Tom Taylor
and the Needlewood Orchestra

Tom’s current ensemble is the Needlewood Orchestra, which features the following:

Phil Allen
valve trombone

Phil moved to Colorado Springs from the San Francisco area, where he wrote for and played with the CSM Monday Night Band, the Interplay Trio, and the Collective West Jazz Orchestra. He has written for and played with the Springs Contemporary Jazz Band and contributed an arrangement to the Air Force Falconaires. In 2009, In 2009 Phil started Thin Air Jazz, a 12-piece big band made up of musicians who are not only excellent ensemble players but also great jazz soloists.

Marc Neihof
acoustic and electric bass

Marc has recently joined the faculty of Colorado College. He performs in the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and is sought out by the finest jazz and classical musicians in Colorado for recording projects and performances. His peripatetic wanderings have found him jamming with musicians across Europe, China and India.

Mark Rose
saxophones and woodwinds

Mark has taught at the Colorado College, University of Denver and Adams State College. Mark has recorded with Tom and with pianist/vocalist Ellyn Rucker, Steve Barta, Alan Joseph, Barbara Ernst, and the Boulder vocal group Rare Silk.

Lisa Smith
horn

Lisa has been a public school music teacher. Lisa was principal horn in Tom Wilson’s Chamber Orchestra of the Springs. She has performed with many other ensembles, including the New World Symphony and the Monument Hill Brass Quintet.