New Orchestral Score by Butch Taylor

When the Miller Center wanted a new orchestral score for their award winning American Forum series they turned to composer, writer, pianist, and UVa faculty member Butch Taylor. The score will open ​ and close​ each of the American Forum programs aired on PBS. Taylor who is the pianist for the Free Bridge Quintet serves as the professor of jazz piano at UVA. The piece was produced at Ravensworth Studios.

A Virginia native, Butch Taylor is best known for his work as a guest keyboardist/vocalist with Dave Matthews Band from 1997 to 2008, performing both on tour and studio albums. In the late 1980’s, he performed with the jazz-fusion group “SECRETS” as well as with Miles Davis, Ramsey Lewis, Michael Brecker, Stanley Jordan, Yellowjackets, Bill Bruford, and Wayne Shorter. Throughout his career, he has been active and successful as a freelance performer, arranger, composer, vocalist, conductor, and producer. He received bachelor and master degrees in music from James Madison University and later served on their faculty. Butch Taylor is the pianist / keyboardist for the Free Bridge Quintet, the faculty jazz quintet at the University of Virginia. He also serves as a professor of jazz piano at UVA.

The Miller Center’s American Forum program is a weekly public affairs show featuring national leaders, important scholars, journalists and key policy makers. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Douglas Blackmon, it airs weekly on more than 100 PBS stations across the U.S. You can find out more information about the Miller Center American Forum ​at ​ http://millercenter.org/americanforum

Address

UVA Department of Music
112 Old Cabell Hall
P.O. Box 400176 Charlottesville, VA 22904-4176

Email: music@virginia.edu