Matt Taylor's Page

Matt Taylor - Biography (April 09)

Matt Taylor was born in Camberly, Surrey and grew up in the south-west London suburbs of Kingston, New Malden and Epsom. Matt got his first guitar at the age of 9 and by 15 had started gigging. After an apprenticeship of nearly ten years playing in London pubs and clubs the 1995 debut album 'Radio City Blues' introduced a 24 year old Matt Taylor as one of the new school of blues musicians, sometimes traditional - though often not, doffing a respectful cap to the greats of the blues whilst incorporating many other musical styles. This album, not to mention the reputation that Matt and his band had earned through live performance, earned him British Blues Award nominations for best album and best guitarist. The Matt Taylor Band continued to gig in the UK and Ireland with notable appearances at the Dublin Blues festival (95 - 98), The Great British RnB Festival and a live session for Paul Jones' BBC Radio 2 show.

In 1997 Matt took to the studio again to start work on a new album that was eventually to be titled 'Mad With The World'. Initially funded from session work Matt had done with Take That pop star Gary Barlow and New Romantic hero Tony Hadley this eclectic collection of songs endured a stop-start recording process and was finally complete in late 99. It was released to critical acclaim in Europe early the following year by Hypertension Music and featured a memorable guest appearance from the influential singer/songwriter Tim Rose.

Over the next two years Matt toured in the UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, both with his own band (now featuring Juan Van Emmerloot on drums and Walter Latuperissa on bass, better known as Snowy White's band The White Flames) and as part of The Long John Baldry Trio, where Matt was featured as special guest. The LJB Trio recorded the album 'Evening Conversation, Live in Hamburg' - Matt takes lead vocals on the Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee number 'Walk On' (which Matt had previously recorded for 'Radio City Blues') and the Tom Waits classic 'Blue Valentines'. Long John Baldry variously described Matt as 'promising to become one of the great leading virtuosi of the guitar in this new millennium' and 'one of the best guitaists I've ever stood on a stage with'.

Mad With The World was released in the UK in late 2001 but by this time Matt had moved onto pastures new, with residencies in the house band of the KLR club at London's Cafe De Paris, Clapham Grand and Koko Club and occasional session work and touring. From 2001 - 2006 Matt played many different styles of music with an incredible variety of artists including Jamie Cullum, Lemar, Sam Brown, Boy George, Kim Mazelle, Right Said Fred, Dane Bowers, Suggs, Mica Paris, Oliver Darley, Paul Young, Martin Fry (ABC), Glen Gregory (Heaven 17), Rick Parfitt (Status Quo), Jo Omeara (S Club 7), Mikey Graham (Boyzone), Faye Tozer (Steps), Mark Shaw (Then Jerico), Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers) and Shane McGowan (The Pogues). He has also played with bluesmen Joe Bonamassa, Otis Grand and Jon Amor and has toured in Europe, Russia and North America with the French superstar Patricia Kaas.

In 2006 Matt found he had come full circle. Having absorbed many different influences over the previous few years Matt returned with a new band and inspiration ranging from Freddie King and Chuck Berry, through Clapton, Dylan, The Band and The Allman Brothers to Paul Simon, Tom Waits and James Taylor. The new line-up Matt Taylor Band, featuring Jonny Dyke on keys and Pete Radcliff on drums, played all over the UK from 2006 - 2008 including appearances at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2006 and The Maryport Blues Festival 2007. Variously described in the press as outstanding, startlingly original and distinctly classy, Matt's 2008 album 'No Trouble At All' mixes blues with country, soul and pop and features along with 7 self-penned tracks Matt's version of songs by Sheryl Crow, Jose Gonzales and Dylan among others.

Also in 2008 Matt has produced Mark Butcher's debut album 'Songs From The Sun House' and been asked by guitarist Snowy White (Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy, Roger Waters) to join his new band The Snowy White Blues Project. This band sees Matt sharing lead guitar duties with Snowy and lead vocals with Snowy and bassist Ruud Weber jr. It also sees Matt reunited with drummer Juan van Emmerloot. The band have recorded their debut album 'In Our Time of Living', released early 2009. Matt will be on the road with The Mark Butcher Band and The Snowy White Blues Project throughout 2009.

http://www.myspace.com/matttaylorband
http://www.myspace.com/snowywhitebluesproject