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Known as a supremely-gifted multi-instrumentalist, conductor, composer, arranger, and producer, he was the owner of SoundPainter Studios in Peekskill. He was a much-loved member of the Peekskill artist community.
Brian Taylor was born on Feb. 22, 1952, in the back seat of a taxi during a blizzard, in Boise. He was a graduate of MacArthur High School in San Antonio and the University of Texas at Austin. An award-winning flutist, he moved to New York to study with Julius Baker of the NY Philharmonic.
During a long freelance career, Brian Taylor performed with symphony orchestras, on Broadway shows, on numerous studio recordings, and with the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
He married keyboardist/composer Bettina Covo in 1981, and together they founded the acclaimed chamber music group, The Baroque Invention. They later formed the classical/jazz/rock fusion band, Chromatica, which performed all-original music and released an album, Alpha, in 1988. He and Covo later separated but remained close friends and musical collaborators. At the time of his death, they had just completed an album of original music for meditation.
In 2010 he moved to Peekskill and added a new career as a singer/actor, debuting as Daddy Warbucks in the musical "Annie" at the Paramount Theater. He subsequently acted in numerous local productions, while continuing to churn out music as both performer and composer/arranger. He released his self-produced solo album, SoundPainter Odyssey, in 2013. At the time of his death, he was working on an album of his orchestral compositions.
There will be a silent vigil for Taylor on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the loft of Lana Yu, 802 South Street, Peekskill.
Taylor was the father of two children from an early marriage. He was predeceased by his son Joshua. In addition to Covo, he is survived by his brother Mark Taylor, his daughter, Charissa Winham, his grandchildren Hayley Fishbeck, Peyton Fishbeck, Easton Fishbeck and Aria Clements, his cat Zoe, his beloved partner Emily, and many friends.
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