Some Martin Taylor appreciation - and a wish

[Oscar67]

I felt some Martin Taylor appreciation is in order. He's done so much for so long... as a sideman, as a solo artist, as a teacher and as a performer. He's got the chops of doom, is a walking jukebox and operates at an incredible level of overall musicianship. On top of all that, he seems to be a kind soul and a true gentleman. And let's not forget his fantastic tone and his collaboration with Fibonacci to create the Joya.

Wow.

While I read that he's been in the studio with Alison Burns recently to record an album, which I'm really looking forward to, I'd love for him to really go out on a limb and record a truly ambitious, daring, groundbreaking album in this stage of his career. I'd love for him to shake everything up. Create a Van Halen I of jazz guitar, so to speak. He's got the depth, he's got the chops, he can do it. Of course he might not want to do it, but hey, at least I can hope for it.

[AndyV]

I took online lessons with Martin for a while (they didn't take, which is entirely my fault). He was a very insightful, patient teacher who look for the good in what every player did while meeting them at their level.

[AKA]

I join you in celebrating the work of the great Martin Taylor! I had the great fortune of sitting front row center as he played two duo sets with the equally outstanding Bireli Legrene last night in Berkeley, CA. Over twelve hours later and I’m still trying to lift my jaw from the floor. I’ve heard some great performances in my 68 years, and their performance ranks as the best of the best. Wow! Two virtuosos at the top of their game.

AKA

[Oscar67]

I wish I could have been there, AKA!

[Rob MacKillop]

Martin is one of the most lyrical players in jazz, a very clean player, without the danger of, say, a Joe Pass (make of that what you will). He is more traditional than the cool young cats, such as Rosenwinkle, Lund, Lage, yet remains one of the more listenable players in jazz, a polished showman, with the respect of all the players in the business. Pat Metheney regarded him twenty years or so ago as one of the greats.

Talking of Alison Burns (see the OP above) I once accompanied her in some jazz songs, without really knowing what I was doing. This must have been 35 years ago. A few years back I thought I’d join an online school Martin was running, and he said that Alison had mentioned me fondly as the first jazz player she had performed with. She must have been as drunk as I was! We have both travelled far and wide since then. I love the album I have of Martin and Ali together. Perfect easy-listening jazz by two of the best in the business.

[Oscar67]

Martin is one of the most lyrical players in jazz, a very clean player, without the danger of, say, a Joe Pass (make of that what you will). He is more traditional than the cool young cats, such as Rosenwinkle, Lund, Lage, yet remains one of the more listenable players in jazz, a polished showman, with the respect of all the players in the business. Pat Metheney regarded him twenty years or so ago as one of the greats.

Well said! Yet somehow I feel that he deserves more recognition outside of the inner circle, if that makes sense. And also that, as stupefyingly good as he is, somehow he’s got even more in him than the world has seen thus far. Perhaps a good producer might pull him out of his comfort zone. Perhaps what I mean is the danger element that you refer to.

[dot75]

Martin is one of the most lyrical players in jazz, a very clean player, without the danger of, say, a Joe Pass (make of that what you will). He is more traditional than the cool young cats, such as Rosenwinkle, Lund, Lage, yet remains one of the more listenable players in jazz, a polished showman, with the respect of all the players in the business. Pat Metheney regarded him twenty years or so ago as one of the greats.

I get to see him most years & it's not the usual jazz guitar crowd - The man sitting next to me at the gig before last asked if I'd seen him before, because I was in for a treat, I said I first heard him live with Joe Pass.*

'Who?'

*They did a few tunes together & when those recordings pop up (I usually start the day with 'random songs' on my squeezebox) I generally end up listening to the rest of the gig...

[Christian Miller]

I always find listening to Martin an immense pleasure

[blackcat]

I felt some Martin Taylor appreciation is in order. He's done so much for so long... as a sideman, as a solo artist, as a teacher and as a performer. He's got the chops of doom, is a walking jukebox and operates at an incredible level of overall musicianship. On top of all that, he seems to be a kind soul and a true gentleman. And let's not forget his fantastic tone and his collaboration with Fibonacci to create the Joya.

Wow.

While I read that he's been in the studio with Alison Burns recently to record an album, which I'm really looking forward to, I'd love for him to really go out on a limb and record a truly ambitious, daring, groundbreaking album in this stage of his career. I'd love for him to shake everything up. Create a Van Halen I of jazz guitar, so to speak. He's got the depth, he's got the chops, he can do it. Of course he might not want to do it, but hey, at least I can hope for it.

Martin's liaison with Fibonacci has been immensely successful - clearly. He, Allessio and now Bireli ( amongst others ) are all now endorsees with A Bireli signature model in the pipeline I undestand.......................

ARTISTS | FIBONACCI GUITARS

[lawson-stone]

Martin is one of the most lyrical players in jazz, a very clean player, without the danger of, say, a Joe Pass (make of that what you will). He is more traditional than the cool young cats, such as Rosenwinkle, Lund, Lage, yet remains one of the more listenable players in jazz, a polished showman, with the respect of all the players in the business. Pat Metheney regarded him twenty years or so ago as one of the greats.

Talking of Alison Burns (see the OP above) I once accompanied her in some jazz songs, without really knowing what I was doing. This must have been 35 years ago. A few years back I thought I’d join an online school Martin was running, and he said that Alison had mentioned me fondly as the first jazz player she had performed with. She must have been as drunk as I was! We have both travelled far and wide since then. I love the album I have of Martin and Ali together. Perfect easy-listening jazz by two of the best in the business.

Not trying to provoke a debate, but what in the world is the "danger...of a Joe Pass"? I don't know what you are talking about. I listen a lot to both players, love them immensely, and I wonder what the danger is you speak of.

[Rob MacKillop]

I didn't say anywhere that I didn't love both players...I'm merely stating that Joe took more chances, or seemed to. I gave no value judgement on either player in that statement. Oscar67's reply implies that I am not the only one who has noticed that. For the record, both players are beyond measure in my estimation.

[FourOnSix]

I didn't say anywhere that I didn't love both players...I'm merely stating that Joe took more chances, or seemed to. I gave no value judgement on either player in that statement. Oscar67's reply implies that I am not the only one who has noticed that. For the record, both players are beyond measure in my estimation.

I completely agree with this. Simply stated, when it comes to their approach to music, Joe Pass lived more dangerously than Martin Taylor does. Both styles yield highly satisfying results.

[AKA]

Well said! …….. And also that, as stupefyingly good as he is, somehow he’s got even more in him than the world has seen thus far. Perhaps a good producer might pull him out of his comfort zone. Perhaps what I mean is the danger element that you refer to.

I’ve seen him perform on previous occasions. My observation during the recent duo performance is that Bireli’s brilliance and perfectly executed risk-taking pushed Martin’s performance to a higher level! I hope a live recording emerges from their tour. I’m still buzzing!

AKA

[lawson-stone]

I didn't say anywhere that I didn't love both players...I'm merely stating that Joe took more chances, or seemed to. I gave no value judgement on either player in that statement. Oscar67's reply implies that I am not the only one who has noticed that. For the record, both players are beyond measure in my estimation.

I didn't think you were disparaging anyone. I "know" you better than that. You're always very considerate and nuanced and I really did wonder what you meant.

I agree Joe was someone who seemed musically to love skating on the edge a little. Unexpected key changes, painting himself into musical corners, and that's exciting.

I didn't in any way mean to be calling you out. Just wanted to know what a respected forum member meant. "Danger" can be interpreted lots of ways!

Thanks for clarifying.

[Rob MacKillop]

We can both sleep tonight

[dot75]

I’ve seen him perform on previous occasions. My observation during the recent duo performance is that Bireli’s brilliance and perfectly executed risk-taking pushed Martin’s performance to a higher level! I hope a live recording emerges from their tour. I’m still buzzing!

AKA

Solo, he plays arrangements of tunes, they obviously evolve over time & equally obviously they aren't set in stone, but I think he has a good idea where he's taking the music
.
I've never heard him spontaneously change key, play some chuck berry, or bluegrass, a flamenco rasgueado etc, all of which I heard Joe Pass do to 'reset' (my word - he said something like 'I got a lot of versions of that tune, sometimes I change it up' he talks about doing that kind of thing in an interview to get himself out of playing stuff he already knows)

When I've seen MT with other guitarists (earliest was Joe Pass, the latest Ulf Wakenius) it's a conversation, & he lets go a little more...

[dot75]

One from the vaults...

[Oscar67]

One from the vaults...

What I meant is that I’m hoping he’ll some day release a groundbreaking jazz album. Think Kind Of Blue. Something that will raise eyebrows and drop jaws.

[Christian Miller]

Martin sometimes comes in for a bit of stick from the improvisation police.

[Tom Wright]

I saw Taylor with Stephanie Grappelli in 1982 (I think) at Park West in Chicago. Grappelli offered him a moment to play a solo, and he played an arrangement of Old Man River. He began with a harmonized version of the head, and then melody over a fast, walking bass line.

[AndyV]

MARTIN TAYLOR CONTRACT RIDER .... is it real? I hope so!

Thank you for inviting me to play for you. I have been a professional
musician since 1973 and have spent most of that time touring around the
world as a solo artist.
On the surface my job looks very glamorous, jetting around the globe and
playing to thousands of adoring fans. But the reality is that it is hard
work and very tiring having to deal with hectic travel schedules, crowded
airports, lost baggage and Eastern European hotels. Giving Japanese press
interviews while jet-lagged or hung-over are just some of the tortuous
ordeals that can pay a heavy toll on an artist, both physically and
mentally.
However you can help me enormously by taking care of a few small, yet I hope
not over-demanding, details. I would therefore like to request that the
following items be available in my dressing room on my arrival. I would also
like you to take a few minutes to read through other information on the
following pages, as these details are very important to me.
Thank you.
Martin Taylor ­ Solo Guitarist
--------------------------------------------
RIDER
MY DRESSING ROOM REQUIREMENTS
1 Electric Fan
1 Large White Towel
1 Bottle of Italian Red Wine
1 Bottle of Still Mineral Water (Not French)
1 plate of Mixed Sandwiches
1 Banana
1 Apple
1 World Band short-wave radio tuned to BBC World Service
1 Racing Post or similar horse racing journal outside UK
1 Local Map
--------------------------------------------
EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS:

1 Electric Fan.
I am British and therefore not accustomed to temperatures over 38f.
1 Large White Towel.
This must be new, unused and white. I am a bit of a hygiene freak and like
to make sure the towel doesn?t have any dirt left on it from the last band.
1 Bottle of Italian Red Wine.
I have high blood pressure and need to keep my blood thin to avoid a heart
attack or stroke. I find Italian plonk to be the best precautionary
medicine. The wine also comes in handy as I suffer from stage fright and
need to get slightly plastered before going on stage to face my audience.
1 Bottle of Still Mineral Water.
This must not be French, for all the obvious reasons.
1 portable Radio
I enjoy the reassuring sounds of home and need the sound of an English voice
to calm my pre-show nerves, so I would like a World Band Radio tuned to the
BBC World Service to be playing on my arrival.
N.B. The Voice Of America is not an acceptable alternative as the
presenters' voices jangle my nerves, particularly when they mangle the
English language with made-up bullshit words like ?Normalcy?,
?Hospitalization?, and ? Self-describe-arotory-ization-al-ism?. They also
know sod-all about world affairs.
1 plate of sandwiches
A Selection of Mixed Carnivorous Sandwiches plus 1 Banana and 1 Apple are
all the solid fuel I need to give an artistic performance. Please do not be
tempted to force upon me any local speciality foods. From my experience
local delicacies only taste great to local people who have had years to
acclimatise their tastebuds and build up a digestive system strong enough to
deal with such fare. All they do to us foreigners is make us shit our brains
out for the next three days.
Please DO NOT include Pretzels in the rider. There is absolutely no reason
for anyone to eat this disgusting, vile, nutritionless garbage, unless they
want to develop an enormous ass and appear on the Jerry Springer Show with
other fat-assed people.
1 up to date edition of THE RACING POST or similar outside of the UK.
My youngest son is a jockey and I need to keep in contact with my bookie as
I make more money as a gambler than I do as a jazz guitarist.
A Map Of The Local Area
Most days I have absolutely no idea where I am, so I would like a local map
covering a minimum 20 mile radius of my concert venue or hotel. In the UK
please supply a 1:50 000 1 inch to 1 mile, sheet measurement 705 mm by 838
mm First Series Ordnance Survey Map available from Ordnance Survey, Romsey
Road, Southampton, SO9 4DH. (Artist will supply own compass).
In the USA please supply a US Rand-McNally Road Atlas indicating all
McDonald?s, Arbys, KFC?s, Wendy?s, Howard Johnson?s, and other crap
eatinghouses to be avoided in the area.
In Bangladesh I would just like to know where my mini-bar is located in my
hotel room as I have absolutely no intention of going outside to have bricks
and bottles thrown at me just because I?m white.
The following item is optional:
1 Life Size Photograph of the US Bassist Eddie Gomez
(3?7? high to scale) to remind me how lucky I am to be working solo.
-----------------------------------------------
PLEASE NOTE:
The following people should not be allowed backstage UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES:
Heavily tattooed relatives of mine with earrings, that arrive in a white
Ford Transit Van towing a caravan with ladders on the roof, and go by the
names of Dwayne, Wayne, Shane, Darren and Dino.
Portly 60-year-old Englishmen who have never married, still live with their
elderly mother, carry old vinyl records in a plastic bag from a back street
specialist jazz record store, wear duffle coats, open-toed sandals with
thick red socks, and like to discuss early Mezz Mezzrow out-takes for hours
on end. These people are potentially dangerous and shouldn?t be encouraged
or left alone with small children.
Anyone under 30 with a ponytail, wearing a MegaDeth, Iron Maiden, Metallica
or Black Sabbath T-shirt and says ?Totally awesome dude? to everything while
playing an invisible guitar.
Anyone over 30 with a ponytail, and wearing a Martin Taylor T-shirt circa
1993.
Anyone with a ponytail.
Australian women who wear their sunglasses on their heads and have voices
that go up at the end of every sentence, thus making it ?Šsound like a
question??.
Overdressed Frenchmen who wear their coats over their shoulders without
putting their arms through the sleeves.
People who claim to have gone to school with me despite being 25 years
younger or older than me and coming from Estonia.
Total strangers who I have never met before but still insist they gave me my
first gig.
Female singers who only sing SUMMERTIME.
Male singers who can only sing LADY IS A TRAMP.
Excessively happy Americans carrying Bibles.
Depressed Welsh people.
Smart assed Cockneys.
Scotsmen who give you knuckle-crunching handshakes and talk at you with
their face one inch from yours, spitting slightly while doing so.
Eddie Gomez can only come backstage if he knocks on my door three times,
waits five minutes then fucks off.
---------------------------------------------------
BUT the following people should be ENCOURAGED backstage:
Guitarists' widows who would like to give me their late husband?s mint
condition 1942 D?Angelico New Yorker with original alligator case and valued
at $150,000.
Japanese people. They are very nice, respectful, clean, fun loving people
who buy my records by the truckload and like to give gifts to artists,
usually bottles of deceptively clear fluid containing near-toxic levels of
alcohol.
Any jazz critic who has consistently given me undeserved bad reviews and has
written personally offensive and untruthful things about me in the press, is
very welcome backstage to share a glass or two of wine with me until Dwayne,
Wayne, Shane, Darren and Dino show up to beat the crap out of him.
----------------------------------------------------------
NOTES FOR CAB AND LIMO DRIVERS
If you are sending a driver to pick me up at the airport, it will save
everybody time if I submit the following answers to the following questions
that I know from years of experience he will inevitably ask me. To save me
going through this tedious process every day of my life I enclose the full
set of questions and answers.
I would appreciate it if you could print out a copy of these answers and
give them to the driver in advance. This should save me having to speak to
him. Instead I will be pretending to be asleep in the back seat while
listening to the BBC World Service on large industrial-strength headphones.
The questions and answers vary slightly from country to country, so I
enclose a few typical examples. Should your country not be included here,
please contact my management, who will be happy to send you the relevant Q &
A for your country. Please clearly state your country, airport of arrival,
time of year, and whether the country happens to be hosting the World Cup or
any other boring sporting event at the time. Please note that any attempt
by the driver to engage me in a conversation about football or any other
kind of sport, apart from horse racing, will be met with total silence.

DRIVERS IN THE USA
Driver: Hey, where ya from, buddy?
Martin: England.
Driver: Wow, you speak pretty good English.
Martin: Yes. Amazing, isn?t it?
Driver: I just love your Benny Hill, he cracks me up, totally kills me,
man! I bet you?re a big fan too.
Martin: No, actually.
Driver: Ha! Ha! Ha! Your British humour just cracks me up. Ha! Ha! Ha!
How comes all you British guys are so funny?
Martin: Perhaps because we live in a country where the food?s crap and it
rains all the time.
Driver: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Stop it! Stop it! You?re killin? me here! Wait
?til I tell the guys down at the bowling alley tonightŠthe
food?s crap and it..what was the other part?
Martin: It rains all the time.
Driver: Yeah, that's it. Ha! Ha! Ha! I see from the nametags on your
bags you?re a doctor, right? Dr Taylor? A doctor of medicine,
right?
Martin: No, Islamic Fundamentalism, Third World Guerilla Warfare, Cuban
Communism, and 21st Century Urban Terrorism. I graduated
at the University of Tripoli last September.
Driver: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Stop it you?re crackin? me up. Ha! Ha! Ha! I see
you got a guitar there Doc, what kind of guitar is it, six
string? 12 string? Electric? Acoustic?
Martin: I don?t know. All I know is, some guy I never met before called
Mohammed gave it to me at the JFK airport baggage claim. I have
no idea what?s in it.
Driver: Uh-huh. (short pause) I bet they were celebrating in the streets
of England when the Yankees won the World Series this year?
Martin: (Total silence).
DRIVERS IN ENGLAND
Driver: Go on, give us a tune, mate! Go on!
Martin: Certainly not.
Driver: Oh go on! Tell me, straight up, are you any good?
Martin: No.
Driver: My bruvver?s boy?s fuckin? brilliant, could turn pro if ?e
wanted. You should ?ear
?im on that fuckin? ?lectric guitar of ?is, 'e can make it
fuckin? talk, ?e
can. Can you make it fuckin? talk? Can ya, can ya?
Martin: No.
Driver: What kind of music d?ya play then? Rock? Country? Blues? Middle
of the road?
Martin: Jazz.
Driver: Argh! Fuck me bandy, I can?t stand jazz. No offence like, but
it?s just a fuckin? racket innit?
Martin: Yes.
Driver: Ever met anyone famous?
Martin: Yes, Ronnie and Reggie Kray. They were my uncles.
Driver: (after short silence) Did you watch the Arsenal play Spurs on
Saturday?
Martin: (Total Silence).
DRIVERS IN SCOTLAND
Driver: ?Ey pal, gi? us a wee tune!
Martin: No.
Driver: Go on, gi? us Ten Guitars! (Starts singing and dancing to
hopefully encourage me)
Martin: No.
Driver: Did ya no see the Rangers-Celtic game on Saturday?
Martin: No, I?m Jewish and I can?t find a team to support in Glasgow.
Driver: (Total silence from driver, who thinks I must be gay).
DRIVERS IN HOLLAND
Driver: I think maybe you would like very much to vishit a shmoking café
for de
cannabish shigarettes, no? Den go on to a whorehoush for shum
shex wid our
big Dutch gurlsh?
Martin: No thanks.
Driver: But you are a guitarisht no?
Martin: No.
Driver: Den what is in de guitar caysh?
Martin: Canadian soft porn.
Driver: Argh! Dishgushting! Canadian shoft porn, it should be banned!
Martin: Yeah, you can?t see any action at all, it?s all censored out.
Driver: Shtop dish or I call de poleesh. I feel shick. Did you watch de
shocker on TV lasht night? It vosh Ajaksh againsht Inter Milan.
Martin: (Total silence).

DRIVERS IN ITALY
No Q&A necessary here as I never have time to speak in Italy, being too busy
soiling my pants in sheer terror in the back seat while the driver hurls us
along narrow roads and overhanging cliff-tops while telling me how many
women he shagged last night.
Driver: Hey, you watcha the footaballa lasta night? You-vay versus Napoli?
What wassa da score? I-a meese evrytheeng as I wassa beezy shagging.
Martin: (Total silence, teeth clenched).

DRIVERS IN AUSTRALIA
This is never a problem, since for some reason no driver in Australia speaks
any English and I do not speak Greek or Vietnamese.
------------------------------------------------------------
REQUESTS FOR TUNES
As a professional musician for nearly 30 years I have worked very hard on
building up a list of great tunes written by the finest composers in the
world. I have also learnt how to make up a varied and well balanced
programme by playing these tunes in a running order that is both interesting
and entertaining for the listener. Please therefor note that I do not play
any of the following tunes:
SUMMERTIME (with or without local female singer)
LADY IS A TRAMP (with or without local male singer)
TEN GUITARS
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
CAVATINA
Any songs by CHRIS de BURGH or RICHARD CLAYDERMAN.
Please do not screw up my gig by making me play any of these. I will however
be happy to play any composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber with a running time
not exceeding 1 min 15 sec on the condition that the person requesting it
wires 25 million dollars directly into my Swiss bank account. This will
(only partially) compensate for the emotional stress and loss of street-cred
I will suffer from playing such tripe.
--------------------------------------------------
LATE-NIGHT JAMS
Please do not under any circumstances ask me to bring my guitar along to a
late-night jam session after my concert, as I do not enjoy backing the bar
owner's wife while she sings SUMMERTIME at 3 o?clock in the morning.
Thanks for your co-operation. I look forward to a great gig.

Dr Martin Taylor MBE

[Rob MacKillop]

Oh, how I wish that were true! I wonder who wrote it?

[Christian Miller]

That. Is. Amazing.

I bet he did write it

Poor Eddie hahaha

[lawson-stone]

This is simply peak. Outstanding.

[JGinNJ]

I first heard Martin Taylor at a concert series Woody Mann (RIP) put on, with the audience right on stage. I was astonished! (And I saw Joe Pass when he toured solo!).

A few years later I saw him at a local community college, when I spoke with him after he remembered exactly when that gig was. Really nice guy, too. Somebodies cell phone went off during the show (this one was with audience on stage, too)- they were mortified, but he laughed and played the ringtone...