Biography

Contact: Information@denataylormusic.com
Website: www.denataylormusic.com

Discography:

You've Changed - Releases 01/16
Lullabies
The Nearness of You
Certitude
Round Midnight


A set comprised of ten classic standards, the performances feature the appealing singer uplifting the timeless material while accompanied by some of Texas' finest jazz musicians.

The Nearness of You

Executive Producer: Dena Taylor
Producer: George Coyne

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Parrot Tracks Studio, Manchaca TX

Photography by Dena Taylor
Design by Dena Taylor

10 Tracks, Playing Time: 44 Minutes

Tracks:

When October Goes (3:40)
(B. Manilow, J. Mercer – WB Music Corp., Universal Music-Careers)

Solitude (4:02)
(J. Jackson, D. Ellington, I. Mills, E. DeLange – Sony/ATV Runes LLC, Copyright Control)

But Beautiful (4:34)
(J. Burke, J. Van Heusen – Corsey Brothers Music, Bourne Co-Burke & Van Heusen)

Besame Mucho (4:04)
(C. Velazquez – Peer International Corp)

The Nearness of You (5:48)
(H. Carmichael, N. Washington – Sony/ATV Harmony)

Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me (3:42)
(D. Ellington, B. Russell – Music Sales Corp., Sony/ATV Harmony)

If I Love Again (2:41)
(B. Oakland, J. P. Murray – WB Music Corp.)

For All We Know (3:47)
(S. Lewis, J. F. Coots – Sis ‘n Bro Music Co., WB Music Corp.)

The Look of Love (3:20)
(B. Bacharach, H. Divis, M.S. Tear – WB Music Corp.)

The Very Thought of You (4:31)
(R. Noble – Tetrauq Music Inc., Range Road Music, Inc.)

Musicians:

Dena Taylor: Vocals
Evan Arredondo - Acoustic Bass: #1, #3, #10
David Chao - Keyboard: #1, #3, #10
Ernie Durawa - Snares: #1, #2, #3, #5, #6, #7, #8, #10
Rich Harney - Keyboard: #2, #8
Fito Kahn - Percussion: #4, #9
Rick McRae - Guitar: #4, #5, #7, #9
John Steinman - Guitar: #4, #9
Brad Taylor - Acoustic Bass: #5, #7
Redd Volkaert - Guitar: #2, ##6, #8

National Radio Promotion:

Dena Taylor Music
P. O. Box 1104
Buda TX 78610
321/243-6211
Information@DenaTaylorMusic.com
www.DenaTaylorMusic.com

For Radio Programmers:
www.airplaydirect.com/denataylorthenearnessofyou

Artist Contact & Booking:

Dena Taylor Music
P. O. Box 1104
Buda TX 78610
321/243-6211
Information@DenaTaylorMusic.com
www.DenaTaylorMusic.com

Biography:

Based in Austin, TX, Dena Taylor is a jazz vocalist who harkens back to the days of smoke filled clubs and smoky voiced chanteuses. Her sound is solid; without a lot of vocal gymnastics in the Jazz Standards she covers. She inhabits the songs and makes them her own – feeling happiness, anger, joy, sorrow, love and hate. She draws listeners in and allows them to relate to these songs all over again.

Dena was named “Best Female Jazz Artist of the Year” by Indie Music Channel in 2014.

Her album The Nearness of You” showcases her vocal talents and reminds us that even though she is a “seasoned” artist singing Standards, these songs don’t lose their ability to move and touch the audience just because they may have fallen out of vogue.

Dena is so full of passion for these songs that her jovial attitude can’t help but be contagious. An engaging personality, Dena wants to share her love of Jazz Standards and the American Songbook with her audience. She has honed her craft over the years – spending 12 years abroad serving her country in the US military and, whenever possible, performing with touring USO shows. Then, upon her return, Dena settled in Florida where she took to the stage as a member of the prestigious Cocoa Village Playhouse “Gold Star” company. She also began to reestablish her solo career and released her cd “Round Midnight”” in 2008. With a voice that contains a bit of a knowing edge reminiscent of Gladys Knight in her prime, Dena became a “go to” vocalist for national Jazz and Blues groups touring in Florida.

After relocating to Austin, TX, Dena continued her collaboration with some of the best musicians in the jazz and blues genres including GRAMMY® Award Winners guitarist Redd Volkaert and keyboardist Floyd Domino and Gold Record drummer Ernie Durawa. Volkaert and Durawa both worked on her second album, “Certitude”” in 2010. One of the tracks from this effort, “Song for My Father,” was rewarded with an IAIRA Certification of "International Top 100 Hit" shortly after its release. The team worked so well together that Dena chose to work with them for her next record in 2014, “The Nearness of You.” She was subsequently named one of the Top Five Vocalists in the SingersUniverse "Best Vocalist Of The Month" Competition, in addition to the aforementioned IMC 2014 Best Female Jazz Artist of the Year Award.

The path to success hasn’t been an easy one for Dena. In 1999 she suffered a horrific car crash, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. The damage was so severe that it took Dena two years to learn to speak and walk again. She persevered through that and a battle with breast cancer to come out on the other side with an outlook on life that allows her to pursue her music with even more zeal. Learning not to be paralyzed by the fear of what “might happen” has kept Dena moving forward and gives her vocals a ripened maturity that just isn’t found in the pop stars of today.

And, in advance of some serious surgery on her throat, Dena joined forces with Austin powerhouse friends to take a musical walk from her beginnings in country and ending where she most happily lives and that is tucked inside the American Songbook. No last minute throw-together, “You've Changed”” (scheduled release is January 2016) is a carefully thought out project and, whether it's the last music she records or not .. it will certainly be one of her best.

In a pre-release review, Bree Noble (CEO of Women of Substance Radio) said, “With the opening notes of "You've Changed," it's clear that what has changed is that Dena Taylor has confidently taken the reins of her music career and is making bold, risky decisions that are paying off.”

While she was initially going to keep her most recent health challenge to herself, she decided to share the journey to her "new" normal through a blog in the hopes that it will encourage others!

Dena continues to share her musical gifts and donates her time to various charities that are close to her heart including her own charity, The Lullaby Project. This charity is supported by the beautiful CD, Lullabies”, recorded and released in 2015.