The Musical Journey of Guitarist Jonathan Taylor: A Conversation with Jonathan Taylor - Part 2

Audio Branding

“And so the concert comes, and, about the ending piece of the concert. I didn’t know who I was. All that vanity and ego, ‘I’m a classical musician,’ all of that stuff, those labels go right out the window. And why is that? Because it’s down to survival time now.” -- Jonathan Taylor

This episode’s guest is a California native who’s currently representing the U.S. as an American Cultural Specialist in South America and the Caribbean. He’s performed sold-out concerts for such luminaries as UN delegates, American ambassadors, and foreign heads of state. During his formative years in the 1970s and ‘80s, he studied music at Chapman University and was head of the music department at the Newport Institute of the Arts in Southern California. He’s known for his virtuosity and unique transcriptions and has performed extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia. He was one of the very first artists to record digitally back in the early ‘90s and he’s set about creating a catalogue of over three hundred tracks. His music is streaming worldwide on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Sirius Radio, and most streaming services everywhere.

His name is Jonathan Taylor, and our two-part discussion is a must-listen for anyone interested in the power of sound – and particularly the power of music. Prepare to be inspired!

As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. You can also join regular Clubhouse chats in The Power of Sound House every other Wednesday (check the schedule for times). Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, when new audio rooms are scheduled and what they'll be about, and it'll give you access to a resource called The Studio with lots of interesting sound-related mp3s, videos, educational pdfs, and exclusive discounts from previous guests.

If you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help – and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.

(0:00:00) – Musical Journey and Touring Adventures

The episode starts off with a look back at the start of Jonathan’s musical journey, and the grandmother who played the organ for silent movie productions. “Those things,” he says, “I’m sure, influenced me, and I started picking out tunes, you know, on the ukulele, because the guitar would have been too big for my fingers at that age.” He talks about the challenge of mastering, rather than just being proficient at, music, and the difficult promise he made to himself at age fourteen to truly master the guitar. “It is saying that you have made an oath to yourself,” he explains, “which is the only oath anyone can really make, and that it is going to require tremendous labor and work and discovery.”

(0:16:51) – Jonathan’s Encounters Around the World

Our conversation turns to the tours he’s been on all over the world, and how it’s broadened his perspective as a musician and as a person. “Once one steps out of the door of their domicile,” Jonathan tells us, “something will happen because you are now out into the world.” We talk about some of the famous people he met while touring in India and one memorable occasion at an ambassador’s house when music and politics made for a dangerous mix. “I was asking him things like, ‘Why are we here?’” he recalls. “And he says he can lob a nuke into Pakistan. I go, ‘That’s a good reason.’"

Episode Summary

• Jonathan’s musical journey, from his grandmother’s influence to mastering the guitar.
• His experiences in India and how a local dish led to a literally hallucinatory performance.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://jonathantaylor.app

https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/5R2b8Hv3U7p4r?

Follow Jonathan Taylor on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChJvadwu2bYXvzX6cs9MshA

Connect with Jonathan Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-taylor-classical-guitar/

Follow Jonathan Taylor on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.taylor.921/

Follow Jonathan Taylor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JTclassicalguitarmastery/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Connect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)

Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/