PAUL TAYLOR

Paul Taylor grew up in Denver, where he took up the saxophone at the age of seven. He played in school bands and in high school joined a Top 40 band called Mixed Company. Jazz keyboardist Keiko Matsui and her husband, producer Kazu Matsui, discovered him playing at the Catalina Island Jazz Festival and hired him to play in their band. He spent two years with them, and then Kazu Matsui produced his 1995 debut album, On the Horn, which reached the jazz charts and spawned a radio hit in “Til We Meet Again.” Pleasure Seeker, his second album, followed in 1997 and was equally successful.

Taylor released his third album, Undercover, on Peak/N-Coded Music in February 2000. Also in 2000, he toured as a special guest artist with the Rippingtons. Subsequent albums Hypnotic (2001), Steppin’ Out (2003), Nightlife (2005), and Ladies’ Choice (2007), all issued by Peak Records, figured high in the contemporary jazz charts, with Ladies’ Choice going all the way to number one. Peak released Taylor’s eighth album, Burnin’, in 2009. Two years later, Taylor returned with the album Prime Time. In 2014, Taylor released Tenacity, which featured guest appearances from Jeff Lorber and Jonathan Fritzen. The album was produced by Dino Esposito, who was also at the controls for Taylor’s 2016 release Countdown, which cracked the Top Ten of the jazz album charts.

The number thirteen is cloaked in mysticism, regarded by some cultures as unlucky and revered by others as a sacred good omen or the birth of a new beginning. Saxophonist Paul Taylor’s anticipated new recording and Shanachie debut, It’s A Brand New Day, is his thirteenth recording as a leader. The charming and down-to-earth saxman reveals, “This album in some ways signifies a new cycle for me, as this is my first new recording in three years. The title speaks to my desire to give my fans an optimistic outlook as we approach every brand new day.” The chart-topping saxophonist has enjoyed an enviable career with a string of Billboard #1 hits and collaborations with a genre-crossing list of musicians including Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, Peabo Bryson, and Keiko Matsui. The Rippingtons, Peter White, Euge Groove, Michael Lington, Jamie Jones and Marion Meadows. Taylor confesses, “I simply love creating and making my own music. I am the happiest when I am doing just this. It never gets old.” Danny Weiss, VP of Shanchie’s Jazz A&R, states, “I’ve been an admirer of Paul’s brilliant work dating back to his very first recordings. His superb tone and phrasing are second to none. Paul Taylor is a true icon whose status is well deserved.”

“I am an optimist in every way. Each new year, I just keep trying to do my best, which means playing my horn, staying in shape, touring, and continuing to create,” shares Paul Taylor, who is an avid golfer. He scores an ace on It’s A Brand New Day, showcasing ten tracks of nine originals and one Billie Eilish cover, inspired by a character from one of her favorite movies, Spirited Away. Taylor’s saxophones conjure a mesmerizing recreation of Eilish’s ethereal vocals. He shares, “I heard this single over the speakers in a store and was like, ‘Wow, this is pretty cool.” When I heard it again, I knew I had to record my own version on soprano. When I got together with Dino, we put our own spin on it, and I think we paid a beautiful homage to the song. Who knows, maybe Billie will hear it and like it!” The feel-good track “Makin’ Moves” (another Esposito collaboration) features Paul’s fluid and melodic sax juxtaposed against the swinging and driving rhythm section. The hypnotic melody lingers long after the track fades away. The R&B-infused and sultry “Where I Want To Be” shines a spotlight on Paul Taylor’s gorgeous tone, which is amplified by layered effects. The rhythmic breakdown and soulful groove create the perfect place to be. The buoyant “Inner Circle” is a head-nodding jam while “What You Do For Me” is a funky dance groove with Paul Taylor’s sax out front set against a funky and gritty rhythm section. It’s A Brand New Day comes to a fitting finale with the sweet, reflective, and tender “Downtime.” Taylor reflects, “Music is like the wallpaper of our lives. There are songs from certain periods of our lives that stay with us. I hope my fans can grab onto some songs on the album that will stay with them and remind them of good times.