A native of Chattanooga, TN, Mark has performed and recorded with an array of modern giants including: Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, Abdullah Ibrahim, Muhal Richard Abrams, Lester Bowie, and as a featured soloist with Henry Threadgill's Very Very Circus with whom he toured the United States, Europe and in Asia. As a member of George Schuller's post-modern big band, Orange Then Blue, Mark participated in a State Department tour of Turkey, Cyprus and Syria. As leader of his own groups he has performed at jazz festivals in Tampere, Finland, Ljubljana and Maribor, Slovenia, at a number of clubs in Germany, Austria and New York City, including Birdland, the Zinc Bar and the Knitting Factory and, most recently recorded and released his second CD, Circle Squared. He has also been commissioned to compose for theatre and dance, placed a song in the Dollface Productions independent feature film "The Girl " and recently completed the score for Camille Billops' documentary, "A String of Pearls".

One of a handful of talented young performers carrying on the improvisational tradition pioneered by the great hornist, Julius Watkins. Taylor's sound has been described as "rapturous" and "golden" (Coda Magazine); "as fluid and limpid as (the) flute, and as gnarly as (the) alto." (JazzTimes). His innovative style has won him recognition by such legendary artists as Max Roach, who said, "Mark Taylor is a virtuoso instrumentalist...there is no one dealing with the french horn or the music the way he is."