Cecil Taylor, a classically trained pianist, drew significant inspiration from composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen and Béla Bartók, and later incorporated these influences into his music. His approach to the piano was always ahead of its time, treating it more like percussion. Photographer and writer Val Wilmer aptly described Taylor’s piano style as "eighty-eight tuned drums".
'Unit Structures' features Eddie Gale on trumpet, Jimmy Lyons on alto saxophone, Ken McIntyre on alto saxophone, oboe, and bass clarinet, Henry Grimes and Alan Silva on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums.
This music has something so unique and otherworldly about it. The jagged rhythms and abrupt changes create a sound that feels like a hundred songs have been condensed into one. I particularly appreciate how Cecil allows each player to shine, making it more accessible to casual jazz fans. While it may not be the easiest music for those unfamiliar with jazz, I highly recommend giving it a chance—you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
In my eye, 'Unit Structures' is an album that all music fans should listen to at least once. If you give it a few more listens, it sounds more controlled, and becomes very clear that Cecil and the others are following a "chart" on this absolute beast of a record.
The freeload is a 2014 remaster (24bit/192kHz), so if you already have the album, this makes for a nice upgrade.
For the freeload, what albums took you a few listens before they "clicked"?
Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments
ReplyDeleteGbrand
I liked that one the first time I heard it, but I can understand the possible issues. It is a bit static, but I guess I like its stasis.
DeleteThe good Captain's 'Trout Mask Replica'
ReplyDeleteThat was mine too. I think it took a lot of people some time to work that one out.
DeleteRobert Palmer. Lately I have come around him, and I start to love a lot he did.
ReplyDeleteKings of Leon's Come On Sundown
ReplyDeleteSome artists I've come to appreciate that I completely wrote off when I was younger: Grateful Dead, Beach Boys, Steely Dan, The Cure. Love this Cecil Taylor album -- thanks for the upgrade!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy, MrDave!
Delete1967, I was 9. several of us were bouncing off the walls at my friends house to the Monkees (tbh, we weren't wrong) and Ronnie's annoyed oldest brother came in, told us we were stupid, and listen to this. It was the Velvet Underground. I.did.not.get.it.at.all. What'd Cher supposedly say, the only thing it was gonna replace was suicide? And when you consider she was living with Sonny...that musta been a thing...
ReplyDeleteAlso, my dad would play jazz trumpters for me (and also baroque trumpet music?) that I did not get it, though he said it gave him great hope when I was like 2-3 and would clam down and listen to "Kind of Blue." So I had that going for me.
It took me a while to get into Ornette Coleman's mashup of free jazz with primal blues forms. I borrowed the LP "Something Else!!!"? from a friend, listened to it once and failed to connect. Later on I bought his "Shape of Jazz to Come" and suddenly was able to see where Coleman was coming from and where he might be headed.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a while to “get” Ornettes’ album ‘Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation’. The "double quartet”, with Ornette, Don Cherry, Scott LaFaro, Billy Higgins in the left channel, and Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell in the right, playing two different songs, took some getting used to.
DeleteOnce, when I was playing it, my mother came in my room. She listened to it for a second, and said something along the lines of, “This sounds like the band at the funny farm, or a bunch of dope fiends!” She was right about the “dope” with some of the aforementioned musicians, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction.
Good evening, all together, the later Beatles, and a lot of music that's popular today. I often have a vague aversion to it, but after listening to it a few times, I usually find it quite good. I keep realizing: there's still a lot of good music out there today.
ReplyDeleteKind regards, Mike
As a 15 year old, I bought "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" when it came out and promptly returned it a day or two later. The record store clerk remarked, "I thought you'd be back." When I repurchased it a couple years later it was an instant fave.
ReplyDeleteMy first Blue Note lp was Cecil's "Conquistador."
Nazareth's version of "This Flight Tonight" left me cold when it was a radio hit. Screechy vocals, you know. But on a revisit a couple of years ago I sure dug the feedback guitar solo, so there you go. Never had a problem with Beefheart (except for the "Tragic Band" albums). and the first time I heard Ornette I was expecting something really far out, but it just sounded like great jazz to me. That said, had the opportunity to catch him live near the end, the 2 basses were way too loud and screechy (there's that word again), along with Mr. Coleman's efforts on violin. Denardo's drumming, however, was excellent and the best thing about the concert. My wife couldn't find any bright side to connect to, however. Caught CT a few times in the later 70s, and my girlfriend at the time told me that if she hadn't seen it all happen she wouldn't have liked it!
ReplyDeleteJohn Cage & David Tudor - "Indeterminacy"
ReplyDeletePhilip Glass - "Einstein on the Beach"
Seigen Ono - "La Movida"
Oliver Schroer - "Camino"
Phil Manzanera 801 - "Listen Now"
Low - "Things We Lost in the Fire"
Six Organs Of Admittance - "Dark Noontide"
David Toop - "Ocean of Sound"
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - "Yanqui U.X.O."
Michael Nyman - "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover"
- Jon in California
ps
Jazzwise:
Eric Dolphy - "Other Aspects"
Bohren & Der Club Of Gore - "Sunset Mission"
Marion Brown - "Afternoon of a Georgia Faun"
Don Cherry - "Home Boy"
Lol Coxhill & Morgan Fisher - "Slow Music"
David Murray - "Flowers For Albert"
Billy Bang - "Vietnam: Reflections"
Well, I've never really cared for free jazz & avant-garde music much. I've tried & tried. A friend that played piano in a bar I worked in gave me a few tapes, I know that one was a Cecil Taylor, don't know which, recognizable, but to me easily forgettable as well. Another was a Charlie Hayden and Liberation Music Orchestra, I think there was one song that I could enjoy a little. I tried a few Ornette Coleman's - no thanks. Maybe it's too complicated for my ears (&/or brain). Don't know why, but hard bop & post bop & be bop is music to my ears. The music goes round & round. Thanks Babs
ReplyDeleteListening for the first time, most of us left the basement hearing "Sister Ray". Take care...
ReplyDeleteLink
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/AVZrfkrq6V2
I was reminded of this story by the radio last night (sorry if I've commented with it before). My dad had a fellowship that put him on leave from his "home lab" for all of the last year. For the first part of it, he taught a "History of Science" class at U.C. Santa Cruz, so we moved to that region. That was Spring Quarter of 1970, which was effectively erased by the US incursion in Cambodia and consequent student protests.
ReplyDeleteThe family made a trip up to look at UCSC before spring, and while walking through redwoods, my sister had an intense allergic reaction. We stopped at a dining commons that also had a coffee house operation, and her breathing got better. So we had a snack and just sat ... while some student put a record on a portable LP player. I remember that I had a strong negative reaction to the singer -- it sounded to me like he was trying *way* too hard, maybe wanting to sound "Black." I also remember the album cover, and when I next heard Van's "Moondance" album four or five years later...
Well, anyway, at least I started my "sophomoric music critic" phase before I was a high school sophomore.
D in California