SLJ Radio #9: Chad Taylor Special

This special episode traces the ever expanding creative orbit of drummer, percussionist, and composer Chad Taylor. Born in 1973 and shaped by the Chicago jazz scene, Taylor has in the meantime established himself as one of the most inventive rhythmic voices in contemporary improvised music. From his earliest recordings to his most recent work, he has developed a unique rhythmic language across different genres and instruments (witness the pieces on mbira in the episode), both as a bandleader and in collaborations with a broad range of fellow musicians.

The episode highlights this wide collaborative reach: from the duet with James Brandon Lewis on “First Born,” to the exploratory textures of the Chicago Underground Duo, the raw groove of Digital Primitives, and the spiritual percussion dialogue with Joe Chambers and Kevin Diehl. It also features his own trio with Brian Settles and Neil Podgurski, as well as his work alongside jaimie branch, Marc Ribot, Steve Swell, Joshua Abrams (with Mind Maintenance), Nicole Mitchell, and a powerhouse quartet with Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, and Tomeka Reid. We close with Taylor’s solo piece “Abtu and Anet.”

Both on record and live, Taylor’s work captures the very essence of jazz: continually re-inventive and boldly experimental, but at the same time essentially collaborative and deeply rooted in different musical traditions. Hopefully this episode can serve as an entry point into Taylor’s impressively expansive body of work.

Enjoy!

Tracklist:

· James Brandon Lewis & Chad Taylor, “First Born” (Radiant Imprints, 2018) [0’00”-4’06”]

· Chicago Underground Duo, “Egyptian Suite/Part 1: The Architect” (Hyperglyph, 2025) [4’06”-7’44”]

· Digital Primitives, “America” (Digital Primitives, 2015) [7’44”-12’28”]

· Joe Chambers, Kevin Diehl, Chad Taylor, “Mainz” (Onilu, 2025) [12’28”-15’22”]

· jaimie branch, “theme 001” (FLY or DIE LIVE, 2017) {15’22”-19’44”]

· Marc Ribot, Henry Grimes & Chad Taylor, “Fatman Blues” (Live at the Village Vanguard, 2014) [19’44”-28’58”]

· Steve Swell, Sylvain Kassap, Benjamin Duboc, Chad Taylor, “911” (Edges, 2025) [28’58”-33’04”]

· Mind Maintenance, “the ladder” (Mind Maintenance, 2021) [33’04”-36’46”]

· Chad Taylor Trio, “Julian’s Groove”(The Reel, 2022) [36’46”-41’16”]

· Nicole Mitchell, “The Heroic Rescue”, The Secret Escapades of Velvet Anderson [7:50] (2014) [41’16”-49’00”]

· Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Tomeka Reid & Chad Taylor, “Epistemological Glide” (Pivot, 2025) [49’00”-56’18”]

· Chad Taylor, “Abtu and Anet” (Myths and Morals, 2018) [56’18”-60’00]