Billy Taylor Releases New CD, Urban Griot, in Celebration of his 80th Birthday

Billy Taylor's latest work, “Urban Griot," made its debut in October, 2000. Commissioned by the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts of Michigan State University, Urban Griot is comprised of nine movements, each of which deals with a different musical theme which forms the basis for improvisation and is being released in celebration of Billy's 80th birthday,

I sometimes think of myself as an American griot, says Billy Taylor. In African tradition, a griot is a professional entertainer, a master musician, a historian, the bearer of news, good and bad, a storyteller, an educator, a wise man and sometimes a healer. I am not a healer, but I have lived a long time, traveled a lot and actually lived through and participated in enough history to qualify in the other categories. In my story line, an urban griot comes to visit you. He brings many musical themes to share with you. They are all different, but each is intended to be the basis of an improvisation. The griot wants each player to demonstrate motion, sound and expression as he spontaneously creates solo variations and stimulating accompaniments on the various themes.

The eleven musical selections on Urban Griot demonstrate why Billy Taylor is our most distinguished ambassador to the jazz community, performer, author, composer, broadcaster, educator and statesman. Billy Taylor is truly an American griot.

Billy Taylor Trio Urban Griot (Soundpost 3050)

Billy Taylor-piano, Chip Jackson-bass, Winard Harper-drums

Selections:

Local Color / Can You Dig It? (4:25), 2. Reclamation (5:49), 3. Gracias Chucho (2:54), 4. Etude (4:06), 5. Conversion (4:44), 6. Spoken (1:38), 7. In Loving Memory (6:13), 8. Like A Heartbeat (4:16), 9. Invention/Looking For A Theme (5:35), 10. Transformation (8:30), 11. A Duke-ish Blues (5:52)

Visit Billy Taylor's website: http://www.billytaylorjazz.com