Dennis Taylor (musician)

Dennis Taylor (November 13, 1953  October 17, 2010) was an American musician, arranger, and author. Taylor had recording credits on saxophone (alto, tenor and baritone) as well as clarinet, and as an arranger.

Dennis Taylor
BornNovember 13, 1953
Barton, Vermont, U.S.
DiedOctober 17, 2010 (aged 56)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresJazz
InstrumentsAlto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet

Career

Taylor was born in Barton, Vermont. He studied music at the Berklee College of Music.[1]

Career

Taylor was best known for his recordings with Delbert McClinton, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Michelle Shocked, Buckwheat Zydeco and many others, and for writing a series of instructional books through Hal Leonard Publishing, in which he discussed blues playing, jazz playing and phrasing.[2] Taylor played on five Grammy nominated albums. He was a two-time nominee for the Nashville Music Awards, "Miscellaneous Wind Instrumentalist of the Year." He appeared on Austin City Limits, Country Music Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Celebration, Texas Connection, In Concert, American Music Shop, and Crook & Chase. On April 30, 2010, Taylor appeared on Imus in the Morning.

A jazz educator, Taylor also analyzed other players' styles and offered tips for emulating and understanding work from the masters of the instrument. Some of the sax legends explained by Taylor include King Curtis, Stanley Turrentine and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. The final part of "Jazz Saxophone" features 17 solos over classic jazz standards (including Doxy, Easy Living, Maiden Voyage and So What) and a wide variety of forms and styles (minor blues, soul jazz, 3
4
time
, and bebop). The theory lessons cover all the common major scale, minor scale, dominant, pentatonic chords and scales plus modes, as well as altered dominant scales and diminished options. Taylor also wrote other three other instructional books: Amazing Phrasing, Blues Saxophone and Jazz Saxophone.

Taylor was also an educator who taught at Johnson State College in Vermont, and taught private saxophone lessons in Nashville until the time of his death. In addition, Taylor volunteer taught at W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville, which provides lessons for students who can not afford regular private lessons, for eighteen of his twenty years in Nashville. He is survived by both of his parents, as well as his wife, Nashville songwriter and publicist Karen Leipziger.[3]

Discography

Taylor's first solo recording, which received help from Kevin McKendree, also of McClinton's band, was completed shortly before his death. The recording featured saxophone, organ and drums, some of Taylor's original compositions, and also a guest appearance by Delbert McClinton. Details on the release of the recording have not yet been released. He appeared as a side-man on countless albums (see below for partial list).

Published works

  • Hal Leonard Tenor Saxophone Method Jazz Saxophone: Tenor (Hal Leonard Corp.) – ISBN 978-1-4234-2634-9
  • Jazz Saxophone (Hal Leonard Corp.) – ISBN 0-634-05849-5, ISBN 978-0-634-05849-3
  • Blues Saxophone (Hal Leonard Corp.) – ISBN 0-634-02620-8, ISBN 978-0-634-02620-1
  • Amazing Phrasing (Hal Leonard Corp.) – ISBN 0-634-03540-1, ISBN 978-0-634-03540-1

Session work (partial list)

  • Clarence "Gatemouth" BrownReal Life (Live) CD – 1987 (Horn Arrangements, Tenor Saxophone)
  • Buckwheat ZydecoTaking It Home – 1988 (Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone)
  • Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown – Standing My Ground – 1989 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Buckwheat Zydeco – Where There's Smoke There's Fire – 1990 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Various Artists – Best of Mountain State Live Vol. 1 – 1991 (Saxophone)
  • Michelle ShockedArkansas Traveller – 1991 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown – No Looking Back – 1992 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Buckwheat Zydeco – Menagerie: The Essential Zydeco Collection, Mango – 1993 Island Records, Inc.[4]
  • Big Mike GriffinGive Me What I Got Comin' – 1993 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown – Timeless, HighTone Records 8174, 2004[5]
  • Earl GainesEverything's Gonna Be Alright, CD – 1998
  • Big Blues Extravaganza! The Best of Austin City LimitsSony Music Entertainment 489928 2 – CD – 1998
  • Roscoe SheltonLet's Work Together (Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone)
  • Eddy ClearwaterReservation Blues – 2000 (Tenor Saxophone, Soloist)
  • Clifford CurryShe Shot a Hole in My Soul Again! – 2001 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Eddy Clearwater – Rock 'n Roll City – 2003 (Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone)
  • Various Artists – Box of the Blues – 2003 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Robert GordonSatisfied Mind – 2004 (Saxophone)
  • Hacienda Brothers – Hacienda Brothers – 2005 (Guest Appearance, Saxophone)
  • Webb WilderAbout Time – 2005 (Saxophone)
  • Al GarnerGet Out Blues – 2007 (Saxophone)
  • Eddy Clearwater – West Side Strut – 2008 (Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone)
  • Mike FarrisShout! Live – 2009 (Clarinet, Saxophone)
  • Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown – Essential Recordings: Flippin' Out – 2009 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Delbert McClintonAcquired Taste – 2009 (Tenor Saxophone)
  • Murali Croyell – Sugar Lips – 2009 (Saxophone)
  • Mark Robinson – Quit Your Day Job – Play Guitar – 2010
  • Duke RobillardNew Blues For Modern Man, Shanachie Records – Shanachie 9017[6]
  • Dennis Taylor – Steppin' Up, Kizybosh Records (Saxophone, co-Producer, Composer) – 2011
  • Big Joe and the DynaflowsYou Can't Keep a Big Man Down, Severn Records (Saxophone) – 2011
  • Earl Gaines – You Got the Walk, (Saxophone) – 2011

References

  1. "Dennis Taylor's Dream - One Year Later". Blues Rock Review. November 13, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. Cooper, Peter. "Stage and session musician Dennis Taylor dies at 56". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  3. "Final Cadence | Berklee". www.berklee.edu. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  4. "Menagerie: The Essential Zydeco Collection". Buckwheat Zydeco. Archived from the original on September 18, 2010.
  5. "Timeless". Louisiana Music Factory. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008.
  6. Piltz, Dave (1999). "Duke Robillard CD Review". Blues On Stage. Archived from the original on March 12, 2001. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
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