Mark Taylor Quartet at the Musicquarium

Going to hear Mark Taylor is always a pleasurable experience for me, and tonight was no exception. I've played with Mark off and on since I was 13, and he justs keeps on keepin' on -- his versatility across the saxophones still is a marvel to me. His quartet included Seattle stalwarts Phil Sparks on bass and Matt Jorgensen on drums, plus guitarist Chris Spencer. Now, truth be told, I really went down to hear Chris because, sadly, I've only heard about his playing and not actually heard him. The words of praise for his playing were certainly deserved: he's a thoughtful, interesting, and focused player who isn't afraid to play outside of the box. Their third set (the one I heard) consisted of: After Hours by Mark Taylor, Sweet Little Maia by Jimmy Garrison, Sugar Cliff by Brad Shepik and Golden Gaze by John Scofield -- great variety and tons of quality playing. Be sure to find out where Mark is playing on his website.