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Benson Taylor

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Benson Taylor
FRSA
Taylor speaking with actor Jodie Whittaker at a fundraiser in 2014.
Background information
Birth nameMark Davison
Born (1983-09-10) 10 September 1983 (age 41)
Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Genresalternative rock, film score, electronic, dark ambient, classical, hip hop, Post-industrial, experimental music, ambient
Occupation(s)Composer, songwriter, record producer, remixer, label owner
Instrument(s)Piano, synthesizers, music sequencer, samplers, trumpet, drum machine, bespoke electronics, guitar
Years active2009-present
LabelsUniversal Music, EMI Music Publishing, Fairwood Music, Sony/ATV, Decca
Websitebensontaylor.com

Mark Davison, FRSA (born 10 September 1983), known professionally as Benson Taylor,[2] is an English composer, record producer, electronic musician and humanitarian who is best known for producing music for film. His style of music has a British influence, often working a classic film score sound amongst electronics, and other musical settings.[3]

Taylor won the "Best Original Music" award at the 2014 Monaco International Film Festival. In 2015, Taylor scored and produced the music to Mathew Cullen's thriller adaptation of the Martin Amis novel, London Fields, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Amber Heard, Cara Delevingne, Theo James and Johnny Depp.[1][4]

He founded A Remarkable Idea in 2017, a sub label of Universal Music which is located in Santa Monica, California. Taylor has collaborated with artists for A Remarkable Idea including Maxïmo Park and Kele Okereke (Bloc Party), Pulled Apart by Horses, Lack of Afro, Benoît Pioulard, Bo Ningen and The Halle orchestra.[5]

In November 2016, Taylor was awarded an honorary doctorate for services to humanitarian causes and music.[6][7][8]

Taylor is an ambassador for the international aid agency CAFOD,[9][10] and a goodwill ambassador for the Cambodian Children's Trust.[11] He is patron of the British charity, Music and the Deaf. In 2016, Taylor was appointed the first ambassador of the music conservatoire, Leeds College of Music in the United Kingdom.[12]

Life and career

Born in Brontë Country, Bradford, and educated at Bradford Grammar School in the United Kingdom,[13] Taylor later studied composition at the University of California, Los Angeles. After UCLA in 2009, he mentored with American composer Mark Mancina, and studied privately with orchestrator Hummie Mann.[14]

Taylor began writing music at a young age whilst working as a radio producer, and before that at the British supermarket chain, Morrisons.[15] He later launched a studio in England and has since written scores for television shows broadcasting worldwide, including Two and a Half Men, 30 Rock, 90210, and The Big Bang Theory, as well as producing music for the Super Bowl between 2010 and 2014.[16] Taylor's music has been widely used across international advertising campaigns, including McDonald's in 2018,[17] Jose Cuervo's 2015[18] campaign and a collaboration in 2011 with CeeLo Green for the Las Vegas Tourist Board.[19][20]

In 2011, Taylor made his London West End theatre debut co-composing the electronic music for Derek Bond's production of the play Many Moons.[21]

In June 2013, music publishers Fairwood Music announced that they had added Taylor to their roster of artists which includes David Bowie, U2, Cat Stevens, The Average White Band, Bob Marley, and J.J. Cale. Taylor told British magazine Music Week, "I'm extremely humbled to join their roster, amongst some of the most recognised talents in the world. Here's hoping some of it will rub off on me!" In 2015 he collaborated with Fairwood artist Lulu on the album Making Life Rhyme which peaked at number 35 on the UK Albums Chart during the week starting 25 April 2015. The album was named after Taylor's title track.[22]

In 2016, Taylor wrote funk soundtracks for US talk shows, including, Late Night With Seth Meyers[23] and Jimmy Kimmel Live. He has twice contributed music to the Netflix produced series, Orange Is the New Black. Taylor's music has also appeared in the sixth series of Justified, the first series of How to Get Away with Murder, the second series of Ray Donovan, and in the 2015 Kroll Show.[24]

Taylor scored and produced the music to Mathew Cullen's thriller, London Fields in 2015, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Theo James, Cara Delevingne, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. Due to legal problems between the director and producers, the film was not released until September 2018, three years after Taylor had finished the musical score.[25] As well as writing the musical score, Taylor collaborated with Toydrum and Bat for Lashes to cover Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight", and also with James Bagshaw from the British band Temples, covering "How Do You Sleep" from John Lennon's Imagine album. Both tracks were recorded specifically for the film.[26]

Taylor presenting "Best Actor" to Eddie Redmayne at Pöff in Tallinn in 2014.

In November 2014, Taylor was a Grand Juror at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival alongside director Tomasz Wasilewski.[27]

Taylor is a professional member of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.[28] He was styled as the "New Sound of Hollywood" by MovieScope magazine in its 24th issue in 2011.[29]

Business ventures

In 2017, Taylor founded A Remarkable Idea which is a music label based in Santa Monica in Los Angeles, and in London. The label produces music for film, television and video games. Taylor has collaborated with artists for A Remarkable Idea including the Mercury Prize-nominated Maxïmo Park and Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, Pulled Apart by Horses, Lack of Afro, Bo Ningen, Benoît Pioulard and The Halle orchestra.[5] Taylor previously ran his label, Insidious Music which is now defunct after being sold.[30]

The label has licensed music to television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, House, Revenge, Unusual Suspects, Breaking Bad, Masterchef, Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, White Collar, The Oprah Winfrey Show, 24 and NFL on Fox.

In March 2014, through his publishing company, Taylor licensed a large catalogue of musical works in partnership with Peter Gabriel's CueSongs, and a smaller subsidiary of the catalogue to the Japanese national broadcaster, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai. Taylor said in an interview with WQXR-FM that it was his intention for the catalogue to grow, and to further develop collaborations with artists around the world, specifically in the middle and far east.[citation needed]

Taylor is developing a commercial recording facility located in Manhattan, New York.[citation needed]

He frequently records with the British orchestra, and they regularly perform his works in concert,[31] The Hallé. As part of his commercial recordings in 2015, he developed a short term education programme for students.[32][33]

Personal life

Taylor splits his time between Yorkshire, England, New York City and Los Angeles. He is married and has two children.[19][9]

He is a Roman Catholic.[9][34]

Humanitarian and philanthropy work

Taylor gives time and support to several charities globally,[35] including being one of the founding committee members of the homeless charity Emmaus UK in Bradford, England. He is also a goodwill ambassador for the Cambodian Children's Trust in Battambang, which works towards freeing children from severe poverty, and alongside the Cambodian government to end orphan tourism.[36][37] Taylor is the patron of the charity, Music and the Deaf, based in Britain.

Taylor being interviewed with newscaster Nina Hossain, reality TV star Matthew Burton and Doctor Who actress Jodie Whittaker, at a Children's Hospice Charity Fundraiser in 2014.

Alongside Sir Patrick Stewart, Lena Headey and Jodie Whittaker, in 2017, Taylor took part in a photography exhibition in Huddersfield raising awareness around the downgrading of services at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. He spoke of his children being born there.[38]

Taylor is a known supporter of the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières, the United Nations and the World Food Programme, raising awareness for the zero hunger campaign in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Cambodia and on the African continent. In June 2018, he travelled to the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda with the WFP to raise awareness for World Refugee Day.[39]

Taylor speaking with South Sudanese refugees at the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda with the United Nations World Food Programme.

He is an ambassador for the international aid agency for the catholic church, CAFOD,[40] working to raise global awareness and fight poverty and injustice in communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America.[9]

In 2016, he was appointed the first ambassador of the music conservatoire, Leeds College of Music in the United Kingdom.[12]

On 26 June 2018, Alzheimer's Research UK released an educational film produced by Aardman Animations. The film was narrated by Simon Pegg and the music was produced by Taylor. It went viral that morning after being shared by high profile individuals including the actor Stephen Fry, the former British prime minister, David Cameron, Jeff Bridges, Richard Branson, the director Ron Howard and the actors Andy Serkis and Bryan Cranston.[41][42]

Recognition and honors

In 2014, Taylor became a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London, and in November 2016 was also honoured with an honorary degree from University of Bradford for his services to humanitarian causes.[8][37]

Musical works

Film scores

Year Title Role Director Studio(s)
2009 Hellbilly 58 Composer
(Additional Music) 		Russ Diaper Sledge Films
2010 Cocaine Saints Composer Matt Reiker Reiker Respect Entertainment
Miramax
2014 Fear of Water Composer Kate Lane KL Dream Pictures
M4West Media
2014 Dark House Composer Victor Salva Charles Agron Productions
Paladin
2014 The Perfect Dictatorship Writer "Team Earth" Luis Estrada Bandidos Films
2018 London Fields Composer Mathew Cullen Muse Productions
Lionsgate

Recent TV scores

Year Title Role Director Studio(s)
2013 The Big Bang Theory Composer Mark Cendrowski Chuck Lorre Productions
Warner Bros. Television
2013 Super Bowl XLVII Composer Mike Arnold CBS Sports
2013 Orange Is the New Black Composer Michael Trim Lionsgate Television
Tilted Productions
2014 Super Bowl XLVIII Composer Hamish Hamilton Fox Sports
2014 Justified Composer
(Song Placement) 		Tucker Gates The Mark Gordon Company
2014 Ray Donovan Composer
(Song Placement) 		Michael Dinner FX Productions
Timberman-Beverly Productions
Nemo Films
2014 How to Get Away with Murder Composer
(Song Placement) 		Laura Innes ShondaLand
ABC Studios
2015 Kroll Show Composer Jonathan Krisel Good At Bizness Inc.
2016 Luke Cage (TV series) Writer "Getting Lost" Paul McGuigan Netflix
Marvel Television
2017 Greys Anatomy Writer "Time" Geary McLeod ShondaLand
2017 Suits Songwriter "Nippit" Maurice Marable NBCUniversal
2017 Young Sheldon Composer Michael Zinberg Chuck Lorre Productions
Warner Bros. Television
2018 13 Reasons Why Composer
Songwriter "Let It Go" 		Michael Morris Paramount Television
Netflix
2018 Maniac Composer Cary Fukunaga Anonymous Content
Netflix

Video games

Year Title Role Studio(s)
2009 CSI: Deadly Intent Composer CBS Television Network
Ubi Soft
2009 Football Manager 2010 Composer Sports Interactive
Sega
2015 Everybody's Gone to the Rapture Composer The Chinese Room
SIE Santa Monica Studio
2018 Shadow of the Tomb Raider Composer Eidos Montréal
Square Enix

Other musical projects

Since 2017, Taylor has been collaborating with James Brown.[43]

Awards and honours

In November 2016, Kate Swann awarded Taylor with an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford for his services to music and humanitarian causes.

He was honoured with a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts in 2015.[8][37][44]

Taylor won Best Original Music for his score to Fear Of Water at the 2014 Monaco International Film Festival[6] as judged by film director Roland Joffé.

Year Work Category Festival/Event Results
2014 Fear of Water Best Original Music Monaco International Film Festival Won

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Meena Shamaly. "Benson Taylor Interview". Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Taylor's Age". IMDb. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Fired Earth Music Interviews SPIRITED Composers". APM Music. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    - "Q&A with composer Benson Taylor". Future Composer. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Benson Taylor to Score London Fields". Film Music Reporter. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
    - "London Fields Movie at TIFF 2015". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Taylor signs mercury prize nominated artists". Garth Hellier. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
    - "Universal Music Signing". Lauren Sampton. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
    - "A Remarkable Idea & Universal Music". Simon Davies. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Angel Film Awards - Monaco International Film Festival 2013". Monaco Film Festival. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Benson Taylor receives Honorary Doctorate". Telegraph & Argus. Ricky Memo. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  8. ^ a b c "Benson Taylor receives Honorary Doctorate". Telegraph & Argus Bradford. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d "Composer Benson Taylor appointed celebrity ambassador". CAFOD Aid Agency. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Our celebrity ambassadors". CAFOD. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  11. ^ "Benson Taylor Becomes Goodwill Ambassador". Cambodian Children's Trust. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  12. ^ a b Hartley, Kath (6 January 2017). "Benson Taylor appointed Film Music ambassador at LCoM". Leeds College of Music. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Notable Old Bradfordians". Bradford Grammar School. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  14. ^ "Benson Taylor Award Winning Film Composer". JAMSPHERE. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
    - "Official website". Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  15. ^ http://www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/news/2363
  16. ^ Benson Taylor (17 November 2011). "Benson Taylor: The New Sound of Hollywood". Movie Scope. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  17. ^ Felipe Ascacibar. "McDonald's - "Lucky summer"". Ad Forum. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
    - "McDonald's - Lucky Summer". YouTube. McDonalds. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  18. ^ Concerned Customer. "2015 Jose Cuervo Global Advertising Campaign". YouTube.com. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  19. ^ a b "5 minutes with Benson Taylor". TrailerMusicNews. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  20. ^ Imran Hussain. "Big Bang Theory Music". El Cinema. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  21. ^ Ian Foster (22 May 2011). "Many Moons – Theatre503, London". The Public Reviews. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
    - "Benson Taylor". Soundtrack.Net. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  22. ^ "Lulu, Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
    - Simon Bicks. "Fairwood Signs Taylor…". Music Week. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  23. ^ "Yuna Performs "Used To Love You" On "Late Night With Seth Meyers"". Headline Planet. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  24. ^ "Orange Is The New Black". whawa.com. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
    - "INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION PROGRAMME JURY". POFF. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  25. ^ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/17/london-fields-director-mathew-cullen-sues-producers-fraud
    - Buchanan, Kyle (5 June 2018). "Watch the NSFW Trailer for the Controversial Amber Heard–Johnny Depp Movie London Fields". Vulture. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
    - "ЛОНДОНСКИЕ ПОЛЯ" [London Fields]. Kino Expo (in Russian). Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  26. ^ "Benson Taylor London Fields Interview". Meena Shamaly. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
    - "British Council Film: London Fields". British Council.
  27. ^ Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. "2014 POFF Grand Jury". POFF. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
    - Bruno Chatelin. "2014 Benson Taylor Juror". filmfestivals.com (blog). Retrieved 5 November 2014.
    - "2014 Black Nights announces diverse International Competition". Cine Europa. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  28. ^ Oscar Wilde. "Benson Taylor". BASCA. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  29. ^ https://www.lcm.ac.uk/about-us/news/benson-taylor-appointed-film-music-ambassador-at-lcom/
  30. ^ "Insidious Music". insidiousmusic.com.
  31. ^ "Benson's Concert". twitter.com.
  32. ^ https://twitter.com/_bensontaylor/status/852265750601629697
  33. ^ "Halle". twitter.com.
  34. ^ "Acclaimed composer so proud to be a CAFOD ambassador". Catholic News. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  35. ^ Debbie Matthews (4 September 2014). "Celebrity Charity Chinwag". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  36. ^ "Benson Taylor Becomes Goodwill Ambassador in Cambodia". Cambodian Children's Trust. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  37. ^ a b c Chloe Glover. "Birkby film composer Benson Taylor honoured with fellowship into Royal Academy of Arts for selfless volunteer work". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
    - Stephan Lurie. "Taylor enters Royal Society". Thepost.com.com. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
    - "2016 Benson Taylor receives Honorary Degree from Bradford University". Twitter. Brian Lesser. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  38. ^ "Sir Patrick Stewart & Benson Taylor support HRI". Wordsmith76. Retrieved 21 June 2017. [dead link]
    - https://oliviahemingway.wordpress.com/2017/09/13/photo-series-featuring-jodie-whittaker-lena-headey-and-sir-patrick-stewart-last-chance-to-see-exhibition-supporting-hri/
  39. ^ "United Nations Support". Twitter. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
    - https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/entertainment/music/composer-benson-taylor-joins-the-united-nations-world-food-programme-in-uganda-to-highlight-world-refugee-day/20/06/
    - http://vulturehound.co.uk/2018/06/uk-composer-producer-benson-taylor-joins-the-united-nations-world-food-programme-in-uganda-to-highlight-world-refugee-day/
  40. ^ "Acclaimed composer so proud to be a CAFOD ambassador". 24/7 Catholic News. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  41. ^ http://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2018/06/25/news/simon-pegg-narrates-new-dementia-awareness-film-1365803/
    - http://home.bt.com/news/science-news/simon-pegg-narrates-new-dementia-awareness-film-11364280169603
    - https://twitter.com/ARUKnews
    - https://twitter.com/ARUKnews/status/1011564173996843009
  42. ^ https://twitter.com/thejeffbridges/status/1017082214092177409?s=21
    - https://twitter.com/andyserkis/status/1016272009607761921?s=21
    - https://twitter.com/bryancranston/status/1013891830444802048?s=21
  43. ^ Brown, James. "Been cooking up some new beats and sounds with @_bensontaylor this week pic.twitter.com/kvVzN4KiqQ". Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  44. ^ "2016 Benson Taylor receives Honorary Degree from Bradford University". Twitter. Brian Lesser. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
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