Jazz guitar master Martin Taylor performs his version of "Stella by Starlight." From the Vestapol DVD "Martin Taylor In Concert." More info at stefan-grossmans-guitar-works...
I was playing a wedding back around 1995 ( one man band type thing ) in Glasgow, my home town. During the first waltz I noticed that the bride's new brother in law looked very like Martin Taylor, famous jazz guitarist. I gave it little thought until the break, when he came and introduced himself. Great guy, genuine and friendly. Virtuoso yaking with me, a humble twanger, great memory.
I used to work in a place his mother stayed.... Lovely woman, never had the privilege of meeting the man spoke with him briefly on the phone very nice guy. Certainly heard a lot about him though 😂
That's awesome! I went to see him play once when he was gigging with Jack Emblow. My Dad and I went, and were set off to his right hand side. We obviously kept craning our necks to see what he was playing, and at one point, he just turned around to face us so we could get a better look. The way he chatted to the audience between songs was very personal and engaging, and it was blatantly obvious that in spite of his incredible skill, he had so little ego about how good he is. He's just a man, doing something he loves to do, and doing it exceptionally well. It was a genuine pleasure to be there. Great gig, great musician.
Had the pleasure of meeting Martin many times, and it's always a pleasure. Martin will happily sit down with a kid who only knows a couple of notes and chords and play with them, drawing them into the alternative reality that is music. He's that good!
What can you say about Martin Taylor, other than "Wow!". You know, there are a number of excellent fingerstyle jazz guitarists around the globe, but I can't think of any that swing and that play with the feeling that Martin Taylor. And he is a great flatpicker also, and an excellent composer in his own right.
Martin, Thank you for being inspired, and sharing that with us! Your arrangements are thoughtful and well executed! It takes years to get a piece up to this level. Love your playing - a New Fan!!
Great job, Martin. I'm going to add you to my favorite musicians. I saw some idiotic statements on here. Your are fabulous. Keep up the good work. I am a jazz guitarist and one of the best in my area. I'm 58 and started playing at 10. I used to sit around listed to 45's and figure out tunes, because I couldn't afford a teacher. That was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I can usually figure out most songs that I have never heard before, by the end of the tune.
The Martin Taylor in Concert DVD is a wonderful disc that I put on whenever I need a little inspiration in regards to an arrangement I am working on or just want to watch a master at work and lose myself in his musicality. I love pretty much every arrangement on this DVD.
I met Martin Taylor in Peoria, Illinois somewhere around twenty years ago. He was at the local musician's hall at the request of our mutual friend, Bill Barker. Martin has one of the few Barker guitars, a prized instrument. Martin was and is a superb musician!
I remember seeing Martin for the first time upstairs in a pub in Bristol. It was about 25 years ago at "The Albert Inn" in Bedminster. He was just starting out in his career and no-one had ever heard of him. Good times :-)
Wow. I have played this tune for years and never seen as much in it as Martin does. Shifts and transitions with deep reharmonisation, with striking motif. Back to the woodshed with this tune... perhaps changing my key from Bb would be a start... :P
There are many great players who we don't get a chance to hear or see on youtube. I admire your dedication to those players and I agree they are very good. But they are not the the only great guitarists. There is much more than a few nice chord melody arrangements and some fast picking. Thank you for the information regarding Martin Taylor's back ground.
@Hoopermazing I agree, although one of my favourite pianists (Glen Gould) played the piano with 'sausage fingers' and a hunched back, all considered bad piano tecahnique, yet his playing was divine!
@Hoopermazing Hi mate, I didn't say it doesn't restrict hand movement, my point was that i think this is a personal choice and Martin Taylor is an enough expirienced musician to get over technical problems, if he wants to. I am sure he is aware of it and chooses to play like that. This is why i made the reference with the lute and vihuela. After all they've always been close relatives to what became modern classical guitar so the more influence always comes from the roots.
I agree. Furthermore, everyone, regardless of ability has something to offer music. Music is one of the few things in life that is still free. I feel it should always be a level playing field. One of the reason gypsies play so well is that they are totally unfetered by nerves. They just want to share the beautiful music.
Martin Taylor gives lessons at Artistsworks.com. He told me that when he was playing with Joe Pass, Joe forgot that he was tuned down a half step to E flat. Martin is tuned down like Joe Pass so although he sounds like is playing in G flat he’s actually playing in G if you want to try and play along tune down to E flat, Great performance Martin, Thanks.
@Hoopermazing Not really actually, if you are aware of the fact that lute and vihuela players use the same technique for centuries now, you will realise it makes sense. It gives support to the hand, and it is easier to find the strings in relation to the top of the guitar. It does limit your movement a bit, but nobody says the pinky can't move along the surface of the top.
@Jazzdug77 Wow! I know this was said a year ago and all, but it was so well said. You speak for millions. Mind you, you must admit, he'd make a good Henry VIII, but what a player.
It's all a matter of style. Ability isn't in it. All these guys are way beyond the norm to begin with. Let's just enjoy them. And listen to Genil Castro on the 'tube too..
orthodox, unorthodox, no matter how its done: as long as it get done. Mr. Taylor gets it done in resounding fashion. Just like Django a few digits short, Thelonius splayed fingered, the end result came out just right.
I studied jazz with the greatest guitarist I've ever had the pleasure of sitting next to, he's so good I mean world class but had a nervous breakdown & only taught to those he felt comfortable with. The first day I was there he grabbed 1 of his two Barney Kessel signature Gibsons, i hate to think what they are worth. He loved Tal Farlow & Chet Atkins & said when Steve Vai brought out his 7 string Ibanez " Tal Farlow was using a 7 string in the 1940's & was doing things Steve Vai couldn't hope to do" I love Steve Vai but when I heard a young Tal Farlow it blew my mind. My guitar teacher kept talking about how he'd had Joe Pass stay with his family & was good friends with all these legends of jazz guitar, my teacher was Italian And The few times Barney Kessel came to Australia & other very famous jazz Guitarists stayed at his house, Joe Pass ? My teacher was truly in their league he really was, But the people he talked about where legends , I thought oh well it can't be true but my guitar teacher could just with his fingers & a totally clean sound sweep from high up the neck to all the way to open strings, he'd speed pick without a pick ? How do you do that. Anyway one day he brought out about five photo albums & sure enough all the people he said had stayed with him where true, Pics of Barney Kessel they where old photos & newer pics of Joe Pass at the dinner table. My mind was blown, he'd played with all these guys & was in no way second best, I heard a tape of them jamming it was amazing it was all improvised but sounded like a well written jazz tune now that's improvising that's what you should set out to achieve . This is all true it blew my mind when i found out . My guitar teacher was a trained concert classical pianist, he went to the great Italian music schools, he told me that in most other country's what you learn is limited .In the Italian conservatories you learn all the things you'd expect, but then there's a lot more that most other country's don't learn for example the psychology of music , for example working out what Bach's mindset was when he wrote one of his concerto's. This type of teaching is lacking in most schools except for a few in Europe. He was a prodigy on the piano but loved jazz guitar , against his parents wishes he taugth himself guitar jazz guitar , Jazz in particular was his thing he had all that knowledge , from reading music to theory to stuff most people never learn & applied it to guitar. He's one of my real life heros, I learnt so much of him theory wise but my ear was too advanced to even read basic music so I gave up. This was a long comment but it took me under a minute to write it, I write fast & I read fast people get almost offended, well i don't do ' lol or 'bff. Under a minute ok ? If you don't like it well that's not my problem. Great video.
Martin great playing.loved your comp. What would you do if you lost that right little finger? Just joking Enjoying your videos Good luck Sound a little like joe pass.
Well, given the right set of criteria, you are certainly right. But your criteria obviously aren't the same as mine. For my ears, there are some guitar players who are much more interesting to listen to.
@dondijazz first he didn't learn from sheet music, cause he composed his own version of this piece, second when you are on scene playing one piece you master on the way you did write it, there is no place for improvisation. Place him in a context where he can improvise with others musicians and he will do. To finish listen to Stochelo Rosenberg who is famous for his interpretations of Django, and you will see he plays always the solo parts the same way. Cause he is a professionnal in a concert !
