Art Taylor
Encyclopedia
Arthur S. Taylor, Jr. was an American
jazz
drummer
of the hard bop
school.
After playing in the bands of Howard McGhee
, Coleman Hawkins
, Buddy DeFranco
, Bud Powell
, and George Wallington
from 1948 to 1957, he formed his own group, the Wailers. Between 1957 and 1963 he toured with Donald Byrd
, recorded with Miles Davis
and John Coltrane
, and performed with Thelonious Monk
; he also was a member of the original Kenny Dorham Quartet of 1957. In 1963 he moved to Europe
, where he lived mainly in France
and Belgium
for 20 years, playing with local groups and with touring American musicians. He continued freelancing after returning to the United States, and in 1993 organized a second band called the Wailers.
He is the author of Notes and Tones, a book based on his interviews with other musicians.
With Donald Byrd
With Paul Chambers
With Sonny Clark
With John Coltrane
With Continuum
With Miles Davis
With Walter Davis Jr.
With Kenny Dorham
With Red Garland
With Dexter Gordon
With Bennie Green
With Clifford Jordan
With Duke Jordan
With Jackie McLean
With Lee Morgan
With Dizzy Reece
With Louis Smith
With Stanley Turrentine
With Mal Waldron
With Kai Winding
& J. J. Johnson
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
of the hard bop
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
school.
After playing in the bands of Howard McGhee
Howard McGhee
Howard McGhee was one of the very first bebop jazz trumpeters, together with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for lightning-fast fingers and very high notes...
, Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
, Buddy DeFranco
Buddy DeFranco
Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco is an American jazz clarinet player.-Biography:DeFranco began his professional career just as swing music and big bands — many of which were led by clarinetists like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman — were fading in popularity...
, Bud Powell
Bud Powell
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...
, and George Wallington
George Wallington
George Wallington was a highly regarded American bop pianist and composer....
from 1948 to 1957, he formed his own group, the Wailers. Between 1957 and 1963 he toured with Donald Byrd
Donald Byrd
Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd is best known as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a...
, recorded with Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, and performed with Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
; he also was a member of the original Kenny Dorham Quartet of 1957. In 1963 he moved to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where he lived mainly in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
for 20 years, playing with local groups and with touring American musicians. He continued freelancing after returning to the United States, and in 1993 organized a second band called the Wailers.
He is the author of Notes and Tones, a book based on his interviews with other musicians.
As leader
- Taylor's Wailers, 1956, Prestige
- Taylor's Tenors, 1959, Prestige
- A.T.'s DelightA.T.'s DelightA.T.'s Delight is an album by American drummer Art Taylor recorded in 1960 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Steve Leggett awarded the album 4 stars and stated "A.T.'s Delight is a solid outing, with a wonderfully nervous but completely focused energy".-Track...
, 1960, Blue Note - Mr. A.T., 1991, Enja
- Wailin' At The Vanguard, 1992, Verve
As sideman
With Dorothy AshbyDorothy Ashby
Dorothy Ashby was an American jazz harpist and composer.Along with Alice Coltrane, Ashby extended the popularization of jazz harp past a novelty, showing how the instrument can be utilized seamlessly as much a bebop instrument as the saxophone...
- In a Minor Groove (1958)
With Donald Byrd
Donald Byrd
Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd is best known as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a...
- Off to the RacesOff to the RacesOff to the Races is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1958 and released on the Blue Note label in 1959 as BLP 4007.-Reception:...
(1958) - Byrd in HandByrd in HandByrd in Hand is an album by Donald Byrd engineered by Rudy Van Gelder. It was recorded in May 1959 and was released in the same year as BLP 4019 and BST 84019...
(1959)
With Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. was a jazz bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, his importance in the development of jazz bass can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his impeccable time, intonation, and virtuosic...
- Bass on TopBass on TopBass on Top is an album by American jazz bassist Paul Chambers recorded in 1957 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4½ stars stating "The result is a warm, entertaining collection of mainstream jazz that nevertheless...
(1957)
With Sonny Clark
Sonny Clark
Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark was an American jazz pianist who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom.-Biography:...
- Sonny's CribSonny's CribSonny's Crib is an album by jazz pianist Sonny Clark recorded for the Blue Note label and performed by Clark with Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor...
(1957)
With John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
- Wheelin' & Dealin'Wheelin' & Dealin' (album)Wheelin' & Dealin' is a 1964 album credited to jazz musicians John Coltrane and Frank Wess released on New Jazz Records, catalogue 8327. It is a reissue of Prestige 7131 Wheelin' & Dealin' by the Prestige All-Stars, issued in 1958...
(1957) - Trane's BluesTrane's BluesTrane's Blues is a compact disc credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1999 on Blue Note Records, catalogue 98240. It comprises recordings from sessions for Blue Note and United Artists Records as a sideman for Paul Chambers, Sonny Clark, Johnny Griffin, and Cecil Taylor that were...
(1957) - The DealersThe DealersThe Dealers is a 1964 album by jazz musician Mal Waldron released on New Jazz Records, catalogue 8316.-Personnel:* Mal Waldron — piano* Bill Hardman — trumpet on side one* Jackie McLean — alto saxophone on side one* John Coltrane — tenor saxophone...
(1957) - Interplay (1957)
- Black PearlsBlack Pearls (album)Black Pearls is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1964 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7316. It is assembled from the results of a single recording session at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey...
(1958) - Lush Life (1958)
- The BelieverThe Believer (John Coltrane album)The Believer is a jazz album credited to John Coltrane released in 1964 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7292. It is an amalgam of two tracks reissued from New Jazz Records 8228 Ray Draper Quintet featuring John Coltrane released in 1960, with three unissued tracks by Coltrane as a leader from two...
(1958) - Settin' the PaceSettin' the Pace (album)Settin' the Pace is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1962 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7213. It is assembled from unissued results of a single recording session at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958...
(1958) - The Last TraneThe Last TraneThe Last Trane is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1965 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7378. It is assembled from unissued results of three separate recording sessions at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1957 and 1958...
(1958) - Jazz Way OutJazz Way OutJazz Way Out is a 1958 album by jazz musicians John Coltrane and Wilbur Harden.-Track listing:Track# "Dial Africa" — 8:42# "Oomba" — 5:32# "Gold Coast" — 14:33-Personnel:Recorded June 24, 1958 in Hackensack, NJ....
(1958) - Soultrane (1958)
- Giant StepsGiant Steps-Personnel:* John Coltrane — tenor saxophone* Tommy Flanagan — piano* Wynton Kelly — piano on "Naima"* Paul Chambers — bass* Art Taylor — drums* Jimmy Cobb — drums on "Naima"* Cedar Walton — piano on "Giant Steps' and Naima" alternate versions...
(1959) - BahiaBahia (album)Bahia is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1965 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7353. It is assembled from unissued results of two separate recording sessions at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958...
(1964) - Alternate TakesAlternate Takes (album)Alternate Takes is a compilation album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1975 on Atlantic Records, catalogue SD 1668. Issued posthumously, it consists of outtakes from recording sessions which yielded the albums Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz, and Coltrane's Sound...
(1975)
With Continuum
- Mad About Tadd (1980, Palo Alto RecordsPalo Alto RecordsPalo Alto Records was a jazz record label that released most of its discography in the 1980s. The label was founded in 1981 by Jim Benham, who was a Palo Alto, California resident. The artistic director was Herb Wong. In 1985 the company ceased its activities...
)
With Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
- Miles AheadMiles AheadMiles Ahead is a jazz album by Miles Davis that was released in 1957 on Columbia CL 1041. This was the first album following Birth of the Cool that Davis recorded with Gil Evans, with whom he would go on to release albums such as Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain...
(1957)
With Walter Davis Jr.
- Davis CupDavis Cup (album)Davis Cup is the debut album by American pianist Walter Davis Jr. featuring performances recorded in 1959 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1959)
With Kenny Dorham
Kenny Dorham
McKinley Howard Dorham was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer born in Fairfield, Texas. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did...
- Show BoatShow Boat (Kenny Dorham album)Show Boat is an album by American jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham featuring performances of tunes from the Jerome Kern musical Show Boat recorded in 1960 and released on the Time label.-Reception:...
(1960)
With Red Garland
Red Garland
William "Red" Garland was an American hard bop jazz pianist whose block chord style, in part originated by Milt Buckner, influenced many forthcoming pianists in the jazz idiom.-Beginnings:...
- A Garland Of Red (1956)
- The P.C. Blues (1956)
- All Morning Long (1957)
- Groovy (1957)
- High Pressure (1957)
- Soul Junction (1957)
With Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
- One Flight UpOne Flight UpOne Flight Up is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1964 in Paris and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1964)
With Bennie Green
Bennie Green
Bennie Green was an American jazz trombonist.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and 1960s.-As leader:...
- Hornful of SoulHornful of SoulHornful of Soul is an album by American trombonist Bennie Green recorded in 1960 and released on the Bethlehem label.-Reception:...
(1960)
With Clifford Jordan
Clifford Jordan
Clifford Laconia Jordan was a jazz saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after which he recorded three albums for Blue Note. He also recorded with Horace Silver, J.J. Johnson, Kenny...
- Cliff JordanCliff Jordan (album)Cliff Jordan is an album by American jazz saxophonist Cliff Jordan featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by awarded the album 3 stars.-Track listing:# "Not Guilty" - 11:43...
(1957)
With Duke Jordan
Duke Jordan
Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan was an American jazz pianist.-Biography:An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regular member of Charlie Parker's so-called "classic quintet" , featuring Miles Davis...
- Flight to JordanFlight to JordanFlight to Jordan is an album by American pianist Duke Jordan recorded in 1960 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 5 stars and stated "the music has plenty of strong melodies and variety...
(1960)
With Jackie McLean
Jackie McLean
John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra...
- Swing, Swang, Swingin'Swing, Swang, Swingin'Swing, Swang, Swingin' is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1959 and released on the Blue Note label. It was released on CD only in Japan.-Reception:...
(1959) - Capuchin SwingCapuchin SwingCapuchin Swing is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1960 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Stephen Cook awarded the album 4½ stars and stated "One of McLean's more underrated albums from a plethora of Blue Note releases, 1960's Capuchin...
(1960)
With Lee Morgan
Lee Morgan
Edward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
- Introducing Lee MorganIntroducing Lee MorganIntroducing Lee Morgan is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan with Hank Mobley's quintet released on the Savoy label. It was recorded on November 5 & 7 1956 and features performances by Morgan with Hank Mobley, Hank Jones, Doug Watkins and Art Taylor....
(1956) - City LightsCity Lights (Lee Morgan album)City Lights is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan released on the Blue Note label in 1957. It was recorded on August 25, 1957 and features performances by Morgan, Curtis Fuller, George Coleman, Ray Bryant, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor.-Reception:...
(1957) - CandyCandy (Lee Morgan album)Candy is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded on November 18, 1957 and features performances by Morgan, Sonny Clark, Doug Watkins and Art Taylor.-Reception:...
(1957)
With Dizzy Reece
Dizzy Reece
Alphonso Son "Dizzy" Reece is a hard bop jazz trumpeter with a distinctive sound and compositional style.Reece was born 5 January 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent film pianist. He attended the Alpha Boys School , switching from baritone to trumpet at 14...
- Blues in TrinityBlues in TrinityBlues in Trinity is an album by Jamaican-born English-based jazz trumpeter Dizzy Reece featuring performances recorded in 1958 and released on the Blue Note label...
(1958)
With Louis Smith
Louis Smith (musician)
Louis Smith is an American jazz trumpeter.While studying at the University of Michigan, he played with visiting musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Thad Jones and Billy Mitchell, before going on to play with Sonny Stitt, Count Basie and Al McKibbon, Cannonball Adderley, Percy Heath,...
- Here Comes Louis SmithHere Comes Louis SmithHere Comes Louis Smith is the debut album by American trumpeter Louis Smith recorded in 1958 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1958)
With Stanley Turrentine
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
- ZT's BluesZT's BluesZT's Blues is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine recorded for the Blue Note label in 1961 but not released until 1985 and performed by Turrentine with Tommy Flanagan, Grant Green, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor.-Reception:...
(1961)
With Mal Waldron
Mal Waldron
Malcolm Earl Waldron was an American jazz and world music pianist and composer, born in New York City.Like his contemporaries, Waldron's roots lie chiefly in the hard bop and post-bop genres of the New York club scene of the 1950s; but with time, he gravitated more towards free jazz and composition...
- Mal-2Mal-2 (album)Mal/2 is the second album by American jazz pianist Mal Waldron recorded in 1957 and released on the Prestige label. The CD reissue added two additional recordings from the same sessions originally released on The Dealers as bonus tracks....
(1957)
With Kai Winding
Kai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding was a popular Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson.-Biography:...
& J. J. Johnson
- The Great Kai & J. J.The Great Kai & J. J.The Great Kai & J. J. is an album by American jazz trombonists Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson featuring performances recorded in 1960 as the very first release for the Impulse! label .-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1960)