James Jared Taylor - Guitar

Steven Mosher - Bass

Jazz, Blues, American Songbook, Latin, Original Music

Music for parties, business events, weddings, and all occasions

Phone: 760.285.5672

jamesjaredtaylorarts@gmail.com

 

TWO RIVERS is a collaborative duo featuring James Jared Taylor on guitar and Steve Mosher on acoustic bass which is a confluence of the different styles and experiences of two musicians, therefore, Two Rivers- combining their own journeys with the past, present, and future.  

Taylor and Mosher’s music is in the same vein as guitar and bass duos such as Jim Hall and Ron Carter, Joe Pass and Red Mitchell, Larry Coryell and Miroslav Vitous, and John Scolfield and Dave Holland, to name a few-  blending jazz standards, blues, Bossa, ballads, and new music from Jerome Kern to Antonio Carlos-Jobim to Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter.  

TWO RIVERS performs music for all occasions, including weddings, business/corporate events, receptions, art gallery openings, clubs, concerts, and festivals.  

 SoundCloud link:  soundcloud.com/james-j-taylor-349890074

JAMES JARED TAYLOR is a recent transplant to Eugene, Oregon.  In California, he lead his own groups- The Perdido Trio and the Alloy Ensmeble.  In California, James performed with the following jazz big bands:  Robert Holts Orchestra, The Red Apple Orchestra, The Valley Winds Swing Band, The United Swing Band, and The Ted Herman Big Band.  He also was part of some smaller ensembles:  The Tim Miller Quartet The Second Hand Jazz Band.  He has also played in pit orchestras for the musicals "Seussical" and "Bonnie and Clyde.  In the winter of 2025, James moved to Eugene, Oregon where he has been playing at various jam sessions and also performed with the Swing Shift Jazz Orchestra.  He is currently playing in two of his own ensembles- Two Rivers and Local Colors.  

He studied jazz guitar with Doug MacDonald and the late Joe Diorio.  He started his guitar playing by studying classical guitar at the Musical Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in the late seventies.  He attended the Stanford Jazz Workshop under the instruction of guitarist Peter Bernstein, saxophonist Eric Alexander, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and saxophonist Dr. Michael Zilber.  He also was a part of the Menifee Jazz Ensemble at Mt. San Jacinto College under the direction of drummer/ percussionist Dr. Jeremy Brown and trumpeter Mike Rocha.  He plays Benedetto, Gibson, Epiphone guitars and uses Henriksen and Fender amplifiers.  James Jared Taylor holds an MFA in sculpture and critical studies from Rutgers University and a BFA in sculpture, painting, and art history from the Kansas City Art Institute.  He also attended the New York Studio School as a mobility student.  

James is a consummate player and student of jazz guitar- always seeking new ways to express music whether he is playing the lead or accompanying in a small ensemble or big band.  Like any jazz musician, he listens to the masters and builds upon their foundational work to discover and create his own voice.
 

STEVE MOSHER is one of many who came to jazz from what is now called “classic” rock.  Steve transitioned to playing Rhythm and Blues with singer/harpist Curtis Salgado in 1974.  Upon discovering jazz in 1976, he began playing and touring with notable northwest pianist Bill Sabol-  a close relationship that endures to this day.  Steve expanded his musical endeavors by forming and touring with the original Extra Texture in 1978 and he also is the bassist for the Jazz Ambassadors and Jazz Noir.  In 1980, he began experimenting with the use of carbon fiber in the manufacture of musical instruments.  Along with continuing to perform in private with many local Eugene-area jazz players, he incorporated Moses Carbon Graphite in 1989, a music industry company that for over 30 years produced carbon fiber-based components and parts for many well-known guitar and bass companies... as well as players.

Steve Mosher is a veteran bassist who has played at numerous venues in Oregon and the Northwest.  He is the host of the Eugene Jazz Jam at the Hybrid in Eugene, Oregon.  Steve anchors the groove with melodic depth and rhythmic clarity. His bass lines are fluid and grounded, effortlessly bridging swing, samba, and soul. With a keen ear and a steady pulse, Steve brings a quiet confidence that lets the music breathe and move.