Dr. Billy Taylor (pictured with his trio) is a walking history of jazz. He began playing professionally in 1944, and in that capacity he has composed over 350 songs, performed with legends such as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and led his own trio for decades. The numerous awards Taylor garnered as a performer and educator include 23 honorary doctoral degrees, two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, a Grammy, and the National Medal of the Arts. Most visibly, Taylor became the arts correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning in the 1980s. Now in his 80s, Taylor has retired from performing and touring regularly but continues to play special events and teach.

Lucky for us, Taylor has also decided to maintain his relationship with The Kennedy Center, which began over a decade ago when he was called to do a radio series. That position eventually led to his being named Artistic Director for the center’s jazz series. “The thing I had to do was build a jazz program,” he said. “Because I’ve worked with everybody, I would call on the people I worked with over the years.”

Nowadays, finding jazz artists to play the Kennedy Center is not a problem, so instead Taylor’s focus is on presenting unique programming and artists who deserve wider recognition. “It’s not a secret who the best people are,” he said, “but it is a secret about who doesn’t t get the recognition they deserve.” Taylor cites vocalist Dianne Reeves and pianist Hank Jones as performers who he invited specifically because they are under-recognized. “There is so much to be learned from them,” he declares.

While artists such as Reeves and Jones may not have the audience they deserve, Taylor wants to take his programs one step further and also highlight up-and-coming artists. “The whole idea is to bring people who are doing good work and who should get the attention we can bring.”

So where does D.C. fit into this series that is mainly comprised of national touring acts? Taylor has plans for that as well. He said, “I hope to focus more on Washington. We’re trying to work with the Millennium Stage and other programs on a way to present Washington.”

So without further ado, here is the Fall 2007 Kennedy Center Jazz Season. Later this year, we will tell you about the great shows that are coming to the center in Spring 2008.

Image by Jimmy Katz from Billy Taylor’s website