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The Baylor Project

What is "The Baylor Project?" A husband. A wife. An astonishing debut.

The Baylor Project featuring Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor highly anticipated collaboration is steeped in the heart and soul of Jazz. As the children of Pastors, Marcus and Jean's musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of gospel, blues, soul, and jazz to make it’s mark. Their debut CD "The Journey", released on their own label, Be A Light, topped the Billboard Jazz Chart at Number 8 and a year later garnered 2 GRAMMY® Nominations for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM and BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE, solidifying The Baylor Project as an undeniable force. As you listen to “The Baylor Project,” you will be taken on an eclectic musical journey that showcases as much versatility as it does virtuosity.

Jean, a “Jersey Girl”, was introduced to jazz in college as a Vocal Performance Major at Temple University, where she was heavily influenced by artists such as Carmen McCrae, Jimmy Scott, and Shirley Horn. She subsequently made her mark as one-half of the platinum recording duo, "Zhane´". In addition to continued development of her craft, Jean has expanded into composing, arranging, producing, and band leading. She has been a featured guest artist in performances and recordings with Yellowjackets, Kenny Garrett, Marcus Miller and legendary bassist, Buster Williams. Well-equipped with an agile mezzo-soprano range, Jean combines a fresh, whimsical approach to phrasing with clever improvisation resulting in singing of such vocal purity that she embraces the soul.

Marcus, a St. Louis native, is widely recognized as the former member and drummer of the GRAMMY® Award winning jazz quartet, "Yellowjackets". While studying and graduating from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, he performed and recorded with musical icons Cassandra Wilson, John Scofield, and Kenny Garrett. Since then, Marcus has come into his own as a composer, arranger, producer and bandleader. With his natural feel, creative use of space and innovative ability to tell a story, his musicianship and improvisation are those of a seasoned musician.

At last, these two are together on stage! At last, their innovation and talent are intimately entwined! Their combined musicianship is unmatched. Their dynamic performances are soulful to the bone. The Baylors will raise you up and inspire you to clap along with them, as they entice your ears with a swinging mid-tempo tune. Yet, at a moments’ notice, you may be moved to tears when they change the atmosphere with a spiritual song intended to stir the emotions. They perform original compositions and new arrangements of classic pieces. They utilize sincerity and maturity far beyond their years to deliver ballads with storied grace and elegance, and grit. And what’s more is that Marcus and Jean have the uncanny ability to bridge the gap between generations. They are relatable, they are virtuosic, and for these reasons they captivate packed houses and sold out audiences.

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6
Live Review

The Baylor Project at the DC Jazz Festival

Read "The Baylor Project at the DC Jazz Festival" reviewed by Bridget A. Arnwine


The Baylor Project The District Wharf The DC Jazz Festival jny: Washington, DC September 3, 2022 The 18th Annual DC Jazz Festival (August 31—September 4, 2022) closed out five days of music with a weekend of spectacular performances at The District Wharf, an outdoor space teeming with restaurants, shopping and waterfront living. Considering that the world is still in the throes of a global health crisis and considering that the DC Jazz Festival had ...

4
Interview

The Baylor Project: A Brand New Day

Read "The Baylor Project: A Brand New Day" reviewed by K. Shackelford


Marcus Baylor's coalescence of various American music styles into his playing has already secured him a spot in the history of post-modern jazz drummers. In the book, The Jazz Book: From Ragtime to the 21st Century (Chicago Review Press, 2009), authors Joachim-Ernst Berendt and Günther Huesmann cite Baylor as one of an exclusive list of drummers that shaped jazz drumming in the nineties through inventive polyrhythms and genre syncretism in their techniques.Baylor's affinity for the drums started early, ...

6
Album Review

The Baylor Project: The Journey

Read "The Journey" reviewed by James Nadal


The African proverb, “The spirit will not descend without song," is intrinsically intertwined within the African- American religious experience, and is a revered aphorism encompassing the music of Black America, in its many forms and variations. Jean (vocalist) and Marcus (drummer) Baylor, known collectively as The Baylor Project, have deep roots in the church, and on The Journey, take a look back to where they came from, drawing deep from hymnology for inspiration, yet maintaining the secular swing and edge ...

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Festival

Jazz this week: The Baylor Project, Don Dietrich & Ben Hall, "Essentially Ellington" festival, and more

Jazz this week: The Baylor Project, Don Dietrich & Ben Hall, "Essentially Ellington" festival, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the local debut of a Grammy-nominated act featuring one of the city's own; a rare local appearance from a founder of one of the most uncompromising free jazz/noise bands of all time; several student ensembles showing off what they've learned this year, and more. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, March 28 The Baylor Project makes their St. Louis debut with the first of four nights of ...

Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on The Baylor Project

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on The Baylor Project

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, StLJN's video spotlight shines on The Baylor Project, who will be making their St. Louis debut starting next Wednesday, March 28 through Saturday, March 31 at Jazz at the Bistro. Fronted by singer Jean Baylor and drummer Marcus Baylor, her husband and a native of the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, they released their first album The Baylor Project (The Journey) in 2017 and were nominated for Grammy Awards this year in the categories of Best Jazz Vocal ...

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Journey

Self Produced
2017

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