Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor is a saxophonist, mainly on alto and soprano, who grew up in Denver and settled in Las Vegas after studying music at UNLV. He spent years playing lounges and clubs there before Jeff Lorber invited him to perform at a jazz festival on Catalina Island in 1994. Keiko Matsui and her husband and producer, Kazu Matsui, liked his set and offered him an audition, leading to two years recording and touring with them. Kazu Matsui also produced his debut, On the Horn (1995), which yielded “Till We Meet Again”, a number one on radio.

The title track of Pleasure Seeker (1997) also topped the radio charts. Taylor joined Peak Records for Hypnotic in 2001, and Ladies’ Choice (2007) became his first album to top Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, with Billboard number one singles following in the 2010s. He and long-time producer Dino Esposito made And Now This by trading files during the pandemic. His sound blends smooth jazz with R&B, funk and electronic dance grooves.