Byron Keith Taylor

"CASTLE OF DREAMS"
A NEW CD FROM HELL'S KITCHEN MUSICIAN BYRON TAYLOR

You may know BYRON TAYLOR from his gigs at BELLEVUE BAR on 9th Ave(formerly HELL'S KITCHEN BAR). Even though this talented musician/composer was born in Brooklyn, he has made Hell's Kitchen his second home.
"Since I played the Bellevue Bar quite a few times", Byron told the CHRONICLE, "my Hell's Kitchen fan base has been building up. I hope the release of my CD, CASTLE OF DREAMS, will help me win a wider following."
Byron, who attended the Aaron Copland School of Music and studied with composer Thea Musgrave, describes his music as a mix of Stevie Wonder and James Taylor with a Classical edge to it. The music of CASTLE OF DREAMS reflect's Byron's personal interest in mythology, particularly the King Arthur stories.
While not all of Byron's songs contain medieval archetypes, he hopes he has created a contemporary Pop CD that also acts as a medieval narrative about two people who go through what Joseph Campbell called "The Hero's Journey" where they find each other, fall in love, and are transformed at the end.
Byron wrote all the songs for CASTLE OF DREAMS, played 95% of the instruments, sang lead and backround vocals, all while arranging and producing the CD.
"I was pretty busy", Byron says with understatement. "One of the things I enjoyed most about making CASTLE OF DREAMS was using topnotch professionals."
Topnotch is right. On Byron's CD you'll hear violinist LORENZA PONCE who toured last year with Sheryl Crow, and drummer JONATHAN MOVER who has played with Joe Satriani and Aretha Franklin. DAVE FISHER, who Byron calls his technical right hand man, engineered Lou Reed's latest release "Ecstasy".
Byron received an assist on vocals from noted Jazz artist MELISSA HAMILTON...
- CLINTON CHRONICLE July 2000 - Clinton Chronicle