The JULIAN TAYLOR BAND has officially signed to Toronto record label Aporia and there is much enthusiasm surrounding the new relationship. The company also works with Canadian artists like Grapes of Wrath, Lily Frost and Kinnie Starr, and with global distribution opportunities, it’s a great fit for JTB. The band will release a double album on the new label, in four parts over four seasons, called Desert Star, beginning this fall. More good news follows, with the JTB recently being nominated for a Black Canadian Award for Best Jazz/Soul Act 2015. The awards take place Saturday, June 6 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto. Voting runs from May 28-June 4. Summer and festival dates include Toronto TD Jazz Fest, Beaches Bash and Sarnia gigs with 54:40, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Blue Mountain, plus the prestigious Toronto Urban Roots Festival (TURF) on September 19. For more information please visit www.juliantaylorband.com / http://www.aporia-records.com/
The Julian Taylor Band has had huge success with its debut CD Tech Noir over the last year, and with sold-out gigs at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, plus successful song placement in high-profile TV programs, mainstream radio charting, and major CBC and CTV support, the band is poised for more greatness. The recent signing with Toronto label Aporia has set them on a solid path to still broader recognition with distribution across Canada and around the globe. Taylor is admittedly jubilant about the new prospects saying, “I’m excited to be a part of the Aporia Records family. When I discussed the idea of recording a double concept album in four stages, they were thrilled and loved the idea.” Head honcho of Aporia, Gord Dimitrieff, is equally pumped about the new arrangement stating, “We are delighted to welcome Julian Taylor Band to APORIA. We admire his dedication to the craft and his devotion to social justice through songwriting. JTB brings the funk to APORIA!”
The first JTB project to be launched with the label – founded by Dimitrieff, a self-described reformed “space-rocker,” who works with a wide range of artists, such as Morgan Doctor, Kinnie Starr and Julie Doiron – is the much anticipated double album Desert Star. The idea for the band’s sophomore album is to have a four-song EP released every quarter-year until completion, starting this fall, instead of releasing the full album at once.
The concept for this new work was partially inspired by Vivaldi’s violin concerto(s) The Four Seasons. Much like the concerto(s), the EPs may stand alone as individual projects, but are intended to contribute to one greater idea.
Where Tech Noir was thematically based on the hope for love and the belief in the inherent good, Desert Star is lyrically about the realization that good can overcome evil, but not without struggle. A desert star is actually a flower that is able to grow in the desert under extreme circumstances. This album hopes to contextualize “soul music,” not as another genre that can be put into a box defined by racial precedent or sound requirements, but as a medium that truly speaks to the soul, a philosophy. Although shared among many artists, it also aligns with the Julian Taylor Band’s sound, versatility and message.
JTB is also thrilled to announce that it’s been nominated for a Black Canadian Award for Best Jazz/Soul 2015. The 2015 Black Canadian Awards is organized by the Diversity Advancement Network for Saturday, June 6, at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto. This diversity event celebrates the success stories and achievements of trailblazers and leaders within Canada and beyond. ***VOTE for JTB between May 28 and June 4 by visiting www.BlackCanadianAwards.com
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:
Jun 18, 2015 -TD Toronto JazzFest – Toronto, ON
Jun 19, 2015 – Rustic (Main Stage) – Sarnia, ON with 54:40
Jun 20, 2015 – Beaches BBQ & Father’s Day Bash (Woodbine Park) with 54:40
Jul 18, 2015 – The Village At Blue Mountain – Blue Mountain, ON
Aug 8, 2015 – Trius Winery At Hillenbrand – Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Aug 14, 2015 – PAN AM GAMES – HARBOURFRONT – TORONTO
Sep 19, 2015 – TURF – Fort York Garrison Common – Toronto, ON
*“Tech Noir is an intelligent mix of funk and soul music that stands apart from more mainstream urban sounds, and Taylor has the kind of natural vibe that reaches back to the classic Motown/Stax energy without sounding like a retro fetishist.” ~ The Winnipeg Free Press – 5 stars!
“Very very strong. Big sound! ~ Rob Braide (Stingray Digital Group)
“… this track is tight man!! … Tons of great melodies/and samples throughout…. it’s an instant eargasm! nicely done!”~ DJ Noah, Live 88
“He manages to sound both classic and fresh on superb new album Tech Noir, one that covers the gamut of soul, r ‘n b, funk and rock. His core band is augmented by a horn section on some cuts, as on the sizzling “Zero to Eleven”.~ Kerry Doole, New Canadian Music
“Always a fluid and inventive guitarist and an attention-grabbing showman, Tech Noir is a high-water mark in the songwriting department.” ~ Lenny Stoute, Cashbox Canada
“It’s evident that Taylor is coming from a funk-pop space previously occupied most memorably by Prince. Drop da disc, bust out yer funky soul moves and tell me this album don’t make you want to grind all night.”~ Cashbox Magazine
“What a fantastic sight. Infectious groove music not based on pre-looped synthesizers and autotune won us over and immediately put this band in contention for our Gig Of The Night (at CMW).” ~ TMakworld
“Like Never Gonna Give You Up, these tracks tap into something instinctive, something innate within us to create an uplifted spirit and desire to dance…I guarantee it will plaster a stupid giddy grin on your face while you shake your hips involuntarily. It is another smashing success done in typical JTB fashion.” ~ Imveryape.com
“The album is fun, cool, and smooth. Tech Noir isn’t necessarily an album that tries to recapture the sound of the ’50s, ’60s, or ’70s, but instead what Taylor and his bandmates have done is modernize soul, funk, and roots, often bringing all three genres into one song and adding hints of R&B and Motown as necessary.”~ Ben Yung The Revue (Mundo Musique)
“…it took Taylor all of about two seconds to settle into his groove and deliver a performance that really appealed to music fans. He’s also got the stage presence and musical style to appeal to multiple generations without seeming like he’s pandering, which makes his playing all the more enjoyable.” ~ Christina Strynatka, Examiner.com
