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Toronto’s rockin’ soul/reggae/pop group Julian Taylor Band is getting stoked to play some of the city’s prime gigs in February and through to April.

Toronto-based Julian Taylor is a hard-working, award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter who began his career as a teenager, playing at local, open stages around the city. Fast forward to the present and Taylor has since seen the release of seven albums, ten top-forty singles and has played more than 2,000 live shows over the last decade.

Because bookers know this band delivers a super energized and professional show, the relentless gigging continues. With dates at this weekend’s Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival, an opening spot for super group Magic at the Mod Club, and a stint as part of the “Bare Bones and Upfront Series” at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts, the Julian Taylor Band just topped it off with the recent news of their official showcase at the upcoming Canadian Music Week..

A truly gifted performer, Taylor has toured across the world sharing the stage with such renowned acts as Nickelback, Jeff Healey, Midnight Oil, Collective Soul, Blue Rodeo and many others. He was personally invited to perform at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and Vancouver.

Equal parts troubadour and soul singer, Taylor’s distinct delivery is raw and emotional. The sound is a culmination of every musical genre that has influenced him throughout his life and his most recent reincarnation sees him moving towards music that inspired him as a child. Though much more energetic in their live performances, the band’s new soul-driven pop-rock is humorously described as “baby- making music,” and is inspired by the likes of The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers.

Last summer the newly formed Julian Taylor Band released their first single “Never Gonna Give You Up” featuring an impossibly cool and lovable roster of diverse, accomplished musicians. With a new album of originals in the works, slated for a spring 2014 release, Taylor and the band are ready for the next level.

GIGS AT A GLANCE:

WINTERFOLK XII BLUES AND ROOTS FESTIVAL