Cecil Taylor • Conquistador!

 

Review
by Scott Yanow
For the second of Cecil Taylor's two Blue Note albums (following Unit Structures), the innovative pianist utilized a sextet comprised of trumpeter Bill Dixon, altoist Jimmy Lyons, both Henry Grimes and Alan Silva on basses and drummer Andrew Cyrille. During the two lengthy pieces, Lyons' passionate solos contrast with Dixon's quieter ruminations while the music in general is unremittingly intense. Both of the Taylor Blue Notes are quite historic and near-classics but, despite this important documentation, Cecil Taylor (other than a pair of Paris concerts) would not appear on records again until 1973.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/conquistador%21-mw0000199214

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Reseña
por Scott Yanow
Para el segundo de los dos álbumes de Cecil Taylor en Blue Note (tras Unit Structures), el innovador pianista utilizó un sexteto compuesto por el trompetista Bill Dixon, el contralto Jimmy Lyons, Henry Grimes y Alan Silva a los bajos y el batería Andrew Cyrille. Durante las dos largas piezas, los apasionados solos de Lyons contrastan con las reflexiones más tranquilas de Dixon, mientras que la música en general es incesantemente intensa. Las dos Blue Notes de Taylor son bastante históricas y casi clásicas pero, a pesar de esta importante documentación, Cecil Taylor (aparte de un par de conciertos en París) no volvería a aparecer en discos hasta 1973.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/conquistador%21-mw0000199214

Cecil Taylor Unit - Roswell Rudd Sextet • The Cecil Taylor Unit - Roswell Rudd Sextet

 

Cecil Taylor • Unit Structures

 

Review
by Scott Yanow
After several years off records, pianist Cecil Taylor finally had an opportunity to document his music of the mid-'60s on two Blue Note albums (the other one was Conquistador). Taylor's high-energy atonalism fit in well with the free jazz of the period but he was actually leading the way rather than being part of a movement. In fact, this septet outing with trumpeter Eddie Gale, altoist Jimmy Lyons, Ken McIntyre (alternating between alto, oboe and bass clarinet), both Henry Grimes and Alan Silva on basses, and drummer Andrew Cyrille is quite stunning and very intense. In fact, it could be safely argued that no jazz music of the era approached the ferocity and intensity of Cecil Taylor's.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/unit-structures-mw0000193906

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Reseña
por Scott Yanow
Después de varios años fuera de los discos, el pianista Cecil Taylor finalmente tuvo la oportunidad de documentar su música de mediados de los 60 en dos álbumes de Blue Note (el otro fue Conquistador). El atonalismo de alta energía de Taylor encajaba bien con el free jazz de la época, pero en realidad estaba liderando el camino en lugar de formar parte de un movimiento. De hecho, este septeto con el trompetista Eddie Gale, el contralto Jimmy Lyons, Ken McIntyre (alternando entre contralto, oboe y clarinete bajo), Henry Grimes y Alan Silva en los bajos, y el baterista Andrew Cyrille es bastante impresionante y muy intenso. De hecho, se podría afirmar sin temor a equivocarse que ninguna música de jazz de la época se acercaba a la ferocidad e intensidad de la de Cecil Taylor.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/unit-structures-mw0000193906

Four Jazz Lives

 

This new and retitled edition of A. B. Spellman's long-out-of-print Four Lives in the Bebop Business brings a classic work on jazz back to life, and shines a light on four musicians who've finally gotten their due.

In 1966, at the height of the avant-garde and the year of the first edition, the subjects of Spellman's interviews for the book—Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Nichols, and Jackie McLean—were considered too subtle, complex, or difficult, certainly far from the comfortable melodies of more mainstream artists. Nearly forty years later, in the new edition, Spellman notes the capriciousness of the jazz industry and writes of darker cultural currents, "the most sinister of which is the gross indifference with which America receives those aspects of Afro-American culture that are not 'entertaining.'"

Now that the world has caught up to the talents of Taylor, Coleman, Nichols, and McLean, Four Jazz Lives not only celebrates their musical genius but reminds us again of the permanent place they occupy in the pantheon of jazz greats.

A. B. Spellman is a well-known author, poet, critic, and instructor. He has published numerous books and articles on the arts, including Art Tatum: A Critical Biography and The Beautiful Days.

Praise / Awards

• "Remains the best introduction to the worlds of Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Nichols, and Jackie McLean."
  —Ben Ratliff

• "Four black jazzmen speak at considerable length for themself, with connective passages supplied with persistent relevancy by a poet, historian, and critic."
  —Nat Hentoff

• "An essential book in the jazz canon. . . . [T]he University of Michigan Press has given it a rebirth under the title Four Jazz Lives."
  —Nat Hentoff, JazzTimes

• "An engrossing, impressionistic history of contemporary jazz."
  —Nation

• "[Spellman] views these men with a perceptive and understanding eye."
  —New York Times

   

Cecil Taylor • Live At The Cafe Montmartre

 

Cecil Taylor - Love for Sale

 

Dewey Redman-Cecil Taylor-Elvin Jones • Momentum Space

 

Review by Scott Yanow
All one has to do is look at the personnel on this trio project (tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, pianist Cecil Taylor, and drummer Elvin Jones) and it is obvious that the set is potentially special. Taylor, still the most adventurous musician in jazz at that point after 45 years, does not get grouped into all-star settings very often. However, when he does (his earlier encounter with the Art Ensemble of Chicago is an example), it is not a matter of the other musicians meeting Taylor halfway; instead, they have to be creative in his idiom. Tenorman Redman came to fame originally while playing with Ornette Coleman in the late '60s, and for part of the time on Coleman's recordings, Jones was the drummer; however, neither Redman nor Jones had worked with Taylor before. Not every selection on this disc includes all three musicians. Jones takes a brief drum solo, Taylor has a solo feature, and the final 49 seconds are taken up by the saxophonist alone. In addition, there is a duet without Taylor that works quite well. The other strong selections are the two longest trio tracks: "Nine" and the over-20 minute "Is." Redman and Taylor contributed three originals apiece while Jones was just responsible for his unaccompanied "Bekei." Although it is fun to hear Elvin Jones playing behind Cecil Taylor, and Dewey Redman is open to this type of atonal setting, there are fewer sparks on this set than one might expect. The music is unpredictable yet not all that unique or colorful, and one's expectations for a truly classic affair are not quite reached. This is worth listening to, but is not essential except as a historical curiosity.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/momentum-space-mw0000602799

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Reseña de Scott Yanow
Todo lo que uno tiene que hacer es mirar el personal en este proyecto de trío (saxofonista tenor Dewey Redman, pianista Cecil Taylor, y el baterista Elvin Jones) y es obvio que el conjunto es potencialmente especial. Taylor, que después de 45 años seguía siendo el músico más aventurero del jazz, no suele formar parte de grupos de estrellas. Sin embargo, cuando lo hace (su anterior encuentro con el Art Ensemble de Chicago es un ejemplo), no se trata de que los otros músicos se encuentren con Taylor a mitad de camino, sino que tienen que ser creativos en su lenguaje. Tenorman Redman saltó a la fama originalmente cuando tocaba con Ornette Coleman a finales de los 60, y durante parte del tiempo en las grabaciones de Coleman, Jones era el batería; sin embargo, ni Redman ni Jones habían trabajado antes con Taylor. No todas las selecciones de este disco incluyen a los tres músicos. Jones hace un breve solo de batería, Taylor tiene un solo, y los 49 segundos finales los ocupa el saxofonista solo. Además, hay un dúo sin Taylor que funciona bastante bien. Las otras selecciones fuertes son los dos temas más largos del trío: «Nine» y «Is», de más de 20 minutos. Redman y Taylor contribuyeron con tres originales cada uno, mientras que Jones sólo fue responsable de su «Bekei» sin acompañamiento. Aunque es divertido escuchar a Elvin Jones tocando detrás de Cecil Taylor, y Dewey Redman está abierto a este tipo de configuración atonal, hay menos chispas en este set de lo que cabría esperar. La música es impredecible, pero no tan única o colorida, y no se alcanzan las expectativas de un asunto verdaderamente clásico. Merece la pena escucharlo, pero no es esencial, salvo como curiosidad histórica.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/momentum-space-mw0000602799

VA • Jazz Piano Classics

 

Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, Red Garland, Horace Silver, George Shearing, Joe Zawinul, Ramsey Lewis, Sonny Clark, Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, Bobby Timmons, Michel Petrucciani …