Born in Texas and raised in New Jersey, J. Taylor Leach is an active musician and educator based in New York City. Self taught until college, he was very quickly asked to perform and teach alongside professors, which is where his music career began. He has obtained a jazz performance degree from William Paterson, and has studied music education. Taylor has studied/ played with Christian McBride, Bill Charlap, David Liebman, Vincent Herring, Harold Mabern, James Weidman, Cecil Bridgewater, Dan Weiss, Marvin "Bugalu" Smith, Kenny Washington, Brandon Lewis, Johnny Vadcovich, Greg "Torch" Sgrulloni, Steve Coleman, Kevin Norton, Charles Cacioppo, Bill Goodwin, Allen Herman, Steve Lyman, and Horace Arnold.
Performing in numerous bands that play a wide variety of styles, Taylor has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with world renowned artists including but not limited to Johnny O' Neal, Bernie Worrell, Gene Perla, Joe Cohn, Jerry Weldon, Paul Bollenback, Steve Nelson, Saul Rubin, Aaron Burnett, Nicole Glover, Jesse Green, Corey Wilcox, Danny Mixon, Rich Perry, Bill Mobley, Bobby Kapp, Jesse Green, Curtis Lundy, Jared Gold, Steve LaSpina, Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Kelly Green, Duane Eubanks, David Williams, Lawrence Clark, Tim Newman, Paul Meyers, Billy Johnson, Matt Savage, Dave Schumacher, Julius Tolentino, Chris Berger, Mike Lee, Daniel Duke, Joe Whittman, Zaid Nasser, David Williams, Alex Norris, Michael Rorby, Jeannie Gies, Robert Torme, Adam J Brenner, Tim Hegarty, Vinny Valentino, Su Terry, Peter Lin, Nick Masters, Earl Sauls, Billy Johnson, AC Lincoln, Oscar Williams II, Adam Niewood, Charlie Sigler, Miki Yamanaka, Viktorija Gecyte, Jocelyn Gould, Roberta Picket, Steve Hudson, is the drummer for MetaDance 1.0, and the list continues to grow. He has also had the pleasure of sharing concert bills with the likes of Philip Glass, Bill Charlap, John Zorn, DJ Chus, DJ Joeski, Vijay Iyer, Elliot Sharp, Russell Malone, Randy Brecker, and Charles McPherson. Taylor has been a drum tech for Tyshawn Sorey, as well as other drummers. He leads his own band, in addition to playing as a sideman.
Taylor has provided master classes, workshops, group and private instruction, teaching students with special needs, as well as a wide range of age(2- 73). He has taught at places such as the New Jersey Youth Symphony and Jazz House Kids. He currently teaches private drum and piano lessons.
J. Taylor Leach's ever growing list of places performed at includes Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Miller Symphony Hall, Elements Music Festival, Nublu, The Green Mill, Mezzrow, Smoke Jazz Club, Ginny's Supper Club, Jazz Festival for the Ages, The Hard Rock Cafe, The Django, New Brunswick Jazz Project, Shanghai Jazz, Deer Head Inn, Ornithology Jazz Club, Zinc Bar, The Lafayette Bar, The Playboy Club, Rockwood Music Hall, The Betsy Hotel, Overture to Overtown International Jazz Festival, and many more.