Freternity

Released in 2007, Freternity represents a significant entry in Martin Taylor's discography by placing his 'one-man-band' guitar style within a traditional jazz quartet/quintet setting. While Taylor is globally renowned for his ability to play bass lines, chords, and melodies simultaneously on a single guitar, this album sees him sharing those duties with world-class collaborators, including David Newton on piano and Guy Barker on trumpet. This shift allows Taylor to explore more fluid, single-note melodic runs and interactive comping that his solo work sometimes precludes. The repertoire is a balanced mix of Taylor originals and jazz standards like 'Stella by Starlight' and 'Skylark'. Critically, the album was praised for its impeccable production values and the chemistry of the ensemble, further solidifying Taylor's reputation as not just a solo virtuoso, but a premiere bandleader in the British jazz scene.