Taylor, Art
Taylor, Art
Taylor, Art(hur S., Jr.), jazz drummer; b. NY, April 6, 1929; d. there, Feb. 6, 1995. He began playing in N.Y. in the late 1940s and first worked professionally with Howard McGhee. Taylor worked with Coleman Hawkins in the 1950s, making his first recording session with him. Later, Taylor toured with Buddy DeFranco, then worked twice with Bud Powell’s trio and, during the mid- and late-1950s, with George Wallington’s trio and quintet; during that decade, Taylor also had stints with Miles Davis and the Donald Byrd/Gigi Gryce group. After touring Europe with Thelonious Monk in 1959, Taylor moved there permanently in 1963. He continued to work, mainly with fellow expatriate Americans, and began interviewing them; eventually, the transcripts were published as a book, Notes and Tones. He moved back to N.Y. in 1980 and re-emerged as a performer. He organized and played at the ’Tribute to Bud Powell” (in 1980), which he later repeated in 1985 at the Kool Jazz Festival to critical acclaim. He led Taylor’s Wailers from 1991; among its members were Jacky Terrason and Ravi Coltrane.
Discography
Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2 (1953); Taylor’s Wailers (1956); Taylor’s Tenors (1959); AT.’s Delight (1960); Mr. A. T.(1991); Wailin’ at the Vanguard (1992); C. Parker Plays Cole Porter (1954). John Coltrane: Giant Steps (1959).
—Music Master Jazz and Blues Catalogue/Lewis Porter