04.30.07 | Zero Down O.A.C.- Mark does Sound Design!
Last summer was the “summer of films” here at Mark Taylor Music. In addition to Jade’s great documentary “9/11 Fear In Silence”, I was also involved with Canadian filmmaker Aaron Moseson’s new project, “Zero Down, O.A.C.”

Zero Down tells the story of a day in the life of two hard-luck used car salesman out in the praries as they try to make time while still making a sale. Somehow, Aaron managed to stuff two come-ons, a car chase, girls in short skirts, a sexual preference misunderstanding and a heavily armed, pregnant ex-girlfriend/customer into a 14 minute short film!

I was initially contacted just to write the score which, by the way, combines my love for layered rhythms and long chordal pads with 12-string guitars and harmonicas! But by the time all was said and done I’d not only written the score, I’d also done all the sound design (the car chase was a BLAST!) and edited and mixed all the audio elements together. A project full of firsts for me!

When I know where you can see this fun film, I’ll be sure to pass it along.

04.30.07 | New Documentary Score
9/11 FEAR IN SILENCE: THE FORGOTTEN UNDERDOGS
is a compelling documentary about Deaf and Hard of Hearing people who were the FIRST citizens to become shut out from outside communication and 'left in the dark,' and the LAST to receive access to critical information, or be delivered from danger on September 11, 2001.

The first part of the film takes the viewers on a personal journey into the lives of the World Trade Center survivors and witnesses which exposes unique individuals' testimonies and unveils their perspectives about the attacks on the World Trade Center. The second part of the film discloses issues and concerns about our quest for resolutions to the City and Government to improve equal access.

This was a new kind of score for me. Very electronic in the early sections, with lots of layered synth pads and heavy processing. I also recorded from 6 to 12 french horn parts and combined them with sampled horns to create the massed horn choir heard in the background of many of the cues.

This film was nominated for best feature documentary at the Pan African Film Festival! You can find out much more about JadeFilms here.
FilmMusik
Monday, April 30, 2007

04.11.07 | I've got some interesting things coming up...
later in the Spring and Summer, so I thought I'd get the info out early (for a change) and fill you in as I get more information as we get closer to these gigs.

June 2nd - New Languages Music Festival
June 22nd - Vision Festival w/Myra Melford
June 27th - Zebulon w/Taylor Ho Bynum's new project
July 27th - Whitney Museum w/Taylor Ho Bynum
July 28th - Mark Taylor Group on Rob Reddy's Jalopy Series

Addresses, ticket prices, web sites, etc. all coming soon!

03.30.05 | Mark Taylor named Marcinkiewicz Artist
I'm really excited to be endorsing Marcinkiewicz mouthpieces! Their new "Concert Hall Series" combines the stability and projection of a "heavy-weight" mouthpiece with the resonance and physical feedback of a standard weight model. Check them out!