Check Out Taylor Clay’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Clay. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am originally from Brooklyn, NY. During my time in NYC, I never took any music-related classes. In 7th grade, I moved to the suburbs of NYC. Here, I was given the choice to join the band or chorus. I picked band and was handed a saxophone. It wasn’t until high school when I started to study privately and get into jazz music. My dad is a dedicated jazz musician and was a great inspiration and motivator for me. 

High school band and jazz band gave me my first opportunities for performing. After high school, I went to the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY. A small, secluded college town near the border of Canada. Perfect for becoming a hermit and practicing. Here I studied classical saxophone and jazz. After graduating with a performance degree, I moved to Greeley, Colorado to attend the University of Northern Colorado to pursue a jazz studies degree. I was also a teaching assistant during my graduate program at UNCO. After completing my graduate degree, it was time to move down to Denver and work as a full-time musician and educator. Once in Denver, I slowly became more and more involved in the jazz community. From playing regular residences at Nocturne Jazz club to hosting and attending jazz jam sessions. I also would play with many funk and R&B groups in the area. Currently, I perform regularly and have become an in-demand saxophonist in the Denver and surrounding area. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a full-time musician is never an easy road. There are many sacrifices one must make. Mainly, a steady income. As we saw during the pandemic, music gigs are fleeting and can be taken away at any moment. And moving your way up the “gig totem pole” takes time. It took me over a year and a half of attending every jam session regularly and supporting the scene to become a part of the community here in Denver. 

Jazz music is also my passion, and the path I wanted to take as a performing musician. Unfortunately, jazz is not a popular form of music today. It’s difficult to get a regular, paying crowd. Being that jazz records are less than 1% of all records sold, there isn’t much a demand for it. You must spread yourself as thin as possible without breaking to make it. Finding ways to relate to your audience is necessary. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a full-time musician and saxophonist that specializes in jazz and improvised music. I am proud that I have become one of the many pillars of the jazz community here in Denver. One role I play is helping run the prominent Monday night jazz jam session at the Meadowlark bar. This jam has been going on regularly for over 13 years and was one of the first live shows I witnessed when moving down to Denver. It is a staple of the Denver jazz scene, attracting jazz musicians from all over the state, and I am very proud to be a part of it. I am also proud to be a regular performing artist at Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club. Here, I get incredible opportunities to perform original music and to work with the best musicians in Colorado. 

Describing what sets me apart from others is a hard question to answer. For one I would say I am willing to put in the work to learn and perform any music that comes my way. I would also say that as an improviser, I enjoy taking risks and try to set myself apart with my unique voice on the instrument. 

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
During the pandemic, all my gigs and all my students went away. It showed me how volatile and delicate my career was. One important lesson that the pandemic taught me was to be able and willing to adapt to any situation. During the pandemic I was teaching saxophone lessons to my students through webcam, giving music theory lessons to online communities I found on Facebook and Instagram and putting on impromptu performances with friends in the park. 

Adapting and improvising. Skills I most certainly learned from being a jazz musician. 

Pricing:

• $50-60 for private music lessons

Contact Info:

• Email: claytaylor89@gmail.com
• Instagram: taylorclaysax