Editor's Rating
Beloved Buffalo-Based International Jazz and R&B Band
Taylor Made Jazz
Celebrates its 30 Year Anniversary with Black Tie Gala Event
On April 21, 2018 the internationally known and Buffalo-based band Taylor Made Jazz will celebrate its 30th year with a black-tie gala at the Buffalo Marriott Niagara Hotel, 1340 Millersport Hwy, Amherst, NY 14221. The event will kick off with a private V.I.P. reception at 6:00. Doors will open at 7:00 for general admission.
The City of Buffalo declared July 22, 2003 as Taylor Made Jazz day in the City of Buffalo – and the band has only continued to grow and impact the community with its unique blend of original jazz and R&B. The far-reaching impact of Taylor Made Jazz can be seen in the biographies of its core instrumental artists who will be featured at the gala: Brian Freeman (trumpet), Robert Garrett (drums), Nelson Thomas (guitar), Michael Crymes (drums), and bandleader Van Taylor (piano/keyboard). Its vocalists have also made histories of their own: Sandra Toussaint, Annette Bati’a, Henry Wright Jr., and, recently inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame for his impressive body of work, vocalist and music producer and Buffalo Music Hall of Famer Joseph Diggs. Hosting the show will be the band’s current vocalists, Melissa Kate and Joyce Wilson-Nixon, and special guest hosts (Buffalo Music Hall of Famer David Allen) and Eric Martin. A special performance by The Exoutics will open the event.
Taylor Made Jazz has a long history performing for our brave men and women overseas, along with supporting our veterans at home. The band is responsible for training a generation of musicians who have spent their careers giving back to our active and veteran service members. Taylor Made Jazz has been committed to supporting education and learning opportunities for children, and prioritizes charitable causes and creating fundraising opportunities for local and international charities.
This 30-year anniversary gala will serve as a fundraising catalyst for the African American Veterans Monument. This is a cause perfectly paired to Taylor Made Jazz’s history. It will be the first monument of its kind in our country, to be placed at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park near Canalside. Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the fundraising efforts (goal $1.5 million) for the African American Veterans Monument. Target completion date: Veteran’s Day, 2018.
“It is meaningful,” says bandleader and founder – Buffalo Music Hall of Famer Van Taylor, “when we use music to connect our active-duty military with their homeland. I have loved traveling to places where our military are serving our country, and am grateful to the musicians who helped make our band so highly requested through the years. I feel proud to know that with the monument, we will properly acknowledge the unique sacrifices of our African-American service men and women. The African American Veteran’s Monument is going to be a powerful reminder that America is protected not just by one group or another – but by all Americans. After 30 years performing for our military, helping this monument finding its first home in Buffalo is a special honor.”
Your support can make this event truly special. Taylor Made Jazz’s close ties to the efforts of the African American Veterans Monument make this Gala an opportunity for you to become an integral part of an historic effort to memorialize a long-overlooked group of American Veterans.
What: Taylor Made Jazz 30th Anniversary Gala and Fundraiser for the African American Veterans Monument
Where: Buffalo Marriott Niagara Hotel, 1340 Millersport Hwy, Amherst, NY
When: April 21, 2018 Time: 6:00 Private V.I.P. Reception; 7:00 General Admission
Cost: General Admission: $50; V.I.P. $75; Group Tables and Sponsorships available, call 716-310-6221
Tickets: www.TMJ30.Eventbrite.com
Tickets can also be purchased at Doris Records (285 E. Ferry, Buffalo) and Phenominal Xpressions (517 Main St, Buffalo) Nelsons Hair Studio (1326 Portage RD Niagara Falls NY)
The Taylor Made Jazz 30th Anniversary Gala is presented and supported by: Three 2 Go Music Alliance, African American Veterans Monument Committee, Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park, The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.
For more information about Taylor Made Jazz, please contact Van Taylor at (716) 855-1754 or visit www.taylormadejazz.com
For more information about the Gala event, please contact Ron Walker at (716) 310-6221
