Doing something I’ve never done before: Chad Taylor

A versatile percussionist, New York-based Chad Taylor is best-known for his long-time membership in various permutations of the Chicago Underground group with cornetist Rob Mazurek. But, as he tells Jazz Right Now’s Cisco Bradley, his musical flexibility came about after he turned from classical guitar to studies at the New School with the likes of bassist Reggie Workman and saxophonist Arnie Lawrence that helped him to become a professional Jazz musician. He then became part of the the open Chicago music scene, where Avant Rock. Free Jazz and other genres crossed naturally. Although never an AACM member, Taylor did play regularly with Fred Anderson at the Velvet Lounge and was also mentored by him. Furthermore as it evolved, The Chicago Underground began encompassing the use of electronics and post-production studio reworking of already recorded material into the band’s CDs. Besides his other affiliations, Taylor says he learned the most from being in the Digital Primitives trio with tenor saxophonist Assif Tsahar and multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore, who taught him more about the music business and even encouraged him to sing. His best playing he adds, is when he feels he has created something he has never done before.