js ”Nefertiti the Beautiful One has Come” is an interesting album for Cecil Taylor fans, because it shows the artist in transition and still working out his approach to the piano. By the time we get to the 70s, Taylor will have refined his ability to present explosive ideas cascading in constant evolution, much like waves pounding a rocky shore, but back in 62, when this set was recorded, you can still hear some of Taylor’s roots in the blues and hard bop. Elements of Ellington, Monk and McCoy Tyner all make their appearance on here, alongside Taylor’s expected unique skittish barrages that sound like no else.

Cecil’s two band mates on here, Jimmy Lyons on alto, and Sonny Murray on drums, make up one of the best and most sympathetic bands Taylor ever worked with, and the three together make up one of the top trios of early 60s jazz. Taylor’s two sideman are very much with him in the ‘new freedom’ of the early 60s, but even more than Taylor, they reveal a lot about where they came from. Lyons is obviously a fan of Charlie Parker, and quotes from him constantly, other possible references might include Johnny Griffin and Ornette Coleman. Meanwhile, Murray’s approach to free rhythm sounds like the fills of Max Roach and Roy Haynes strung together without the parts where they just keep time. Sometimes this trio sounds like Monk’s band when it featured more outside saxophonists like Pat Patrick.

All of the tracks on here are good, and most are what you would expect from Taylor, but some of the odder more unexpected cuts worth mentioning include “D Trad, That’s What”, on which Taylor pounds out some noisy barroom blues for a while, and the well known standard “What’s New”, which has Taylor actually playing to the chord changes of the original, but very much in his own way. As far as the ‘free’ playing goes, the band really hits their stride on the two cuts that make up side four.

The sound quality on here is not great, and the piano Cecil has to play is saloon style out of tune, but most recorded avant-garde jazz back then sounded like this, in fact, bad production almost seemed to be a point of pride, as if to deny any commercial concerns whatsoever. Still, at a reasonably loud volume, this record doesn’t sound too bad, but at low volumes, it can sound murky.

js If you had to pick three architects of modern jazz piano, you could just about cover everything with Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner and Cecil Taylor. Despite his phenomenal talent, Taylor may have seemed like the lesser influence at first, as most of his followers were relegated to the avant-garde end of things, but over the years his influence has grown and these days you are liable to hear Taylor type assaults on the piano from guys like Craig Taborn, Jason Moran or others, while they perform with modern fusion and post bop groups.

If you are not familiar with the piano playing of Cecil Taylor, he is one of the most intense musical performers ever, jazz or otherwise. His music is relentlessly energetic, full of jarring dissonances and unbelievable flurries of atonal notes unleashed at super human speed. Although his music may seem like noise to some, to the fan of avant-garde composition, there is an incredible logic and flow to Taylor’s music. I use the term “composition” on purpose, because although there is much improvisation in his music, the overall effect is more similar to an avant-garde concert hall piece, rather than a ‘free jazz’ workout. Taylor’s music does tend to get grouped with the free jazz crowd, and he has performed in free settings with others, but on his own, Cecil’s ability to logically assemble ideas comes through just as much as the force and volume.

“Silent Tongues” is a live recording that captures Taylor at his best, playing solo. Along with the constant antonality, you can sometimes hear bits of familiar music, blues riffs chopped to pieces or flowery classical romanticism gone berserk. It seems Taylor tries to avoid the ‘modernisms’ of the Evans/Tyner sound and draws more from early jazz piano players from Jelly Roll and Eubie Blake up to Art Tatum. Sometimes I feel like I’m listening to ragtime run through a blender. Some might try to draw comparisons between Taylor and the piano work of Sun Ra, but I’m sure those two were well aware of each other and managed to stay somewhat polar opposites within the avant-garde realm, ha. The one thing that is hard to describe though, is these certain moments where Taylor draws so much thunder and lightning out of the piano, you find it hard to believe one human can do this. If you are fan of modern music, you will want to pick up “Silent Tongues”. Cecil Taylor’s piano playing is a miracle.

darkprinceofjazz Cecil Taylor, you love his music or you hate it, fortunately for me, right from the beginning I dug this guys music, and 13 years plus into my modern jazz journey he still is one of the few Pianists that I really can stomach in a solo setting, Keith Jarrett really the only other one, this guy plays the piano like the drums, heavily percussive and full of ideas, this mans genus is great, Now, if you don't subscribe to the Marsalis theory, of this type of music being "self indulgent bull s#@t" then you are in the know, and likely already dig it.

Unit Structures, released in 1966 on Blue Note Records is part of a pair of mid 60's Blue Note masterpieces by Taylor, the other being Conquistador, Unit structures and much of Taylor's music is really "chamber jazz", and always feels like third stream music, classical avant garde at least. This album is an absolute classic of avant garde music, Not a whole lot of swing here, but to me, it does mean a thing, this music demands your attention, sure a few hints of classic jazz show up, especially in Jimmy Lyons alto and Ken McIntire's Tenor tone, the 2 basses of Henry Grimes and Alan Silva add quite a bit of color, not much in the pocket walking for sure, but they play as if they are lead instruments at times, it's an interesting listen, Taylor really holds my interest, with his different moods and that percussive attack, the music has a lot of peaks and valleys, plenty of the free wheeling blowing and seemingly all over the place piano, but the mood shifts remind me of some Hitchcock movie theme at times, the build up the tension and then crash it home, these are well composed and performed compositions. Is this Jazz? maybe 2%, but this is 98% something else, and that something is breathtaking to me.

I love the ominous bass clarinet of Ken McIntire on the title track, this composition starts of slow then builds into a free for all, with Taylor going insane, McIntire is really doing the job, Lyons over blows to glory on his alto, it's really hard to describe this music, you must hear it for yourself, but be warned, if you are someone who rather prefers, safe and swinging jazz, and I like that too, this is not for you, or the faint of heart.