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Jonathan Taylor (Piano and Composition) |
In 1994 Jonathan was one of the first jazz musicians
to be accepted onto Yehudi Menuhin’s Live Music Now! scheme for whom he
gave concerts and ran workshops across the UK. Over the next 5 years he
performed with his own group What Four and jazz orchestra Ultrasound at
the Purcell Rooms in London and major festivals including Brecon Jazz,
Bath Festival, Glastonbury and Getxco International Jazz Festival in
Spain, and recorded CDs with both groups. During this time he also
worked on many shows for the Bristol Old Vic Theatre as musical
director/pianist, including several with soul artist Ruby Turner. His
writing commissions include two collaborations with award-winning
choreographer Yael Flexer and the New Technology Commission in 1999
from Birmingham Jazz resulting in a project entitled Synergy combining
live improvisation with popular dance music grooves and sampling. This
was performed at Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2000 alongside the Courtney
Pine Group. Jonathan has since worked with most of the UK’s
leading jazz artists including Andy Sheppard, Tim Garland and Iain
Ballamy, US artists such as Pee Wee Ellis (who he regularly performs
with) and Michael Hashim, and in 2002 recorded an album of his own
compositions with flautist Eddie Parker. In 1996 he toured with Matthew
Bourne’s production of Edward Scissorhands. He has recently taken up a
teaching post at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and is a
jazz examiner for the Associated Board.
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