Dr. Billy Taylor comes to celebrate MLK

Dr Billy Taylor
Dr Billy Taylor has played with some of the greats of the jazz world, but this weekend he'll celebrate the life of another man he knew personally Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
MPR photo/Euan Kerr

As the house pianist at the famous Birdland jazz club, Taylor played with many of the greats over the years, including Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie and Miles Davis.

Taylor is in his late 80s now, and has retired from touring. However, he and his trio will join the Twin Cities vocal ensemble to perform "Peaceful Warrior" at the Ordway in St. Paul on Sunday.

It's Taylor's tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Taylor knew and worked with King during the struggle for civil rights. However Taylor told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he also knew Dr. King as a jazz fan.

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