The Early Photo History of Butch Taylor (b.April 9, 1955)
Influences
RESUME AND ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFO:
Butch Taylor (aka Vernie J. Taylor)
EDUCATION:
YALE UNIVERSITY New Haven, CT
1996 Master of Arts in Religion
SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY Fairfield, CT
1994 Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude
HOUSATONIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE Bridgeport, CT
1992 Associate of Science Degree
OTHER EXPERIENCE:
• 1986-98 Served on board of directors of the Stamford Community Arts Council
• 1987 Certified as Stress Management Specialist
• Taught classes in meditation and lectured for local study groups
• Co-wrote several books ('The Compleat Spellcaster' 'The Lexicon' and 'The Arcana') on Role-Playing Games published by Bard Games (Role Playing book info:
www.afterglow2.com/Product/Bard.htm
www.amazon.com
• 1981 Traveled the Far East, Pacific Islands, and Micronesia working for the USO
SPIRITUAL INTERESTS AND BACKGROUND:
A founding member of the New Haven Pagan Community (N.H.P.C.) which was a clearing house for magickal and neo-Pagan groups in the mid 1970’s, Butch has worked with various neo-Pagan traditions including Celtic, Norse, and AL-Gard groups. The N.H.P.C. served the pagan/Wiccan community in Connecticut and had one of the first neo-pagan newsletters in New England.
Butch is part Native American (Cherokee) and has studied indigenous spiritual traditions and healing with native elders both in the U.S. and Mexico including Philip Deere, Keeway Dinoquay, Adam Fortunate Eagle, Audry Shenandoah, Tlakaelel, and Luis Para as well as activists such as Winona LaDuke, Oren Lyons, and Mike Meyers. He has taken seminars on shamanism with Michael Harner and studied indigenous tracking and survival techniques with John Stokes (a former teacher with Tom Brown's school). He has sponsored lectures and seminars in the area for Native elders (such as Chief Big Eagle and Tlakaelel) and Mexica curanderos. Butch is the former chairman of the White Buffalo Society in Connecticut (a Native American religious and educational organization) and has taught classes on Native American religion for Norwalk Community College.
Butch is a long time student of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Western esoteric traditions, a former corresponding member of such groups as Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A.), Order of the Cubic Stone, Servants of Light, and a past initiate and encampment leader of Ordo Templi Orientis under the late Grady McMurtry. Butch has lectured on Qabalah as a guest speaker for Stamford’s Continuing Education and at local centers. He has taught on the Qabalah, ritual magic, and Tarot in private classes. He has studied practical alchemy and spagyrics as a member of the Aurora Institute of Alchemy and the Philosophers of Nature (L.P.N. U.S.A.).
Butch has had an ongoing interest in oriental martial arts philosophies and has studied Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Iron Shirt, Buddhist Palm, and the techniques of Taoist Sexual Yoga with Master Mantak Chia and Michael Winn in N. Y. City. He has studied the martial arts of Aikido, Shotokan Karate and dabbled in other systems as well. Butch currently practices Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung.
Butch has been a student of the philosophy of G. Gurdjieff. He was part a a work group within the Gurdjieff Foundation for seven years. He created a Connecticut Work group in the mid 1980’s. He has also had involvement with related groups such as E.J. Gold’s I.H.D.H.B., Gurdjieff-Ouspensky Groups, School of Practical Philosophy, and enneagram personality groups. For the past several years Butch has helped facilitate the Holotropic Breathwork at the Enneagram Institute’s level 2 intensives at Kirkridge retreat center in Strausburg, PA.
"To experience the present moment in the fullness of our attention is the abode of ultimate abundance and a witness to eternity"
Butch Taylor is a published songwriter and has played in numerous road and local bands as well as recorded and composed music for videos and film. He has toured and recorded with artists on RCA, Arista, and Epic Records playing with such artists as Vicki Sue Robinson, James Ingram, Denise Williams, Patty Austin, and Debra Cox. Butch has performed both nationally and internationally and appeared on major television shows such as Don Kirchner’s Rock Concert, the Midnight Special, and the Merv Griffin Show. He has performed at major clubs and arenas around the country such as the Starwood in L.A., the Boarding House in San Francisco, and the Bottom Line, the Felt Forum, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.
DETAILS:
2006 Performed on guitar and vocals at the Habitat for Humanity benefit concert with Joe Bouchard of 'Blue Oyster Cult' at the Fairfield Theatre in CT.
2006 Has performed at the Cutting Room in NYC as backing guitarist with La La Brooks along with Paul Shaffer, keyboardist/band learder of the David Letterman orchestra. La La Brooks was vocalist with of one of the most successful girl groups of the early 1960s, 'The Crystals.'
2005 Recorded lead guitar on the melodic rock CD 'Blanc Faces' released in Europe and Japan on Frontiers Records. Played with Blanc Faces in Germany at the 'United Forces of Rock' concert along with other well known rockers from the 1980s such as Wetton & Downs from the band 'Asia.' Billy Greer of 'Kansas.' and Dave Bickler of 'Survivor.'
(Blanc Faces reviews -
http://www.melodicrock.com/showcase/blancfaces.html,
http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=1560,
http://www.rockreport.be/review.asp?id=1160)
2005 Recorded guitar & bass samples for "Soul City Sample Collection" and "Jazz City Sample Collection" for Kool Kat Productions.
2004 Soundtrack for PBS documentary, "The Colors of Money," directed by Emmy Award winning Frank Borres, American View Productions.
2004 Co-Produced & Recorded guitar on Mutti Lewis CD, "Love Will Survive."
2004 Recorded guitar & bass samples for "Funk City Sample Collection" for Kool Kat Productions.
2001 Co-Produced Sister Funk CD, "Pursuit of the Groove."
2000 Butch Taylor & the Penetrators CD, "Don't Tell Me Nothin,'" released. Butch was primary writer as well as guitarist, drummer and vocalist on the CD.
1999 Hired by Giaronomo Productions to create music on the movie trailer for the Martin Scorsese film "Bringing Out the Dead."
1998 Butch co-wrote and recorded the music for "A Comedy Trilogy," three short films produced by Rosie Haas, shown at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival and winner of the Bronze at the 31st Annual Houston Worldfest.
1997 Created original music for the trailer shown on HBO, Cinemax, Bravo, and Showtime for the independent film, "Grind" staring Billy Cruddup.
1991-1997 Produced music for American View Productions and Emmy winning Director, Frank Borres, including video documentaries, films, and commercials, as well as producing music for Wildebeest Productions at corporate events (including clients such as Pepsi Corporation).
1996 Recorded lead guitar and vocals on the nationally released Christmas CD "Big Steve's Not Xactly Xmas" for Inland Entertainment of L.A..
1995 The release of Jazz-fusion CD called "Time of Arrival" by Pavlis and Taylor on Flammable Records featuring all original compositions and performances by Butch Taylor and George Pavlis (keyboardist who has recorded with Miles Davis, Larry Coryell, and Ted Nugent).
1988 Co-wrote and recorded "I'm not Worthy" with gospel vocalist Cash Money released as a single on Rapture Records.
1987-1989 Co-wrote and recorded the musical scores for the New Age documentary films "In Search of a Holy Man" and "Deathing" released by the Hartley Film Foundation.
1983-1984 Recorded as drummer/percussionist, bassist, guitarist, and singer on numerous records for the "Sesame Street Music Magazine," published and produced by Cherry Lane Music Co.
1982 Toured throughout the Far East and Pacific theater (Japan, Korea, Philippines, Guam, Diego Garcia, and Micronesia) as a side-man for the Department of Defense in a U. S. O. show.
1981 Co-wrote and recorded the songs "Jive Soul Bro" and "Grab Them Cakes" with Captain Chameleon (Millennium Records) which were later released on "The Wrestling Album" (Epic Records, 1986) and "Pile Driver" (Epic Records, 1988).
(The Wrestling Album -
http://www.discogs.com/release/618469 and
PileDriver -
http://www.answers.com/topic/piledriver-the-wrestling-album-2)
1979 Recorded with Buddha/Arista recording artist David Wolff and performed as a member of "David Wolff and Eyes" at many large venues in the Northeast.
1976 Toured & recorded with Vicki Sue Robinson (RCA Records), appeared on major TV shows (Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, etc...), and performed at major concert halls (Felt Forum, Bottom Line, Carnegie Hall, etc...).
(Vicki Sue Robinson's 2nd album -
http://www.answers.com/topic/vicki-sue-robinson-1976-album-by-vicki-sue-robinson)
1975 Toured with jazz-fusion band "In The Blood," recording with many noted musicians such as Alphonse Mouzon, Larry Coryell, David Sanborn, the Brecker Brothers, Anthony Jackson and others.
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Strange day. After watching a documentary about streakers suffering from over exposure, I took a nap. It was a short one. I woke up a midget. At first I was freaking out, jumping around, trying to reach the wall phone. It tired me out. So I sat on a foot stool and placed my face in my hands wondering why this had happened to me. In the middle of self-pitying I started noticing how much fun it was to kick and swing my feet. I was smiling again, and found myself running through the house at full speed... wrestling with my now giant puppy. Oh, the joy! I hadn't had so much fun in years! We laughed and played and laughed until we both fell asleep exhausted on the living room floor. Then I woke up and ruined the whole damned thing.
Hi Butch,Hope all is well...Jan and I have to come out and see you..maybe that date you have in Milford we are right down the street..you always have a great band! Rob Santoro 5 Below Zero/ Lydian Falls
Hey Man hope all is well, I am in NC now hope all is well in CT stay intouch...
garry segal ~ new release ~ taking notes Update! track from new CD selected for Relix Magazine CD sampler 08 spring issue!
“Taking Notes bleeds Americana, with an intoxicating blend of uptempo blues and soulful bluegrass “ Trevor D. music critic Jambands.com guests : Jeff Pevar (Phil Lesh, CS&N) Collin Tilton (Van Morrison)
Well hello Butch.. It's been a long 'time' if you believe in such concepts.. Time is an illusion.. a 'slight of hand'.. Drumming is still religion to me although I leave church rarely :^)
The greatest thing in life is life live it to the fullest may you have enough faith to give you courage... enough determination to keep you strong HAPPY NEW YEAR Doc JAH Guide Mutti Lewis
Hola my friend...let me tell you this...that song (Night Above the sun) it is beautifull and your voice is amazing ..i am your big fan!!God bless your voice and your talent as a musician... love you!! C Gloria
glitter-graphics.comHola..I want to say thank you Butch for being there when I needed you in the guitar you are the best guitar player and Im proud for having you play in my music.God bless you i love you!!...C Gloria
