PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 105 all that jazz tayjazz.com Though he mainly lives in New York, Taylor retreats to North Carolina, where his girlfriend lives, when he needs to detach from all distractions. He’ll hole up at his house (fondly called “The Ranch”) and let inspiration strike. “I use that house like a compositional studio now. I can write on the walls and stuff. It looks like I'm trying to solve a serial killer case,” he chuckles. “It’s an isolated bubble. There, the world slows down.” That said, you’ll still find Taylor returning regularly to the Bay Area. Recently, he played alongside his longtime pals at the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra, treating the audience to his original compositions as well as Gershwin’s rousing Rhapsody in Blue. “They're just so friendly,” Taylor says of the symphony’s musicians. “Everyone's giving me hugs!” He also faithfully puts on concerts at Stanford University each year. “It feels like a home game,” he says with a big smile. cause I think it becomes more human.” And he, more than most, understands that life, unlike piano keys, isn’t black and white. Taylor Today The pianist continues to prosper, embracing new projects and performing alongside the musicians he calls friends. He’s also worked on film soundtracks for directors Spike Lee and Tony Kaye. “It's a selfless form of creating music, because you're invisible but powerful,” Taylor says of cinematic songs. “Like a hand in front of someone's face but the fingers are open. Powerful but transparent and present.” What’s next? “My next record will probably be something for my dad,” Taylor says. “There'll be more electronics on that. Because he was a gadget guy, and he was always soldering in the garage.” behind by Taylor’s mom. It’s sung by Lisa Fischer, a backup singer who toured with the Rolling Stones for over 25 years, and whom Taylor considers family. “I needed the screaming voice behind the Rolling Stones for my mom,” Taylor laughs. “I didn't want some sappy, sad tune. That wasn't her, you know?” He adds that Lisa truly took the task to heart. “She set up pictures of my mom in the studio. She wanted to channel her.” In fact, 20 musicians supported Taylor on Plot Armor. “I wanted moments where you’re hearing a viola and it turns into a flute and then it turns into a voice,” Taylor describes. “I deliberately wanted blurriness because life isn’t always clear … The more we make music reflect life, the harder it hits us emotionally bePHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: TAYLOR EIGSTI / (BLACK AND WHITE IMAGE) ANDY NOZAKA / (PLOT ARMOR) TAFADZA CHIRIGA / (TREE FALLS) PATRYK LARNEY ABOVE: (top, middle) Taylor stands between jazz legends David Benoit and Dave Brubeck; (lower, middle) Taylor and his mom, Nancy, both diehard 49ers fans, show support for their team.
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