Martin Taylor – Standards

Martin Taylor, a guitarist, presents a solo show called Standards at Kings Place in London, built around jazz arrangements of tunes from the Great American Songbook.

The programme takes its name from the album Standards, which Martin Taylor has released recently. The set draws on classic songs from the Great American Songbook, presented in new arrangements for solo guitar, with the emphasis on fingerstyle playing and harmony. The material is rooted in the golden age of jazz, and the performer also tells stories about the music along the way.

Taylor has been described by the guitarists Jeff Beck and Pat Metheny in strong terms, Beck calling him the best guitarist in the world and Metheny praising his solo playing. Taylor has worked with Stéphane Grappelli, Tommy Emmanuel and Chet Atkins, and his career spans six decades. Taylor was appointed MBE and has been recognised with several awards.

The evening is a solo concert given in Hall One at Kings Place, a concert venue in London. It suits listeners who follow jazz guitar and the standards repertoire, and the running time is around one hour and fifty minutes, including the interval.