Taylor Barnett Music

Banff Jazz Workshop

In May 2011, I participated in the International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada led by artistic director Dave Douglas.  During the three-week program, I collaborated with fellow participating artists and world-renowned faculty such as Robin Eubanks, Clarence Penn, Anthony Wilson, and Kneebody.  It was one of the most incredible experiences of my musical life to be surrounded by such inspired musicians from around the world and to record and perform so much original music.  A highlight of the experience for me was the concert performance of “Promises,” an original big band composition that I wrote at the workshop, conducted by Dave Douglas.

“Ghosts” by Old New Things

April 2011

Old New Things is a group formed by Trey Pollard and myself in 2010 that draws inspiration from American folk music and European chamber-jazz. Our debut album “Ghosts” features original compositions as well as arrangements of compositions by Albert Ayler and J. S. Bach. Purchase “Ghosts” here. 

Old New Things is Trey Pollard (acoustic guitar, pedal steel), Taylor Barnett (flugelhorn, muted trumpet), Adam Larrabee (banjo), JC Kuhl (tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet), Cameron Ralston (bass), and Emre Kartari (drums).

New Music

January 1, 2010

One of the best things about being a musician is the collaborative aspect of performance.  One of my best friends is a writer and he commented to me recently about how self indulgent writing can be at times.  He is a voracious consumer of music and loves how music is so conducive to and even reliant on partnership and teamwork.  I completely agree however, I’ve been thinking it would be nice to be a little self indulgent once in a while.  I play by myself every day while I practice but to create music that is not for solo trumpet, I have no other choice but to play with others.  That is, until now.

My newest project is to compose and record music in my home studio where I play every instrument.  So far the instruments have been sampled (other than the trumpet, of course!) but I will be widening the sonic palate so include vocals, bamboo flute, percussion, and whatever else I can get my hands on.  I plan to work in all of the genres and styles that I’m familiar with.  I’ll post the songs here as I complete them.  Enjoy!!

#1 (1/1/10)

#2 (1/6/10)

Performance in Hong Kong

In July 2009, Taylor had the honor of being the featured soloist and arranger for a concert of Jewish music in Hong Kong.  The performance featured Taylor on trumpet and piccolo trumpet with Carol Lin, an upcoming mezzo soprano soloist, accompanied by full chorus, and orchestra.  In addition to the large ensemble pieces, Taylor opened each half of the concert with performance of pieces by legendary American composer/performer/producer John Zorn accompanied by his wife, Tiffanie Chan on piano.  The concert raised funds to support ministry in Israel and was very well received.  Included in the audience was Amikam Levy, Consul General of Israel to Hong Kong and members of the Israeli Consulate office.  Video clips of the performance will be posted here soon!

Read Taylor’s Second Article in a series discussing the relationship between composition and improvisation:

Music As It Was Meant To Be

March 27, 2009

Music is meant to be experienced. In fact, I would posit that music doesn’t actually exist until it’s experienced – in time, in space, in sound waves vibrating through the air. The old “tree-falling-in-the-forest” riddle is applicable here. Yes, the tree does make a sound, but only when someone is there to hear it does that sound have any meaning?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how the experience of a particular type of music depends on its basic nature and what impact this should have on musical creation. One thing that’s been helpful in my thought process has been to consider whether a piece of music is essentially a monologue or a dialogue. I say essentially because most musical styles fit solidly in one camp or the other.

Read the full article here:

Read Taylor’s First Article for RVANews:

Was that improvised or written? I’m occasionally asked this question by an audience member and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. I am an improviser (which is to say that I can improvise) and the question above addresses what I feel is one of the most important aspects of musical creation. It is usually painfully obvious whether certain portions of a performance are improvised or composed. Generally speaking, improvisations are more aimless, less cohesive, and seem esoteric to all but the most interested and informed listeners. Music that is being read from a score, on the contrary, is more clear, predictable (and I don’t mean that in a pejorative sense), and accessible. The flip side of these observations is that though improvisation lacks the clarity and concision of most composition, it has an immediacy and a conviction that is often lacking in the performance of composed material.

If the fundamental quality of improvisation is that anything is possible and the fundamental quality of composition is that only one thing is possible (the thing that has been chosen before the performance began), then the perfect balance of the two, whether a performance is improvised or not, is that seemingly anything can happen and when it does it feels perfect and inevitable. The question makes me smile because just by being asked, I know that I have succeeded in this musical mission…

Read the full article here:

Interview on AllAboutJazz.com

RVAJazz interviewed Taylor about the music for the Taylor Barnett 10-tet. The article can be found here:

“For Someone” receives a 4-star review in Style Weekly

“There is an unfussy elegance at the heart of the beguiling new CD from composer/trumpeter Taylor Barnett…the songs are an eclectic mix of originals, ranging from Béla Bartók reimaginings, to the Ellington/Strayhorn-tinged “Sunday Morning Blues,” to the off-kilter Nino Rota circus swing of “Struggles the Clown…”