Billy Taylor, Jazz Pianist, Dies at 89

[musette_sf]

Source: New York Times

Billy Taylor, a pianist and composer who was also an eloquent spokesman and advocate for jazz as well as a familiar presence for many years on television and radio, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. He was 89 and lived in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.

The cause was heart failure, said his daughter, Kim Taylor-Thompson.

Dr. Taylor, as he preferred to be called (he earned a doctorate in music education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1975), was a living refutation of the stereotype of jazz musicians as unschooled, unsophisticated and inarticulate, an image that was prevalent when he began his career in the 1940s, and that he did as much as any other musician to erase.

Dr. Taylor probably had a higher profile on television than any other jazz musician of his generation. He had a long run as a cultural correspondent on the CBS News program “Sunday Morning” and was the musical director of David Frost’s syndicated nighttime talk show from 1969 to 1972.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/arts/music/30taylor.html

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:-(

Dr. Taylor came to my high school assembly several times. Always great presentations, and a joy to sing "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" to his accompaniment.

Farewell Dr. Taylor and safe journey through your passing.

[Miss_Underestimated]

1. He was a national (and international) treasure.

:cry:

[alfredo]

2. I used to listen to his radio show every week. The video below is for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brBtTluod_w

[Twinguard]

7. What a beautiful song.

[alfredo]

8. Here's another version of that song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeXtfmAwvvY&feature=related

[musette_sf]

13. thank you alfredo

What a player, what feeling, what soul.

No wonder I grew up to be such a jazzbo. When this is what you're hearing as a young teen, the bar is set pretty high from there on in.

(I also just now realize some of why, as soon as I graduated high school, I longed to live in New Orleans. Second verse of the vid you posted has a little Fess shout-out :-) going on.)

[wilt the stilt]

3. He played at my high school in the late sixties

[musette_sf]

9. where did you go? n/t

[wilt the stilt]

10. Gorton HS in Yonkers, NY

[musette_sf]

12. I went to Hunter

So many NYC area students were so fortunate, Dr Taylor really gave of himself abundantly to schoolchildren.

[tpsbmam]

4. A life so well lived. He was, indeed, a treasure.

Rest in peace, Dr. Taylor.

:cry:

[BrklynLiberal]

5. He was a veritable icon...Sad news.

[DeSwiss]

6. Good-bye Billy. You will be missed. K&R - n/t

[bdamomma]

11. Sad news

I remember him when he played on "Sunday Morning".:-(