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 began to perform and teach alongside his professors. While performing and teaching on the east coast, he obtained degrees from both William Paterson and Raritan Valley Community College, studying Jazz Performance and Music Education. Soon after he began to nationally tour. Taylor has studied and/or played with Christian McBride, Bill Charlap, Dan Weiss, KJ Sawka, Vincent Herring, Harold Mabern, James Weidman, Cecil Bridgewater, Marvin "Bugalu" Smith, Kenny Washington, Brandon Lee Lewis, Johnny Vadcovich, Greg "Torch" Sgrulloni, Steve Coleman, David Liebman, Kevin Norton, Dr. Charles Cacioppo, Bill Goodwin, Allen Herman, Steve Lyman, and Horace Arnold.
       Taylor has a long list of world renowned/ grammy winning artists he has performed with. This includes, but is not limited to, Bernie Worrell, Gene Perla, Johnny O' Neal, Joe Cohn, Jerry Weldon, Nicole Glover, Ralph Bowen, Paul Bollenback, Steve Nelson(Vibraphonist), Saul Rubin, Felix Lemerle, Rob Edwards, Aaron Burnett, Jesse Green, Corey Wilcox, Danny Mixon, Rich Perry, Bill Mobley, Carol Morgan, Bobby Kapp, 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, 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, MetaDance, the Wright Trio, 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 and other drummers. He leads his own bands and plays as a sideman.
       Taylor has provided master classes, workshops, group and private instruction, teaching students with special needs and a wide range of ages (2- 73). He has taught at places like the New Jersey Youth Symphony, Jazz House Kids, private and public schools, and colleges. He currently teaches private drum and piano lessons.
      An 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, Cellar Dog, 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.