Van Taylor
jazz keyboardist and band leader
BMHOF Class of 1998

Van Taylor has entertained all over the world at various Resorts and Embassies for over 30 years. He is a songwriter, and owner of Van Taylor Production music publishing company, and TM International an Internet music distributor company. Van is an artist developer, concert promoter and event coordinator. Van is the bandleader of the internationally known R&B/Jazz band  “Taylor Made Jazz”. They have three CDs on the market produced by Van Taylor. Van also owns the group VTP, “Van Taylor Project”, a Jazz-fusion presentation-- using Funk, Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Blues and Reggae.

Over the course of 30 years Van has helped educate hundreds of musicians, and thousands of children with musical workshops, and has provided shows for over a hundred thousand members of our U.S. troops, their families and our allies by lifting their spirits and morale with musical performances. Van has produced several successful artists, and many of his music students have opened their own businesses with their own bands, creating hundreds of jobs and providing uplifting entertainment for our service men and women.

In 1987 Van produced a hit television dance show called “City rhythm” the show aired on fox super station wnyb49. it featured, regional artist performing original music and national artist just getting started and dancer grooving to newly released songs. Van is a former board member of the Buffalo media resource group “Squeaky Wheels” Van is currently a board member for the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, a 501c3 organization he was inducted into the hall of fame in 1998. He also serves as a Sponsorship Coordinator for the Historic Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo, NY, the oldest African-American 501c3 Jazz Institution in the United States. This organization provides free music lessons for children in the community; they support Big Band Jazz and various small Jazz, Blues and R&B Bands. Their museum will open in 2008. He also serves as a co-sponsor for their annual Queen City Jazz Festival, which is held on the last Saturday in July in Downtown Buffalo, NY.

Van has served as a conference speaker on the business of music, marketing and international touring to many music educational seminars and conferences over the years. During the late 1980s early 1990s Van served as regional conference coordinator for the Minnesota Black Music expo, the international Association of African American Music and the Western New York Music conference, He also served as a panelist for the WNY Music Conference and the Toronto Music Conference.

Van also advises Mr. Bill Bradberry, City Administrator of Niagara Falls, on event music sponsorship and concert coordination to enhance tourism in Niagara Falls, NY.

Van’s references can be found in the Marquis Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World; also in Men of Achievement in Cambridge, England.

For more information check out the groups web site at: TaylorMadeJazz.com and VanTaylorProduction.com.