Taylor Ho Bynum
Taylor Ho Bynum (b. 1975) has spent his career navigating the intersections between structure and improvisation – through musical composition, performance and interdisciplinary collaboration, and through production, organizing, teaching, writing and advocacy. As heard on over twenty recordings as a bandleader, Bynum’s expressionistic playing on cornet and his expansive vision as composer have garnered him critical attention as one of the singular musical voices of his generation.
He currently leads his Sextet and 7-tette, and works with many collective ensembles including a duo with drummer Tomas Fujiwara, the improv trio Book of Three, the UK/US collaborative Convergence Quartet, the dance/music interdisciplinary ensemble Masters of Ceremony, and the trans-idiomatic little big band Positive Catastrophe.
In addition to his own bands, his ongoing collaboration with Braxton, past work with other legendary figures such as Bill Dixon and Cecil Taylor, and current collective projects with forward thinking peers, Bynum increasingly travels the globe to conduct community-based large ensembles in explorations of new creative orchestra music. He is also a published author and contributor to The New Yorker’s Culture Blog, has taught at universities, festivals, and workshops worldwide, and has served as a panelist and consultant for leading funders and organizations.
His work has received support from Creative Capital, the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Chamber Music America, New Music USA, USArtists International, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Recent discography as bandleader/composer:
• Taylor Ho Bynum & Tomas Fujiwara – Through Foundation, 2014 self-released limited edition vinyl. (“Their deep rapport…brings a cogency to the pair’s in-the-moment inventions.” Jim Macnie, Village Voice.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet & 7-tette – Navigation (The Complete Firehouse 12 Recordings), 2013 Firehouse 12 Records, 4-album set (2-CD, 2-LP). (“Bynum has produced something that belongs to a special category, a masterpieces, a work that can shimmer into new identities, bringing multiple narratives into view.” – Stuart Broomer, Point of Departure.)
• Anthony Braxton/Taylor Ho Bynum – Duo (Amherst) 2010 (DVD), 2013 New Braxton House Records. (“Absorbing new DVD…interspersing compositional forms with open improvisation, the performance unfolds as a heroic dialogue.” Nate Chinen, The New York Times.)
• Positive Catastrophe – Dibrujo, Dibrujo, Dibrujo…, 2012 Cuneiform Records. (“Combining the raw passion of Afro-Cuban rhythm with the intellectual intensity of free jazz, Positive Catastrophe transcends idiom.” Hrayr Attarian, Jazziz.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet – Apparent Distance, 2011 Firehouse 12 Records. (“Thoughtfully tumultuous new album…It’s all seductively challenging, full of standout moments that nevertheless dissolve into the whole.” Nate Chinen, The New York Times.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum & Tomas Fujiwara – Stepwise, 2010 NotTwo Records. (“The playing is not just typically excellent, it’s conversational and buoyant, engaging the listener not through forceful attention- grabbing but rather coherence and seductiveness.” Trevor Hunter, NewMusicBox.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum & SpiderMonkey Strings – Madeleine Dreams, 2009 Firehouse 12 Records. (“Each repeated listen uncovers correspondingly more depth to the artistry of this heartfelt and challenging project.” John Sharpe, All About Jazz.)
• Positive Catastrophe – Garabatos Volume One, 2009 Cuneiform Records. (“It’s a doozy: a wonderfully lush and unusual Latin-jazz party record…an excellent showcase for the band’s singular blend of the festive and the avant-garde.” Hank Schteamer, Time Out New York.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet – Asphalt Flowers Forking Paths, 2008 hatology Records. (“One of the most indispensable ensembles in contemporary jazz…five stars.” Theirry Lepin, Jazzman Magazine, France.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum & Tomas Fujiwara – True Events, 2007 482 Music. (“A scintillating album…crackling with improvisational energy but guided by compositional prescription.” Nate Chinen, The New York Times.)
• Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet – The Middle Picture, 2007 Firehouse 12 Records. (“A measured, highly intelligent project that points the way forward for jazz…four stars.” Richard Cook and Brian Morton, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings: Ninth Edition.)