Cecil Taylor Music

Nobody knowing Coltrane or Taylor should ignore this cd.
2 giants having fun is fun.
And it brings a lot of Taylor (without Coltrane) at the beginning of his incredible road as bonus. Simply a must for prepared listeners.

Five INCREDIBLE Stars! This timeless 1958 classic, "Hard Driving Jazz" has finally jumped to CD and it's pumped up with no less than six extra special tracks: two tracks of the fabulous Cecil Taylor with the redoubtable Steve Lacy (before he went to exclusively playing Monk tunes), plus four tracks of Buell Neidlinger's trio featuring Cecil, both extras from 1956 but not sounding dated in the least. Some new jazz aficionados will find this challenging listening, especially the six extra tracks. The number of standards here certainly gives the new listener a lot of reference points to keep track of his surroundings, while Taylor is disintegrating and re-integrating the components of these songs. The "HDJ" beat is conventional, but not so throughout the remainder of the CD. AND there is the presence of a bristling, developing John Coltrane on the HDJ tracks, especially his work on "Like Someone in Love". (Note his entry after Israel's solo-amazing!)

Cecil Taylor was sometimes accused of sounding like Monk, but their development was indepedent, like Coltrane and Booker Ervin had developed in different cities, ignorant of each other's experiments. Taylor has a more propulsive, two-handed, percussive style with dissonant chords. Monk was more harmonic in his orientation with his own percussive style and musical language. Taylor was even more iconoclastic than most musicians, already hearing musically different than the prevailing norms, and not really expecting to make the big bucks. Listen to Taylor's incredible solo approach to Monk's "Bensha Swing" and to the Monk favorite "Sweet and Lovely" from the Neidlinger Trio grouping as a case in point, NOTHING like Monk.

Everything is a "Piece D'Resistance". "Shifting Down" (known as "Blue Spring" on the excellent Kenny Dorham/Cannonball Adderley CD "Joy Spring") is amazing. It provides solo space for everyone concerned, including bassist Israels. Some said at the time that straight ahead jazz musicians like Kenny Dorham couldn't play with guys like Cecil (During a blindfold contest, Miles bristled at the performance of "Money Jungle" with Duke, Mingus, and Max Roach as a trio), but they were wrong. This song in particular shows how all are able to adapt to each other's style. The actual "bridge player" here is Coltrane spanning the "new thing" and straight ahead jazz. 'Trane who gets off a monster solo, as does Kenny and Cecil. Sounds fantastic to me, even after all of these years. "Just Friends" is another classic performance by the group but Cecil's solo on "Like Someone in Love" is breathtaking, as is his comping behind Israels' fabulous solo. Dang, is this really 1958? Yep, it is. All of this Cecil Taylor music was developing separate and aside from Monk and Ornette Coleman who was still in LA I believe. This is one to get and keep in your well-rounded jazz collection. Five INCREDIBLE Stars

Recorded during Cecil's now famous Berlin residence in 1988 for the "Total Music Meeting," this date features a trio with some unusual instrumentation: CT on piano, Evan Parker on tenor sax, and Tristan Honsinger on cello. The concert consists of just over an hour of music on a single track entitled, "The Hearth."

Perhaps because of the lack of a drummer, CT is rather more restrained, leaving behind the sledge and jackhammer this time around. In fact, the music begins without CT at the piano at all -- first there's some bowing from Honsinger and then Parker joins in for a dialogue of staccato bursts and undulating rhythms. CT's in the background clapping and emitting his usual gutteral vocalisms before he sits down at the Bosendorfer at the 8 minute mark, at which point Parker recedes so that CT and Honsinger take up the conversation, feeling each other out with gentle exchanges and a few punctuated outbursts. Soon enough though, all three enter the fray, and things get busy with a definite a sense of the musicians playing together, weaving melodies in and around each other with a kind of ebb and flow. There are times when things start to get dense, in particular when Parker's tenor gets more bombastic, but these moments are for the most part short-lived, and before long things recede, with Parker sitting out from time to time. I tend to like CT's groups when they include bowed bass or cello, and here Honsinger draws out a gentler side of CT, while jousting well when Parker's blowing. Again, perhaps because there's no rhythm section, there are times when all of the players seem to take on this role, with CT playing at a more steady, propulsive rate throughout and sometimes growling beneath it all, Parker playing mostly abbreviated phrases in succession rather than long drawn out passages, and Honsinger at times bouncing the bow off the cello strings and near the end even rapping on the body of his cello at bit. After the 40-minute mark, CT and Honsinger spread things out in an almost ethereal duet, before Parker rejoins for one more jam. The last few minutes have CT away from the keys and singing his poetics somewhere on stage, with the remaining sidemen softly petering out.

And so, this fascinating date is instantly distinguishable from anything else in the CT discography, and one in which Cecil emphasizes a softer touch, making the date as a whole seem a bit more melodic and harmonious than some of his other outings. As such, "The Hearth" is certainly worth adding to your CT collection. If you're looking for more fire between CT and Evan Parker, you'll want to hear "Nailed" -- if you're captivated by the cello interplay, check out "Algonquin" with Matt Maneri on violin.

In July 1988, Cecil Taylor recorded ten (!) albums while performing live at a festival celebrating his music in Berlin. The discs include the classics "Pleistozaen Mit Wasser" with Derek Bailey, "Spots, Circles And Fantasy" with Han Bennink, "Remembrance" with Louis Moholo, "Leaf Palm Hand" with Tony Oxley, and this title, "The Hearth" with saxophonist Evan Parker and cellist Tristan Honsinger. These discs are only available as imports on the FMP label. They may be a bit expensive, but for fans of avant-garde jazz and European improvised music, they are must purchases. All of the discs feature extended compositions, and some are over an hour in length, so you do get a lot of music for the $21 price tag. "The Hearth" is easily one of the best of these ten recordings for several reasons. First, while most of these discs are duo recordings, this title features a trio, making the collective improvisation all the more challenging and rewarding. Second, while Taylor seems at ease playing with percussionists or drummers, it is much more difficult to carry on an hour long improvisational dialogue with a saxophonist and cellist. Finally, I have always enjoyed the way Taylor plays with a string instrument, particularly Ramsey Ammeen's violin, and his duet moments with Honsinger are truly memorable. In all, these recordings represent an amazing achievement in the history of jazz.

I thought this was a great concept to hear these two combustible players making bonfires, lighting fires along the way,dropping entires 'trees of expressions', well not 'here', not this time; as they travel the paths into the wilderness, Max Roach lyrical on drums goes well,tends to make Cecil play different;Not as free as cecil-'Indent' ideas;he always makes sense for what he does, and "sense" has many levels, scoping it out past the Here and Now, and projecting it down stream a little; with Cecil Taylor uncompromising solos, the plan is to stay out of his way, you don't play with him, as against him, fusing-uniting whenever, and wherever possible; I tended to listen to Max more, I pretty much know the "cognitive maps" that Cecil deploys/ does as in the First Improv between them, really "Funny" to hear "Modal" ideas from Cecil,(1979) marks out the time this was done, He's also more traditionally beautiful,perhaps knowing he was playing with the lyrical drummer; the First Improv goes, and goes, like sent through a pipe to a large water dam unknown, Cecil just keeps going, textures abound, high filigrees, tickleey stuff,In One? No one knows; Max just fills the space,never coming to dominate;Set-Man, Set Drummer;We need to wait till Oxley shows his Face to Us; also creating wonderful metal-canvases, in the use of cymbals,suspended, rolls on them to unbearable loudness; the ringing,hanging/banging,janging timbres he gets, things do at times get turned up a few nothches from places you would think they already got as high up the mountainside as you can go, but just these walls, "sheets" of sound really breath-taking away-from-me;

The Second Improv, Max and Cecil is more rhythm, like a fugue, motives tossed between them both,shorter, clipped ideas; very different, same development, Cecil now more mindful of the situation,still goes up in clusters, using his three-fingered chords;like a small Jack-Hammer;particles,splinters of piano ideas,you can't call them "melodies", micro-melodies" is about It; more scoping out where he is,(Cecil) Who he is, and Where he wants to Go,(Max) and Go they do, again, the drums draws you in,Max and Flex-tones, ratchets, kinda get him out of Himself, you gotta when Cecil is forever testing the stream of minerals of/in the music;(Max) like that's what is punctuating these long paragraph sentences(Drums) you got,going on, the Goings-On are very interesting, you'd hear the whole Thing again, and I'd still be drawn to Max, Cecil was like the Wall,Piano-Screens,enveloping, developing into textures that go nowheres;straight-line,linear arrays of musical ideas. . . . Jazz should Do more of these, instead of all the boring ideas that you know makes bread, while the getting is Good, but now and then you gotta do something for Jazz, the Art, it doesn't pay the Rent, and you may wind up in a Line waiting for a Bowl of Soup, but Jazz as a language is well worth it, standing out in the Cold,Waiting for the Bus;#151; Jazz deserves it, so does what you Do together, Piano and Drums. . .

Duets with drummers are now par for the course for Cecil Taylor, having recorded and played extensively with European drummers during the Berlin residence in 1988, and with Max Roach or Tony Oxley since 2000. But this recording from 1979 seems to have been one of the first drum-duet outings for CT (excepting the hard to find 8-minute collaboration "Morgan's Motion" on Tony Williams' album Joy of Flying) and is therefore historic indeed. Max Roach and CT had never played together before, and there was apparently no rehearsal for this performace.

This 2-disc CD opens with a spoken introduction, stating that the actual title of the evening's pieces, according to Max, was "Duets." Max plays a straightforward drum solo on track 2, while CT takes his turn on track 3. CT's solo is a fairly gentle exploration of his trademark chords. On track 4, the music starts in earnest and it's pretty much breakneck stuff for 40 minutes. Cecil is doing his usual thundering left hand mirror-chord work on the Bosendorfer along with furious 10-fingered "melodies," typical of his late 70's and 80's work, and Max is keeping pace with fairly straightahead accompaniment on a pretty conventional drum kit -- mostly cymbals, snare, floor-toms, and bass. Just past the 29-minute mark, Max beats on some tom-toms that sound like water drums creating some very cool melodic effects -- a pity it only lasts for 2 minutes before returning to the cymbals.

On disc 2, track 1 likewise opens with CT starting more slowly and Max using various percussive effects in spare fashion -- rapping wood sticks, a rattle-roll, and a flex-a-tone. Again, pretty cool stuff that I've never heard replicated on any subsequent CT-drum duets. But then they're back to basics and hammering away. Although there is no track division, the music stops and the audience applauds at around the 25-minute mark before going on to the 3rd movement. But aside from the unusual percussive effects, the rest of the playing, as on disc 1, is firmly grounded in trademark CT territory with powerful playing by Max.

Disc 2 has some "interviews" on tracks 2 and 3, but it's more like a narrator and cuts of Max and Cecil praising one another, with excerpts from the concert itself interspersed -- pretty redundant if you've just listened to it! But then again, it's kind of interesting to hear Cecil making comments that sound completely rational (like telling anecdotes about his meeting Max), since that isn't exactly his usual practice.

This was something like my 40th CT CD acquisition, so it's not exactly new ground for me. But it is cool to hear what Max was doing with his percussive effects, and somehow his drumming does seem more American than CT's subsequent drum collaborators and therefore distinctive -- certainly quite different than Tony Oxley. Overall, this is really great stuff -- powerful, energetic, and unrelenting -- typical of 80's era CT. Makes me wonder how the duo sounded when they reunited 21 years later (in their seventies!!) at Columbia back in 2000...

Two shorter numbers with Tony on tenor sax sandwich the 30 minute tour de force with Tony on the gargantuan BASS saxophone. I'm tellin' ya, he really cooks on the big horn. I'd heard his tenor playing before (big shots)and was impressed. I wasn't prepared for this though. I couldn't imagine someone being as fleet and expressive as Tony is with such a large instrument. The long middle number is simply outstanding. The two tenor rides are great and act as a buffer. For me anyway.
The supporting cast is stellar. John Edwards is a phenomenal U.K. bassist who has played with Evan Parker, Frode Gjerstad, and others. He is an equal partner on this record. His playing is solid and the sound of his bass comes through extremely well. He's got lots to say and he says it with a style that is very much his own making. There are saxophone trios that fall short because of pedestrian bass playing. Not here, no way. This guy is great.
Sunny Murray starts the record and finishes it. The first few minutes he invites you to ride along with him. It's like the rising tide. Everything gets covered. All the nooks and crannies. Everything. He is, in my opinion, the most amazing drummer to listen to. He plays like a wave coming to envelop you. Or millions of tiny feet parading in your direction. And it's all so subtle and seamless. It's the perfect sound for the other guys to play over.
It's a great listen and I would recommend it to any adventurous soul who enjoys the delights of the so called avant garde.
* There is now-December 2007-a second cd of this fine trio available on the Foghorn label. Seek it out!

This is a double album taken from Cecil's two nights in East Berlin during his classic extended stay in West Berlin in 1988 that spawned the many other 'black' FMP discs originally released as a box set. The two discs here include a solo concert and a duet with the German drummer Gunther Sommer. The solo concert is in my opinion his best -- and I am partial to his soloing and own a lot of solo concerts by Cecil with which to compare. The three part Reinforced Concrete includes some simply amazing, and aptly named, playing including plenty of dense forearm work on the Bosendorfer -- he's really beating the keys into submission on this one. He then entertains the crowd with four brief encores which bring the concert to more than 70 minutes of playing. I can't recommend it highly enough.

The duet with Sommmer (the three-part PUUC) is a raucous, free-spirited exchange that's full of energy and at times gets Cecil shouting and growling on top of everything. Sommer's drum kit is curious -- in addition to the standard drums it includes tympani, tubular bells, organ pipes, a whistle, and what sounds like a car and later even a truck horn, all of which make noticeable appearances. The dialogue between them is rich and full of humor, similar to their first meeting on "Riobec" recorded a few days earlier.

Great stuff -- the pairing of the discs make it an investment and a bit of an obscurity, but these are gems from the already excellent Berlin series and therefore worth the investment... provided of course you are enlightened enough to absorb Cecil's playing.

This is an out of print recording by A&M put out in 1990 -- a year when the label got adventurous and recorded the "Modern Masters Jazz Series" (they also recorded Sun Ra). It's too bad this is out of print -- it is an unmitigated gem in the Cecil Taylor catalog -- a good starting point for newcomers and a unique album for those already Cecil disciples. Cecil's first album (Jazz Advance) featured brief trio numbers, but after the 1960's he pretty much abandoned short group pieces in favor of extended hour long concerts and the occasional quick solo encore. This album (along with the more recently released Momentum Space) is a notable exception. The studio recording is a collection of 14 short works featuring Cecil along with William Parker (bass) and Gregg Bendian (percussion). Most of the tracks are preceded by a short poetic recitation (actually recorded separately on a different date) 'introducing' each piece. The music itself is accessible -- the trio interacts well throughout and the playing is fairly reigned in for Cecil. Parker spent several formative years with Cecil and is one of his best accompanists (probably his best bassist) -- on this album, he uses his bow quite a bit. Bendian likewise employs a bow on his cymbals in places and in general serves to embellish the piano playing rather than compete with it. As far as Cecil goes, his pianistic signatures abound with thundering chord clusters and short, fast runs throughout, but the overall tone is a bit more subdued and lyrical as his short encore performances usually are. In addition to the trio music, there are some unique explorations as well -- each musician gets a solo number (Cecil on "Ell Moving Track," Parker on "Anast in Crisis...," and Bendian on "Entity"); there is a longer free group improvisation with a lot of vocalisms ("Chal Chuiatlichue Green Goddess..."); and finally a fantastic poetic monologue by Cecil ("Morning of Departure") that captivates. A great recording and a good choice for those who enjoy Cecil's shorter works.

This is an out of print recording by A&M put out in 1990 -- a year when the label got adventurous and recorded the "Modern Masters Jazz Series" (they also recorded Sun Ra). It's too bad this is out of print -- it is an unmitigated gem in the Cecil Taylor catalog -- a good starting point for newcomers and a unique album for those already Cecil disciples. Cecil's first album (Jazz Advance) featured brief trio numbers, but after the 1960's he pretty much abandoned short group pieces in favor of extended hour long concerts and the occasional quick solo encore. This album (along with the more recently released Momentum Space) is a notable exception. The studio recording is a collection of 14 short works featuring Cecil along with William Parker (bass) and Gregg Bendian (percussion). Most of the tracks are preceded by a short poetic recitation (actually recorded separately on a different date) 'introducing' each piece. The music itself is accessible -- the trio interacts well throughout and the playing is fairly reigned in for Cecil. Parker spent several formative years with Cecil and is one of his best accompanists (probably his best bassist) -- on this album, he uses his bow quite a bit. Bendian likewise employs a bow on his cymbals in places and in general serves to embellish the piano playing rather than compete with it. As far as Cecil goes, his pianistic signatures abound with thundering chord clusters and short, fast runs throughout, but the overall tone is a bit more subdued and lyrical as his short encore performances usually are. In addition to the trio music, there are some unique explorations as well -- each musician gets a solo number (Cecil on "Ell Moving Track," Parker on "Anast in Crisis...," and Bendian on "Entity"); there is a longer free group improvisation with a lot of vocalisms ("Chal Chuiatlichue Green Goddess..."); and finally a fantastic poetic monologue by Cecil ("Morning of Departure") that captivates. A great recording and a good choice for those who enjoy Cecil's shorter works.

This is an out of print recording by A&M put out in 1990 -- a year when the label got adventurous and recorded the "Modern Masters Jazz Series" (they also recorded Sun Ra). It's too bad this is out of print -- it is an unmitigated gem in the Cecil Taylor catalog -- a good starting point for newcomers and a unique album for those already Cecil disciples. Cecil's first album (Jazz Advance) featured brief trio numbers, but after the 1960's he pretty much abandoned short group pieces in favor of extended hour long concerts and the occasional quick solo encore. This album (along with the more recently released Momentum Space) is a notable exception. The studio recording is a collection of 14 short works featuring Cecil along with William Parker (bass) and Gregg Bendian (percussion). Most of the tracks are preceded by a short poetic recitation (actually recorded separately on a different date) 'introducing' each piece. The music itself is accessible -- the trio interacts well throughout and the playing is fairly reigned in for Cecil. Parker spent several formative years with Cecil and is one of his best accompanists (probably his best bassist) -- on this album, he uses his bow quite a bit. Bendian likewise employs a bow on his cymbals in places and in general serves to embellish the piano playing rather than compete with it. As far as Cecil goes, his pianistic signatures abound with thundering chord clusters and short, fast runs throughout, but the overall tone is a bit more subdued and lyrical as his short encore performances usually are. In addition to the trio music, there are some unique explorations as well -- each musician gets a solo number (Cecil on "Ell Moving Track," Parker on "Anast in Crisis...," and Bendian on "Entity"); there is a longer free group improvisation with a lot of vocalisms ("Chal Chuiatlichue Green Goddess..."); and finally a fantastic poetic monologue by Cecil ("Morning of Departure") that captivates. A great recording and a good choice for those who enjoy Cecil's shorter works.