As a child, music was the only thing I understood and could relate to. I didn’t understand anything else except music. - Martin Taylor
Martin Taylor
Childhood
Martin Taylor was born on October 20, 1996. Raised in a music heritage and gypsy tradition, he began learning guitar at the tender age of four. His father, William Taylor, took up jazz bass at 30. His father often played music by Quintette du Hot Club de France, whose guitarist was Django Reinhardt. So from the beginning of his learning journey, he was inspired by this guitarist. By the age of 8, he was already playing in his father’s band, and by 15 he had quit school to pursue music full-time.
Influences
He joined the band Oo-yah Band, Over the next several years he performed at holiday camps, cruise ships, and radios. One of his gigs brought him to London where he met Ike Isaacs, who would become an important figure in his career. Ike Isaacs mentored him and helped him develop his sense of jazz harmony as well as his fingerstyle technique. Through Isaacs, he was introduced to Stéphane Grappelli, who played with Reinhardt in Quintette du Hot Club de France.
Career
When one of Grappelli’s bandmates was injured, Taylor was invited to play for several European gigs. He was later invited to play full time. For the next eleven years, he played with Grappelli. His association with Grappeli helped reach a large audience, especially in North America. This led him to work with other popular musicians like Chet Atkins, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel, and Herb Ellis.
Going Solo
To avoid relying on other musicians for income, he started touring solo. His style and personality made his gigs a success. After a few years, he stopped touring with Grappeli entirely. He would later on sign a contract with Linns Label, with whom he worked to release albums like Artistry and Portrait featuring Chet Atkins and Don’t Fret.
Friendship with Tommy Emmanuel
In 1991, he was contacted by Tommy Emmanuel who watched him perform on the television show Hey Hey It’s Saturday. They became friends and collaborators. In 2013, they released an album called The Colonel & The Governor.
Becoming M.B.E
In 2002, he was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.
You can learn more about Martin Taylor on his website.