Martin Taylor & Alison Burns

Event information

Martin Taylor is widely considered to be the world’s foremost exponent of solo jazz and fingerstyle guitar playing. He dazzles audiences with a signature style that artfully combines his virtuosity, emotion and humour with a strong, engaging stage presence. In addition to his solo concerts and recordings, he has collaborated with musicians from many different genres, including Jeff Beck, Bill Wyman, Stephane Grappelli, Bryn Terfel, and George Harrison. Over his stellar career, Taylor has amassed a record 14 British Jazz Awards as a guitarist, received two Honorary Doctorates, and received an MBE for Services To Jazz Music.

There are singers, and there are jazz singers. There are jazz singers, and there are a few artists who bring more to the microphone - their life, love, heartaches and joy. Alison Burns is one of those artists. She released her debut album ‘Kissing Bug’ in 2007, followed by 1:AM, Last Train to Hauteville, Freternity, and I’ll Be Home For Christmas. These acclaimed albums captured the essence of jazz divas like Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald but with a modern sensibility that resonates globally, underscoring her unique ability to marry the spirit of a bygone jazz age with a contemporary and wide-reaching appeal. Alison Burns is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and was awarded the International Brand Laureate Award whose other recipients have included Aretha Franklin, Taylor Swift and Adele.

Songs for Nature

Scottish-Canadian jazz singer Alison Burns and British fingerstyle guitarist Martin Taylor are thrilled to announce their new album, “Songs for Nature”. The release of the first single “Nature Boy” will coincide with Earth Day on April 22nd.

“Songs for Nature” is scheduled for release on June 5th via P3 Music. More than just a collection of timeless jazz standards, “Songs for Nature” serves as a heartfelt tribute to the beauty of the natural world and the creative souls it has influenced. The album emerges as a beacon of hope amidst today's environmental challenges. In an era of global environmental upheaval, the redemptive power of music carves out a sanctuary of solace, a theme resonating deeply in “Songs for Nature”. Marking its release on World Environment Day, on June 5th, this album stands as a tribute to the enduring bond between music and nature.

The first single “Nature Boy” evokes elemental emotions in the listener, akin to the experience of being immersed in nature. From awe and wonder to peace and tranquillity, from joy and melancholy, from the highest highs to the lowest lows, Alison voice resonates with the very essence of our natural world.

When every action towards environmental preservation counts, Alison and Martin’s “Songs for Nature” will inspire a gentler, kinder, more sustainable interaction with our planet.

“This album is not just about great love but more about the protection of all animals and nature”. – states Alison Burns. “Through the timeless music and enchanting lyrics of these carefully hand-picked songs, we began to create a musical love letter to the natural world. The beauty and delicate balance of nature become ever clearer when we see ourselves as a part of it and not apart from it so as not to be indifferent to animals and the planet’s precious ecosystems”.

Martin Taylor adds: “Alison and I are both very passionate about nature, the environment, and the protection of all animal and plant life. This music reflects our love of nature and the gratitude we feel for being born on this unique planet. We are surrounded by miracles, and we are part of that miracle. We share this music to remind ourselves of the importance of being in harmony with nature and, through that connection, seeing our place within this miracle”.

Alison Burns brings a smoky, sultry, and understated delivery that seems tailor-made for the intimate embrace of a dimly lit jazz club yet has enthralled everyone from exuberant music festival attendees to British royalty.

Martin Taylor, described by Pat Metheny as one of the most spectacular solo guitar players in the instrument's history, co-pilots this journey. Taylor, a virtuoso whose fingers dance over strings with a finesse that's both heart-stopping and profound, ensures that “Songs for Nature” is imbued with the touch of a master craftsman.

The album was recorded amidst the pristine beauty of New York’s Catskill Mountains. Produced by James Taylor and engineered by John Valesio (Norah Jones), Grammy-Award winner Dave O’Donnell (Jason Mraz, Kurt Elling, Sheryl Crow), Cicely Balston (David Bowie, Nick Cave) - each song resonates with the care and intention that only true reverence for nature can inspire.

Alison and Martin are not just musicians at the height of their powers; they are also sonic naturalists. This album is their field recording, capturing not the sounds of the wild but the emotions it stirs within us.

QUOTES ON MARTIN TAYLOR:

“He out-shreds all of us put together…I’ve never seen anything like it” – Jeff Beck

“Martin Taylor is one of the most awesome solo guitar players in the history of the instrument. He’s unbelievable” – Pat Metheny

"Europe's finest guitarist" – JazzTimes

"There is a touch of genius in his playing" - Classical Guitar Magazine

"No matter how complex or daring, Taylor's interpretations never short change the melodies; indeed, his remarkable fluid touch embues a seamless beauty. Martin Taylor is something to behold." - The Washington Post

"Taylor is the finest British guitarist of his generation" - The Times of London

QUOTES ON ALISON BURNS:

“She has the ability, rare in all but the best jazz singers, to make even the most frequently heard, over-recorded standards sound fresh and interesting.” – Jazz Journal

“Burns confirms her pedigree with the lightest of touches – imperceptibly hurrying a word here, turning another into a soft hoot, stretching a sound into a whispered glissando.” – The Guardian

“Burns’s voice strikes the right balance between sensitivity and power” – HMV Choice

“Scotland’s foremost jazz singers” – Glasgow Herald

“triumphant…a voice full of confidence and authority” – China Sunday Morning Post

www.alisonburns.com
www.martintaylor.com

Photo credit Ali Hasbach