About Alex

Alex Taylor is a saxophonist, vocalist, composer, arranger, music director, and educator.

A generalist in an era of specialization, Alex’s career pursuits as a musician and educator span a wide range of passions, and are connected to a core belief in the power of immersive experiences to transform individuals and communities. His music is firmly rooted in jazz and contemporary music, but he is comfortable working across many genres. 

In his current work, Alex is particularly interested in creating music that blends the harmonic and rhythmic complexity of contemporary jazz with the approachability of soul, folk, and various world music traditions. A dynamic leader of children and adults alike with over a decade of management experience, he is convinced that the mindsets and skills associated with improvisation (empathy, deep listening, radical presence, authenticity, fearless creativity, storytelling) are essential tools for all of us, and that the best way to develop them is through participatory experiences. He is interested in creating solutions to the myriad social and environmental issues of our times through his musical and educational work.

As a performer, he has appeared on saxophone and vocals at a wide range of venues, including The White House, Fenway Park, Agganis Arena, The Cutler Majestic Theater, California Jazz Conservatory, the Troubadour, and Rickshaw Stop, and was a runner-up finalist with the Dartmouth Aires on NBC's "The Sing-Off.” He has been fortunate to share the stage with such esteemed musicians as Dominique Eade, Pentatonix, Ben Folds, Sheila Jordan, Karrin Allyson, Jonathan Pinson, Darek Oles, Larry Koonse, and John Proulx, among others. He currently performs around the Los Angeles area and released a debut album with his crossover jazz project, Personal Space Man, in the summer of 2023.

Alex is also a passionate and committed educator, with nearly two decades of experience working with students from ages 5-75 in K-12 schools, universities, summer camps, musical theater productions, and private lessons. As a teacher, he empowers his students to be self-motivated collaborators and loves helping students discover their artistic voice through recording and performance opportunities. In his free time, he enjoys singing with his toddler daughter, Simone, and spending time outdoors with his wife, Anastassia, and their adventure pup, Poncho.

He holds a BA in Music from Dartmouth College, an MA in Teaching from University of the Pacific, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Jazz Studies from CalArts.