BIOGRAPHY
While sometimes, titles of urban instrumental singles and albums are just clever, catchy phrases, others, like guitarist Brian Taylor’s debut single “Taking It Back” and upcoming EP Back to the #1, are infused with biography, purpose, intention and vision. Now emerging from his longtime sideman role with Billboard charting, contemporary jazz guitarist Reza Khan, the multi-talented composer and musician is literally taking his life back to his first love of music.
Produced by fellow guitarist and eclectic smooth jazz star, Steve Oliver, the new single “Taking It Back” lays the foundation for the EP whose name reflects two aspects of Taylor’s vibe and overall creative intention. First, it’s about the groove – that beat that hits one, two, three and four and returns to one. And second, without a doubt, financially secure and with his adult children out of the house pursuing their lives, he’s placing his commitment to music ahead of all other pursuits.
Growing up in Minnesota and Upstate New York, the Chicago-born Taylor got his first guitar at age eight, and became obsessed with all kinds of music from straight ahead jazz and jazz fusion to rock. While studying engineering and finance at the State University of New York, Taylor found his professional passion in finance which inevitably won out over any early musical aspirations. He built an incredible career in trade finance while working for a British Bank. Along the way, he earned an MBA from Pace University in New York. Wanting to stay closer to his adopted home of New York, He later became an advisor with JP Morgan’s Private Bank.
In pursuit of his professional aspirations, Taylor moved to Queens, NY. Taylor rediscovered his long set aside passion for music when he was invited to join the music ministry at Upper Room Church in Dix Hills. As part of the contemporary worship band for over seven years, he played with the Spanish music ministry. Some years later, he responded to an ad that Reza Khan had placed for a rhythm guitarist and became a part of the guitarist’s local performing ensemble for years – all the while playing lead guitar in a cover band that had a regular gig in Freeport on his eventual home of Long Island.
After years of gigging with Reza – their last pre-pandemic performance was in September 2019 – Taylor began to feel it was time to focus on creating and recording his own music. He was inspired by how well Khan had done writing and distributing his own music, working with various smooth jazz greats and slowly building a fan base. Down time during COVID gave him the time to write new tunes and analyze the market to see where his original music might fit in. The digital age provided another benefit in that Taylor felt confident to approach Steve Oliver and send him a highly polished demo for the song that became “Taking it Back.” Oliver agreed to produce that track and is currently working on several others for the EP.
“When I think back to my early days emulating legends like George Benson, and my time in college working as a DJ, I feel blessed now to have the opportunity to go full circle in my musical life and finally pursue a career as an artist,” says Taylor. “I have enjoyed smooth jazz for years and I am grateful for the freedom to reach back to my musical roots and create a style that is very contemporary and commercial while staying true to myself. Another wonderful aspect is being able to work with top level musicians like Reza and Steve who have helped bring fresh perspectives and ideas to my evolving artistry.”
ON STAGE
In addition to his many years in musical ministry at Upper Room Church – including a performance at Madison Square Garden – Taylor set the stage for his emergence as an artist with years of gigging as rhythm guitarist for smooth jazz/global fusion guitarist Reza Khan. Performing several gigs a year in the New York area, they performed at such venues as Shrine World Music in Harlem, Club Bonafide, B.B. King’s and the Zinc Bar. Another regional venue was The Palace Theater in Waterbury Connecticut. Concurrently, Taylor was lead guitarist for Smilin’ Jack, a popular Top 40, R&B and Motown cover band that had a weekly residency at Elliot’s On the Mile in Freeport, NY – part of the Nautical Mile waterfront community of bars on Long Island. Post pandemic, Taylor is excited about putting a band together to support his contemporary jazz career.
MUSIC
With his keen sense of melody and groove, and on the strength of those elements inherent in his debut single “Taking it Back,” Taylor could have attracted the attention of almost any top contemporary jazz producer. Oliver, a master hitmaker, guitarist and innovative sonic architect, was the perfect choice. He loved Taylor’s ultra-infectious hook and decided to build around it. He knew Taylor was a lifelong fan of George Benson, but discouraged him the first time out from indulging in over-soloing. The result is a picture perfect, in the pocket urban jazz track, driven by an easy-flowing, toe-tapping groove, cool atmospheric ambience and – most prominently – a coolly sensual, hypnotic and crisp electric melody performed on his D’Angelico Excel SS. With each simmering verse, the track builds towards a bright, snappy hook propelled along with an intensified bass and drum groove (featuring Larry Antonio on bass) and lively keyboard and piano harmonies. It’s a powerful introduction to Taylor’s talent, but just a taste of the compositional guitar power and magic he will unleash in the near future.
THE EARLY YEARS
With the good fortune to be born to parents who had a deep appreciation for the arts, Taylor was exposed early on to all the classic straight-ahead jazz players, from John Coltrane to Dizzy Gillespie. His father played jazz throughout the house and would often regale Taylor with the story of his shared cab ride with Nat King Cole or the many nights he spent seeing live performances in local Chicago clubs. After a move to the Minneapolis area, at the age of eight, Taylor recalls a walk with his father down a local street one day. Brian spotted a guitar in the window of the local music store. As Brian recalls, most kids may see a dog in the window. “For me, it was a guitar,” he says. “My father spent his last $30.00 to purchase the guitar in the window and that is where music officially started for me.”
While developing his passion for guitar listening to Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Robin Trower, Return to Forever, John McLaughlin and Weather Report, he recalls spending weekends as a child at his cousin’s home in St. Paul, listening and playing music while the parents were upstairs. As Brian explains, it was a great environment where family members, who also happened to be musicians and artists, could collaborate. He also played in his high school jazz band. After graduating, he realized many of his friends were going off to music schools like Berklee, but he chose the more practical route of pursuing a non-musical degree.
REVIEW
“With most new artists, it takes at least a few songs to “get them” – to feel their vibe, get into their flow and connect with their passion and understand their musical mission. Brian Taylor is one of those rare musicians and composers who – to use a phrase from a classic film – has us from “hello,” drawing in our ears, heart and spirit within seconds on his instantly infectious, toe tap inspiring debut single “Taking it Back.” Though there’s an overall sense that he’s holding back the full power of his D’Angelico Excel SS for the sake of radio friendliness, his effortlessly crisp and snappy funk style is a natural fit into the urban jazz realm and intertwines sharply with the nonstop simmering groove and all the harmonic magic and sonic enhancement added by producer Steve Oliver. One of the most engaging genre tracks of the year, “Taking It Back” is Taylor’s message to himself and the world that he’s returning to his first love – and the blessing is all ours!”
- Jonathan Widran, The JW Vibe