French jazz violin legend STEPHANE GRAPPELLI. Their album with Vassar Clements “Together At Last” won a Grammy Nomination in 1987. Monsieur Grappelli described him as “A great artist, rich in talent and elegance”
His ground breaking solo album ARTISTRY, produced by Steve Howe, was released in 1992 to much critical acclaim. It was No 1 in the HMV Jazz Charts for a record 12 weeks and launched his career as an international solo artist. After two very successful albums for Sony/Columbia, KISS AND TELL and NITELIFE, he went on to record several albums for The Guitar Label.
In 1999 he was made an Honorary Doctor of the University of The West of Scotland and in 2002, was appointed MBE “For Services To Jazz Music”, in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List, which he received personally from Her Majesty The Queen at an investiture at Buckingham Palace.
In 2007 he received the prestigious BBC Radio 2 “Heart of Jazz” Award in recognition of his career in music, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Wales Jazz Guitar Festival for his “Contribution to Jazz Guitar Worldwide”
He has also received a record 14 British Jazz Awards as a guitarist, and as a composer he was nominated for “Best Contemporary Song” in the BBC Folk Awards in 2009.
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Martin Taylor & Linn Records - Visions of Stephane Grappelli
by C. Michael Bailey
The British audiophile record label Linn has a sub-imprint called Echo. This imprint is dedicated to the re-release of older label titles. It is from this considerable loam of music that these two Martin Taylor releases are gleaned, both hosting appearances by violinist Stephane Grappelli from the mid-1990s. Martin Taylor & Spirit of Django with Stephane Grappelli Years Apart Linn Records 1996/2015 The Spirit of Django was ...
read moreMartin Taylor/Andreas Varady: Belfast, Ireland, November 4, 2011
by Ian Patterson
Martin Taylor/Andreas VaradyBlack BoxBelfast, IrelandNovember 4, 2011 It was a mouth-watering prospect and no mistake; Martin Taylor, the guitarist's guitarist, paired with 14-year-old, six-string sensation Andreas Varady, the youngest ever headliner at London's Ronnie Scott's. Taylor--of whom Jeff Beck said: “he out-shreds us all"--came to prominence when he began an 11-year stint with violinist Stephane Grappelli in 1979. His collaborations over the years have revealed an open-minded approach to music, with many ventures into non-jazz ...
read moreMartin Taylor: Embodying the Spirit of Django
by Matthew Warnock
Guitarist Martin Taylor is about as multi-faceted as any player on the modern scene. Whereas many guitarists have reached similar heights within the jazz world, Taylor has developed simultaneous reputations for his solo jazz guitar playing, his Gypsy- inspired band, the Spirit of Django, his solo finger-style guitar work, as well as his small group jazz playing. Among guitarists, he is known as a player's player-- someone who reaches across genres to integrate his many influences, while at the same ...
read moreMartin Taylor's Spirit of Django: Last Train to Hauteville
by John Barron
Often, tribute recordings are nothing more than a way to get over to a wider audience by exploiting the innovations and persona of past musical giants. When done with sincerity, however, a tribute captures the essence of the honoree while eschewing mimicry and blatant commercial intent. Such is the case with Last Train to Hauteville, a lively outing by Scottish guitar virtuoso Martin Taylor and his Spirit of Django ensemble. The acclaimed ensemble was formed by Taylor in 1994 to ...
read moreMartin Taylor: Double Standards
by John Barron
In a career spanning more than thirty years, guitarist Martin Taylor has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Stephane Grappelli, Chet Atkins and Jeff Beck, as well as recording extensively under his own name. Double Standards finds the Scottish guitar virtuoso in a duo performance with none other than himself. By recording two separate tracks, Taylor pulls off a set of familiar standards as though he were playing alongside the likes of Joe Pass, Herb Ellis or Barney ...
read moreMartin Taylor: Nitelife
by Jim Santella
After touring and recording with Stéphane Grappelli throughout the 1980s, and then recording seven superior, straight-ahead albums in the 1990s for the Linn label, Martin Taylor has made a radical change of direction. For his Columbia Records debut, the guitarist teams with saxophonist Kirk Whalum, adds programmed accompaniments to the musical arrangements, and floats repetitious smooth jazz melodies around the recording studio. While his choice of style removes a fair amount of the session's creative energy, the album is performed ...
read moreMartin Taylor: Nitelife
by Charles Chapman
For those who are only familiar with Martin from his Grappelli days or solo performances “Nitelife" may be a shock. If you are a Martin Taylor fan and have been following his career you will see the natural progression of a creative jazz musician.
This album is infectious and the more you listen to it the more it grows on you. Here are just a few highlights of what to expect.
The album opens with the original tune “Chaff & ...
read morePenang Island Jazz Festial To Host Guitar Legend Martin Taylor
Source:
Ian Patterson
The Penang Island Jazz Festival—one of the most eagerly awaited events in the Asian jazz calendar— is back for its 9th edition from the 29th November to the 2nd December. On the 1st and 2nd December the main stage in the tropical, beachfront grounds of the Bayview Hotel will play host to eight international acts of great stylistic diversity that share one common denominator – an independent, creative approach to music making. American beat box sensation Butterscotch, whose vocal improvisations ...
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Over 1,000 Jazz Guitarists Sign Up For Free Online Guitar Lessons
Source:
James Taylor
Online lessons are changing the way people learn music, including how to play jazz guitar. Martin Taylor, the world's most popular online solo jazz guitar teacher, is joining in that disruption by offering a free jazz guitar course. Over 1,000 guitarists signed up to this free course within the first three days. Though Martin Taylor's course is introductory, it offers guitarists a chance to check out some of the online lessons from his online guitar school that covers concepts including: ...
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Martin Taylor and Soweto Kinch hit USA as part of "Made in the UK" concert series 2011
Source:
Jazz Services UK
'Made in the UK,' America's largest series of British Jazz, will showcase four English groups, three Scottish and one from Wales at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (10-18 June 2011). The exciting line up from England includes the Soweto Kinch Quartet, Jason Yarde and Andrew McCormack, Ronnie Scott's All Stars and John Escreet. Martin Taylor and Alison Burns, the Fraser Fifield/Graeme Stephen Duo and Alan Benzie's trio will represent Scotland. Martin Taylor will also perform solo. Representing the Welsh ...
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Jazz Song for Japan by Martin Taylor
Source:
James Taylor
The massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan on March 11th has caused widespread destruction and suffering, relayed on television screens around the world. Jazz guitarist Martin Taylor regularly tours Japan and is due to play in Tokyo on the 4th and 5th April with fellow guitarist Ulf Wakenius.
In order to help raise money for the people of Japan Martin has recorded a tune called “One Day" and is making it available for download. The download is only ...
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Guitarist Martin Taylor Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
Guitarist Martin Taylor is about as multi-faceted as any player on the modern scene. Whereas many guitarists have reached similar heights within the jazz world, Taylor has developed simultaneous reputations for his solo jazz guitar playing, his Gypsy-inspired band, the Spirit of Django, his solo finger-style guitar work, as well as his small group jazz playing. Among guitarists, he is known as a player's player-- someone who reaches across genres to integrate his many influences, while at the same time ...
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Hear Martin Taylor's New Album on AAJ
Source:
Michael Ricci
If you can imagine the ideal soundtrack to driving through the scented country roads of France on a hot lazy summer's day then it would be the music of Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django. To mark the 100th Anniversary of the birth of one of the founders of European jazz Django Reinhardt, Martin Taylor has reformed his award winning group Spirit of Django after a 15 year hiatus for the new album, 'Last Train to Hauteville'. Martin Taylor first came ...
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Grammy Award Winning Guitarist Martin Taylor Comes to Tour the USA
Source:
All About Jazz
Grammy Award winning guitarist Martin Taylor brings his new album Double Standards and tour to the USA for his first major tour of the country in years. The legendary British guitarist is to play a series of intimate concerts throughout October starting in Lincroft and ending in Chicago. 12.10.2008 - USA, Lincroft - Brookdale Community College (Martin Taylor) 14.10.2008 - USA, Annapolis - Rams Head (Martin Taylor) 15.10.2008 - USA, Washington - Inter-American Series of Concerts, ...
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Guitarist Martin Taylor Meets His Match!
Source:
All About Jazz
We all know that there are two sides to every story, but in the case of Martin Taylor's new video, both sides of the story bear a striking resemblance. The video (see below) to “Drop Me Off At Harlem," taken from his forthcoming album Double Standards features Martin performing a guitar duet with the only guitarist he could find that could match him in both style and texture... someone who could even wear the same shoes and glasses, and, who ...
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Martin Taylor and Stuart Ryan in Bath
Source:
All About Jazz
On Sunday May 4th Bath based promotion company One Night Only Promotions is hosting a concert with world famous Jazz guitarist Martin Taylor MBE. The event is being held at the prestigious Bath Pavilion and will be supported by award winning guitarist (and also columnist for Guitar Techniques Magazine) Stuart Ryan. This promises to be a fantastic evening of guitar music suitable to lovers of all genres, and by far the year's best opportunity to witness two world-class instrumentalists on ...
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Martin Taylor and Alison Burns Begin New Pass/Fitzgerald Project
Source:
All About Jazz
Primary Instrument
Guitar
Willing to teach
Intermediate to advanced
Credentials/Background
2010 saw the launch of the uniquely innovative Martin Taylor Guitar Academy online. As one of the world’s most recognized online guitar teachers his innovative online guitar school with its headquarters in Napa, CA has been featured on NPR, BBC, Fox News and the LA Times and is subscribed to by guitarists in over 58 countries. 1999 Honorary Doctorate University of the West of Scotland 2002 Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), awarded by HM the Queen for Services to Music 2008 International Association For Jazz Education, Outstanding Service to Jazz Education 2010 Honorary Doctorate Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Jake Reichbart
guitar
Bill Cash
guitar, electricPhotos
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Martin Taylor
Instrument: Guitar
Born: October 20, 1956
