Jazz Articles about Martin Taylor

Martin Taylor & Linn Records - Visions of Stephane Grappelli

by C. Michael Bailey
June 14, 2015

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 ...

Martin Taylor/Andreas Varady: Belfast, Ireland, November 4, 2011

by Ian Patterson
November 17, 2011

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 ...

Martin Taylor: Embodying the Spirit of Django

by Matthew Warnock
June 9, 2010

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 ...

Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django: Last Train to Hauteville

by John Barron
April 6, 2010

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 ...

Martin Taylor: Double Standards

by John Barron
September 30, 2008

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 ...

Martin Taylor: Nitelife

by Jim Santella
August 1, 2001

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 ...

Martin Taylor: Nitelife

by Charles Chapman
August 1, 2001

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 & ...