Dennis Taylor (musician)
Dennis Taylor (November 13, 1953October 17, 2010) was an American, Nashville-based musician, arranger and author. Taylor had recording credits on saxophone (alto, tenor and baritone) as well as clarinet, and as an arranger. Career. New England born, Taylor was best known for his recordings with Delbert McClinton, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Michelle Shocked, Buckwheat Zydeco and many others, and for writing a series of instructional books through Hal Leonard Publishing, in which he discussed blues playing, jazz playing and phrasing. Taylor played on five Grammy nominated albums. He was a two-time nominee for the Nashville Music  Awards, "Miscellaneous Wind Instrumentalist of the Year." He appeared on, "Austin City Limits," "The Road," "Country Music Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Celebration," "Texas Connection," "ABC In Concert Country," "American Music Shop," and "Music City Tonight." On April 30, 2010, Taylor appeared on the "Imus in the Morning Program" on national TV and radio. After his solo on the song, "Givin' It Up for Your Love," Taylor's playing earned the attention and praise of host Don Imus. He was also known as a jazz educator. He also analyzed other players' styles and offered tips for emulating and understanding work  from the masters of the instrument. Some of the sax legends explained by Taylor include King Curtis, Stanley Turrentine and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. The final part of "Jazz Saxophone" features 17 solos over classic jazz standards (including Doxy, Easy Living, Maiden Voyage and So What) and a wide variety of forms and styles (minor blues, soul jazz, time, and bebop). The theory lessons cover all the common major scale, minor scale, dominant, pentatonic chords and scales plus modes, as well as altered dominant scales and diminished options. Taylor also wrote other three other instructional books: Amazing Phrasing, Blues Saxophone and  Jazz Saxophone. Taylor was also an educator, who taught at Johnson State College in Vermont, and taught private saxophone lessons in Nashville until the time of his death. In addition, Taylor volunteer taught at W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville, which provides lessons for students who can not afford regular private lessons, for eighteen of his twenty years in Nashville. He is survived by both of his parents, as well as his wife, Nashville songwriter and publicist Karen Leipziger. “Pinpointing all these idiosyncratic elements in other players is essential in developing your own voice," wrote Mr. Taylor, whose own sax  voice could vary from a sensuous growl to the kind of buzzing, bluesy howl he employed on McClinton's "People Just Love To Talk." Discography. Taylor's first solo recording, which received help from Kevin McKendree, also of McClinton's band, was completed shortly before his death. The recording featured saxophone, organ and drums, some of Taylor's original compositions, and also a guest appearance by Delbert McClinton. Details on the release of the recording have not yet been released. He appeared as a side-man on countless albums (see below for partial list).