like-nobody-else x 2
Cecil Taylor Trio (CT, 1929-2018, piano; Jimmy Lyons, alto saxophone; Sunny Murray, drums) with Albert Ayler (1936-1970, tenor saxophone), “Four,” excerpt (C. Taylor), live, Copenhagen, 1962
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lagniappe
reading table
A Bomb upon the Ceiling
Is an improving thing –
It keeps the nerves progressive
Conjecture flourishing –—Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), from 1150 (Franklin)
passings
Cecil Taylor, pianist, composer, bandleader, April 25, 1929-April 5, 2018
Today we celebrate his singular musical presence by revisiting a few favorites.
Live, 1981 (Imagine the Sound)
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With Max Roach (drums), live, New York (Columbia University), 2000
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With Harri Sjostrom (soprano saxophone), Tristan Honsinger (cello), Thurman Barker (marimba), Paul Lovens (drums), live, Germany (Hamburg), 1995
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I try to imitate on the piano the leaps in space a dancer makes.
—Cecil Taylor
like nobody else
Cecil Taylor Unit (CT, piano, vocal, percussion; Jimmy Lyons, alto saxophone, percussion; William Parker, bass, percussion; Rashid Bakr, percussion; Andre Martinez, percussion; Brenda Bakr, vocal) with dancers (Doretha Davidson, Leon Brown, Ron McKay, Pauline Zaguhei), live, Germany (Berlin), 1983
More of Cecil T.
Cecil Taylor, live, Switzerland (Montreux), 1974
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lagniappe
reading table
It is a very painful thing, having to part company with what torments you.
—Robert Walser (1878-1956), “Balloon Journey” (translated from German by Christopher Middleton)
alone
Need a jump-start?
Cecil Taylor (1929-), piano, “Looking (Berlin Version) Solo,” live, Berlin, 1989
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lagniappe
musical thoughts
When you are playing, whether you know it or not, you are dancing.
*****
art beat
Lee Friedlander (1934-)