Fred Taylor is a drummer, pianist, composer and arranger, born in Spokane Washington in 1954. He started classical piano studies at the age of 5 with Rosalyn Moldenhauer at the Spokane Conservatory, then drums starting at age 10 with Fred Hartley. In the Seattle area he studied drums with Dave Stetler and Joe Field, arranging with Ralph Mutchler at Olympic College, and later in life drums with Kim Plainfield, Vince Cherico, and Pat Petrillo at the Drummer's Collective in New York City.
Playing professionally since the age of 14, he first toured in Jerry Hegarty's country trio in 1972, then with the great CC Pinckney for several years until the later 1970s. Settling down in Seattle, he became a very busy session drummer, working country, rock, and jazz groups; theater, and classical ensembles. His first recording, 'Court of Circe', was recorded in 1981 and features a dozen of the finest jazz players in Seattle at the time. The music is all original, with the title track and one other written by Fred, one by british-born latin-fusion guitarist Brian Chambers, two by multi-woodwind master Craig Lawrence, and one by the versatile jazz pianist and accompanist J. Andrew 'Andy' Carr. During the late 70s and through the 80s and into the 90s, Fred was constantly working with bands and theater groups in the Seattle area, while producing and/or performing on several records by the Cozzetti-Gemmill Band, Plumbarrie, The Facts, Dingman-Duran, Ronnie Pierce, and many others. He also led several unique jazz/fusion groups which featured all-original material, including the original Inquest trio, with guitarist Gary Rollins and bassist Bruce Phares, and the quartet Sanctuary, which featured the late pianist/composer Dana Brayton and Craig Lawrence on woodwinds. In the early 2000s, Fred and Gary re-created the group Inquest as a quartet and released the exquisite CD 'Processional', one of the most eclectic and colorful fusion albums to be heard. In the mid 2000s Fred moved to the East Coast, where he worked constantly with Bob Ackerman and his wife, Pam Purvis, who is possessed of a golden voice and unique singing style. In addition, Fred worked with several well-known New York artists including Joey Morant, Chris Koch, the fusion band Not-Yet, and jazz and blues singer Sharon L. West. Fred also led a trio, featuring Bob and ace bassist Rick Crane which recorded 'Circling' in 2008 and 'Live at Cecil's Vol. 1' in 2009. In 2010 Fred called together Bob, Herb Robertson, Chris Lough, and Adrian Valosin to record 'Lifting The Light', an ambitious double CD of spontaneous improvisation. This was released on March 1, 2012. More recordings from Cecil's and Inquest are about to be released. Fred has returned to his home in Mukilteo, where he lives with his wife Demaree and their three dogs, while running the Ivy House studio and writing new material.
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