Billy Taylor Jazz Music World

Taylor Made Piano

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.

Each chapter includes an overview, a focus on important musicians, photos, musical notation, and a discography. This important book also contains a Glossary, a list of Additional Resources for the Study of Jazz Piano Styles, and, Resoruces for Improvisation Techniques and Piano Styles.

Chapters include:

1. The History and Development of the Jazz Piano
2. Improvisation and the Jazz Vocabulary
3. African Roots
4. Early Jazz
5. Blues-Boogie
6. Ragtime-Stride
7. Urban Blues
8. Swing and Prebop
9. Bebop
10. Hard Bop, Progressive Jazz, Funky Jazz, The Third Stream
11. Postbop and Neo-Gospel
12. Abstract Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Modal Jazz, Electronic Jazz, Fusion
13. The Future of Jazz

264 pages; Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

The Billy Taylor Collection

Format: piano solo book. With introductory text and chord names. Jazz. Series: Hal Leonard Artist Transcriptions. 128 pages. 9×12 inches. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.672357).

Featuring nine transcribed solos of his compositions including his suite, Make a Joyful Noise. Two of the compositions in this book, All The Things You Are, and Gone with The Wind, features solos with the left hand alone.

Contents:

• All The Things You Are
• A Bientot
• For Undine
• A Tune For Howard To Improvise Upon
• Uncle Bob
• Make A Joyful Noise (Suite)
• I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
• Gone With The Wind
• I Didn’t Know What Time It Was

The Billy Taylor Vocal Catalog - Duane Music A sheet music collection featuring the words and music of seventeen Billy Taylor compositions. This includes the words and music to Billy’s best known composition, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free. Can You Tell By Looking at Me Did You Dream Too I Don’t Ask Questions, I Just Have Fun If You Are Really Concerned Then Show It I’m Goin’ To The City Interlude I Think of You It’s A Matter of Pride I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free Let Us Make a Joyful Noise To The Lord My Heart Sings Something Always Happens That’s For Sure Theodora Too Little and Too Late What’s The World Coming Too When You Smile

Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center, to honor Billy’s retirement from concert performance, has just released Billy Taylor’s new CD, Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center. The eight live originals are taken from Billy’s Kennedy Center series of the same name, broadcast on NPR, and performances that have featured his compositions. Includes:

Birdwatcher – Billy Taylor, piano; Terence Blanchard, trumpet; Stanley Turrentine, saxophone; Russell Malone, piano; Stefon Harris, vibraphone; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 

If You Really Are Concerned – Dee Dee Bridgewater, vocal; Cyrus Chestnut, piano; Stefon Harris, vibraphone; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums; Charles Osgood, Master of Ceremonies

 

Diz – Arturo Sandoval, trumpet; Steve Turre, trombone; Cyrus Chestnut, piano; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 

Theodora – Billy Taylor, piano; Russell Malone, guitar; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 

Suite for Jazz Piano and Orchestra – Billy Taylor, piano; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 

A Bientot - Billy Taylor, piano; Terence Blanchard, trumpet; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 

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

 

Easy Walker - Billy Taylor, piano; Stanley Turrentine, saxophone; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

 

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Billy Taylor, piano; Chip Jackson, bass; Winard Harper, drums

Live at IAJE-New York Soundpost Records: SP-5090-2

Billy Taylor - Piano
Winard Harper - Drums
Chip Jackson - Bass

Recorded January 13, 2001 at the 29th Annual IAJE Conference in New York

1. Introduction by Dr. Ron McCurdy
2. Impromptu (Taylor)
3. Body & Soul (Eyton/Green/Heyman/Sour)
4. Conversion (Taylor) listen
5. Titoro (Taylor)
6. Côte d’Ivoire — Third Movement/Suite for Jazz Piano and Orchestra (Taylor)

“One of the highlights of the 2001 IAJE Conference in New York City was a live performance just prior to the presentation of the NEA Jazz Masters Awards by veteran jazz educator, pianist, and composer Billy Taylor, accompanied by bassist Chip Jackson and drummer Winard Harper. Just shy of 80 years old at the time, the pianist delivers a masterful program.” — Ken Dryden - All Music Guide

Read the JazzTimes review.

Urban Griot - Soundpost Records SP-3050-2

Billy Taylor - Piano
Winard Harper - Drums
Chip Jackson - Bass

Recorded November 13 and December 9, 2000 at Manhattan Center Studios, New York City

1. Local Color/Can You Dig It?
2. Reclamation
3. Gracias Chucho
4. Etude
5. Conversion
6. Spoken
7. In Loving Memory
8. Like a Heartbeat
9. Invention/Looking for Another Theme
10. Transformation
11. A Duke-Ish Blues

All compositions by Billy Taylor

Billy’s notes: “This recording came from doing a series of student workshops and concerts. When we were touring, I wrote compositions to illustrate various musical devices the Trio utilized. Each of these compositions used one of these devices, such as the interval of the 4th, or something in the harmony or melody, to underscore my points.”

“Commissioned for the Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University, Dr. Billy Taylor’s Urban Griot is a storyteller’s work. Playing the role of an urban griot, Taylor, along with drummer Winard Harper and bassist Chip Jackson, tries to relate to us the history of jazz…. I’ll be damned if Taylor isn’t hiding a third hand inside one of his suit sleeves…”
Russell Carlson - Jazz Times

“Urban Griot is not simply the latest chapter in Billy Taylor’s definitive primer on the piano-led trio. It’s a requiem piece.” –Phil Schapp - WKCR