Billy Taylor

Billy Taylor encompassed that rare combination of creativity, intelligence, vision, commitment and leadership, qualities that made him one of our most cherished national treasures.

The distinguished ambassador of the jazz community to the world-at-large, Dr. Billy Taylor's recording career spans nearly six decades. He has also composed over three hundred and fifty songs, including "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free," as well as works for theatre, dance and symphony orchestras.

Playing the piano professionally since 1944, he got his start with Ben Webster's Quartet on New York's famed 52nd Street. He then served as the house pianist at Birdland, the legendary jazz club where he performed with such celebrated masters as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Since the 1950s, Billy Taylor has been leading his own Trio, as well as performing with the most influential jazz musicians of the twentieth century.

Dr. Taylor has not only been an influential musician, but a highly regarded teacher as well, receiving his Masters and Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and serving as a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University.

He has also hosted and programmed such radio stations WLIB and WNEW in New York, and award winning series for National Public Radio. In the early 1980s, Taylor became the arts correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning.

Dr. Billy Taylor is one of only three jazz musicians appointed to the National Council of the Arts, and also serves as the Artistic Advisor for Jazz to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where he has developed one acclaimed concert series after another including the Louis Armstrong Legacy series, and the annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival.

With over twenty three honorary doctoral degrees, Dr. Billy Taylor is also the recipient of two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, a Grammy and a host of prestigious and highly coveted prizes, such as the National Medal of Arts, the Tiffany Award, a Lifetime achievement Award from Downbeat Magazine, and, election to the Hall of Fame for the International Association for Jazz Education.

Dr. Billy Taylor passed on Dec. 28, 2010.

The 26th Annual IAJE Conference: A Memorable Event

by Jack Bowers
August 18, 2024

This article was first published on All About Jazz in February 1999. The 26th Annual Conference of the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) was held January 6-10, 1999 at the Disneyland Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Anaheim, California, and if there was one meaningful lesson to be learned by these Jazz mentors about the choice of venue, it is that bigger ain't necessarily better. But more about that later. We should first report ...

Radio & Podcasts

Learning the Art of Jazz, Part 2

by Monk Rowe
December 13, 2022

Dr. Billy Taylor, Phil Woods, Holly Hofmann and Jerry Jerome continue the tales of entering the jazz life before the music was accepted by academia. ...

AAJ PRO

Jazz vs. Classical Funding

by Nicholas Krolak
June 9, 2021

Throughout jazz history there has been a desire among the jazz community to see the music respected on the same level as western classical music. It is after all, jazz is America's classical music. As Dr. Billy Taylor explains, “Classical music must be time-tested; it must serve as a standard or model; it must have established value; and it must be indigenous to the culture for which it speaks. Jazz meets the criteria of classical music. Because it is particularly ...

350

Album Review

Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan: Live at MCG

Read "Live at MCG" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins

by Woodrow Wilkins
December 7, 2007

The typical jazz listener easily tires of hearing standards covered by newer artists. However, it's occasionally good to hear the masters revisit some of these old compositions--a way of staying connected. Jazz legends Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan have done that with Live at MCG. The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild is a non-profit organization in Pittsburgh, USA whose mission is to preserve, present and promote jazz. In doing so, MCG brings in artists such as Taylor and Mulligan to entertain and ...

290

Album Review

Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan: Live at MCG

Read "Live at MCG" reviewed by Joel Roberts

by Joel Roberts
October 13, 2007

Dr. Billy Taylor has spent so much of the latter part of his nearly sixty-year career in jazz as an educator and broadcaster that it's easy to forget what a brilliant pianist he is. This splendid 1993 date, billed as his first-ever performance with the late baritone sax legend Gerry Mulligan, should serve as a reminder of Taylor's often overlooked talents--as well as a valuable addition to Mulligan's legacy. The album features the two veterans, Taylor, then ...

154

Album Review

Billy Taylor: Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center

Read "Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center" reviewed by Jim Santella

by Jim Santella
August 19, 2005

Dr. Billy Taylor and friends begin this concert performance compilation with homage to early bebop as Terence Blanchard recalls the loose, pioneering spirit of Diz and Stanley Turrentine does his best to interpret Bird's spirit in his own way. Russell Malone and Stefon Harris broaden the scope, turning Taylor's idea into a thrilling jam session that presents Jazz at the Kennedy Center with open ears and smiling faces. Tradition has been served.

Performed and recorded between 1999 and ...

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Book Excerpts

"Bebop" from Taylor Made Piano

by AAJ Staff
June 2, 2005

By Billy Taylor Chapter 9: Bebop Originally published in 1982, this book is an invaluable and popular resource for both music students and professional musicians alike. Billy Taylor conveys the history and development of America's classical music, jazz, through a unique perspective--that of practicing musician, jazz pianist and educator. This excerpt is taken from the chapter on Bebop.

Bebop was the next step in the evolution of Jazz. The most musically complex ...

Recording

Backgrounder: My Fair Lady Loves Jazz (1956)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
November 16, 2024

Broadway musical scores didn't become fair game for small jazz groups until Lerner and Loewe's successful My Fair Lady score hit the stage in 1956. Of course, individual songs from theatrical shows were always played and recorded by dance bands dating back to the 1920s. But jazz interpretations of full Broadway scores didn't arrive until after the 12-inch pop LP arrived in 1955 and caught on with buyers. One of the first and, in my opinion, one of the best ...
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Music Industry

Billy Taylor: Two Fresh Sound Releases

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 25, 2023

Between 1950 and 1960, jazz was dominated by elegant jazz pianists. The list is long and includes Oscar Peterson, Sonny Clark, Red Garland, Russ Freeman, Lou Levy, Ahmad Jamal and others. A pianist who belongs on this list but is often forgotten is Billy Taylor. Billy's technique was unrivaled in many ways because he covered so much ground effortlessly, from stride and swing to bop and Latin. As bassist and manager John Levy told me in 2010, “Billy was naïve—in ...
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Video / DVD

Billy Taylor: Brazilian Beat

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
August 13, 2018

Another rare and stunning Billy Taylor album is Brazilian Beat. It was recorded in 1963 for Sesac Records. Originally known as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, Sesac is the third largest performance-rights organization, behind ASCAP and BMI. Founded in 1930, Sesac's mission was to support European stage authors and composers in seeking American performance royalties. In the 1940s, Sesac began widening its representation, and in the 1950s it set up an electrical transcription service. Each month, Sesac ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Billy Taylor

Source: Michael Ricci
July 23, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Billy Taylor's birthday today! Billy Taylor encompassed that rare combination of creativity, intelligence, vision, commitment and leadership, qualities that made him one of our most cherished national treasures. The distinguished ambassador of the jazz community to the world-at-large, Dr. Billy Taylor\'s recording career spans nearly six decades. He has also composed over three hundred and fifty songs, including “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free... Read more. Place our Musician of ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Billy Taylor

Source: Michael Ricci
July 24, 2014

TV / Film

A Behind The Scenes Look At Billy Taylor's JazzMobile!

Source: Patricia DeArcy
October 21, 2013

We are pleased to announce that Patricia DeArcy, Director of the documentary “The Harlem Cultural Council,” a behind the scenes look at the formation of Billy Taylor's JazzMobile as well as other Harlem Cultural Council endeavors like the DanceMobile, is in post production and taking a giant leap forward producing a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.com. After interviewing key members of the founding branch of the Harlem Cultural Council like jazz pianist Billy Taylor, Barbara Ann Teer, Ademola Olegubefola, Woody King ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Billy Taylor

Source: Michael Ricci
July 24, 2013

All About Jazz is celebrating Billy Taylor's birthday today!

Billy Taylor encompassed that rare combination of creativity, intelligence, vision, commitment and leadership, qualities that made him one of our most cherished national treasures. The distinguished ambassador of the jazz community to the world-at-large, Dr. Billy Taylor\'s recording career spans nearly six decades. He has also composed over three hundred and fifty songs, including “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free... Read more.

Place our Musician of ...
read more

Recording

Billy Taylor Trios: 1952-56

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 24, 2013

Today would have been Billy Taylor's 92d birthday had he not died in December 2010. Unfortunately, Billy is remembered most often now as a kindly educator and radio and TV personality rather than as a superlative pianist. Mind you, his work in jazz education was noble and needed. I would probably not be as passionate about jazz as I am now had Billy not turned up at Manhattan's Junior High School 143 in 1968 to play I Wish I Knew ...
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