Ivan taylor, bass & Dept. Chair

Born in Southern, Illinois in 1984, Ivan Taylor has been playing the bass since he was nine years old.

He Had an illustrious high school career, playing with the Illinois All-State Jazz band, The Grammy Band, and Chicago Jazz masters Von Freeman and Orbert Davis.

Ivan was a star performer at the 2002 Essentially Ellington competition where he met Wynton Marsalis. This meeting led him to enroll in the Juilliard School of Music.

He had a strong impact on the New York scene, performing with Rashid Ali, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, Louis Hayes, Nicholas Payton, Curtis Fuller, Mike Philips, Kenny Garrett, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Robert Glasper, Take 6, Rodney Jones, Russell Malone, Steve Nelson, Carmen Lundy, Hank Jones, Hal Weary, Cyrus Chestnut, Jonathan Baptiste, Maurice Brown, Diana Ross, KJ Rose, Marly Marl, Chris Madsen, Jennifer Sloan, Tia Fuller, Shamie Royston and many others. He has studied with Ben Wolfe and continues to study with Ron Carter.

Since 2005, he has been a member of Mulgrew Miller's trio and sextet Wingspan touring internationally.

Ivan's Major influences are George Benson, Ray Brown, Israel Crosby, Stanley Clark, Gary Granger, Jaco Pastorius, John Patitucci, Ron Carter, and Christian McBride.

He has the ability to play both upright and electric bass with equal agility. Ivan also plays the guitar at an exceptional level which he plans to feature on future albums.