The Baylor Project — a flagship of the vocalist Jean Baylor and the drummer Marcus Baylor, partners in music as in marriage — will be in the running for two Grammy awards this month. Tellingly, the nominations are in different genre categories: Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance.
During a visit to Morning Jazz with Gary Walker, The Baylor Project performed five selections from its Grammy-nominated album, The Journey. The set list included a Gershwin standard, "Our Love is Here to Stay"; a Protestant hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"; the Herbie Hancock tune "Tell Me a Bedtime Story," with original lyrics by Jean Baylor; and a blazing version of the standard "Afro Blue."
In addition to the Baylors, the band includes saxophonist Keith Loftis, pianist Terry Brewer and bassist Dezron Douglas. After the Grammy Awards, on January 28, The Baylor Project will appear at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. (February 9), and at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis, Missouri (March 28-31). For more information, visit thebaylorproject.com.
