12 | SMOOTH JAZZ NEWS By Ken Capobianco If luck in the music business means talent and preparation finally meeting opportunity, trumpeter Evan Taylor is one of the luckiest men in jazz right now. The 29-year-old budding star is breaking out as one of the brightest young musicians in pop after Dave Koz tapped him to play on his U.S. and international Summer Horns tours over the past two years. It was just the break the Michigan native needed to bring his silky brand of R&B-inspired smooth jazz to audiences worldwide. Now, Taylor has released his first album, Exactly This, on Adam Hawley’s MBF Entertainment label and made the leap to playing jazz festivals with his own band. Not bad for the young musician who was in the shadows, backing Gloria Estefan and Frankie Valli just a short time ago. “It’s been a wild couple of years, and I’ve grown so much—sometimes, it doesn’t feel real, but I’m so grateful for everything,” said the polite, engaging Taylor during a recent phone interview. “I feel like I’m beginning a new step in my career, andExactly This is about who I am now.” Thanks to the guidance of producer and co-songwriter Hawley, Taylor has crafted a gracefully sleek contemporary jazz record that leans heavily toward R&B. The album features Koz, who appears on the breakout single “Skate On,” saxophonists Richard Elliot and Phil Denny, and keyboardist Oli Silk. It’s a sophisticated album, demonstrating Taylor’s wisdom and style far beyond his years. “It’s been a blessing working with Adam, especially on this album, because he’s been helping me navigate some things and find my voice in smooth jazz and contemporary jazz,” Taylor said about creating Exactly This. “I’ve always been a fan of Roy Hargrove and music in that vein and hip-hop and R&B, so when I was thinking about the title track to this album, Roy’s influence pierced through and became a major influence on the sound.” Some of Taylor’s major influences are the hip-hop and neo-soul sounds of the late 1990s and early 2000s, when D’Angelo, Bilal, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott were reshaping the R&B landscape. He said he was inspired to make a fluid R&Binfluenced album that transcended narrow genre definitions. His method of songwriting is unique, as he tries to “sing or rap” through his trumpet in the style of some of the vocalists and masters of ceremonies he admires. He frequently dipped into discussions of the phrasings of Luther Vandross and some of rap’s most inspired wordsmiths. “With every song that I write, I try to come up with lyrics to the notes that I play because it creates a more captivating melody, and I’m a huge fan of artists like Anita Baker and contemporary R&B singers. Steps into the spotlight Photos: Jessica Dee international Summer Horns needed to bring jazz to audiences first album, Entertainment label and his in the Frankie find my voice in smooth jazz “I’ve always been a fan vein and hip-hop and title track to this album, and became a major Some of Taylor’s and neo-soul 2000s, when Jill Scott were said he influenced
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