I love how he displays such genuine awe about Taylor's music and humbly accepts the poorer comments he made in the past as part of the journey of understanding and appreciating the timeless visionary that Cecil Taylor is.
Finally, a writer on music with genuine insights into Cecil Taylor's music - thanks, Gary! Every time I saw him play, either solo or with The Cecil Taylor Unit, I was competely and entirely blown away. In one concert (1985, Kimball's At The Opera House in San Francisco), the group included Frank Wright, easily the most powerful, downright earth-shaking saxophonist I've ever heard.
Giddins grasps and articulates the psychological aspects of music. And his favorite word is "ebullience." Love listening to this guy. He gets extended screen time on Ken Burn's documentary "Jazz" and he is the most insightful.
Joe Bova - New Music Society of Syracuse (alive and still swingin') - So grateful for this intelligent discussion of the disparate roots of the New Music which emerged in the 60's! Thank you Garry Giddins!!
Joe Bova - New Music Society of Syracuse (alive and still swingin') - Garry Giddins mentions that he brought Taylor to Grinnell College in Iowa. I have a reel to reel recording of that concert performance which has fortunately outlived the tape deck I last played it on sometime back in the early 70's. I don't believe this concert has ever been released on vinyl. Would love to hear back from you Garry.
Gary Giddens is my favorite music writer--very insightful and articulate. His observations on Cecil Taylor are the reason I'm making an effort to give Taylor a re-listen even though his music's put me off in the past. I figure if Giddens is enthusiastic, there must be something there.
I wish more jazz critics were as informed and as open-minded as Gary Giddins. I remember well the horrible vitriol that Cecil endured back in the day - so many musicians and writers totally HATED him. I had to hide my love of his music from many of the jazz musicians I worked with, the hate was so strong that even to say you enjoyed his music was enough to cause trouble.
Inspiring is the word for Gary Giddins, vocally or in print. Therefore, properly inspired, illuminated, and chastened, I will now tiptoe back to Mr Taylor and try again.
@Joe W he definatley didnt. he went futher than 2 and would purposefully play 3 4 or even 5 notes next to eachother, these are commonly reffered to as tone clusters
@@sterlingweston hey man Im a 61 yr old jazz pianist composer and spent a lifetime listening to monk and being influenced by Monk and if those clusters don't fall outside of the inventory of notes that, that chord in the moment makes available then you're wrong. Which you are btw. People are so full of s%'t . If you think that makes Monk any less great then you're really dumb. You like many people think clusters have something to do with being outside. they do only if they do. Dissonance doesn't make it outside. I'm paraphrasing Schoenberg in very different language.
@paxwallacejazz I never mentioned outside/ inside playing, all I said was that he (cecil) went further than Monk's minor seconds and would intentionally play larger tone clusters and chromatic chords to add even more character
19:40 This is true, I played Cecil Taylor Unit for two of my friends synced to Fortnite and they thought it was a great record. His music is not difficult. Challenging yes, difficult no.
Well, Mr. Taylor has passed away. Just found out. He was a great musician. Not to bring up bad memories or rile people up, BUT, everybody should send a note to Branford Marsalis and tell him what a snotty little shit he is for talking trash about a much greater musician. This is in reference to Ken Burns' atrocious documentary on Jazz in which Taylor had (according to Branford) the audacity to suggest that the audience familiarize themselves with his work before coming to hear him, as this would better facilitate their enjoyment and appreciation of his performance. To this, Branford countered with the highly intellectual comment: "Bullshit!"
The funny thing about it is that the average person on the street wouldn't be able to enjoy a Branford concert without doing some work to understand what it is he's doing, either.
Those who took the incredible effort to develop an influence from Cecil Taylor like the great Eric Watson were ignored by critics which was criminal. Eric Watson had some unlikely combination of Jarrett and Taylor but it was all his.
I don't know but AACM as an umbrella seemed to encompass a number of separate vectors The Art Ensemble, Muhal Abrams, etc. Then there's Anthony Braxton's very interesting body of Work which is connected to early David Holland's work.
Ahhhh... maybe that's why Fred Hersh. the famous NYC jazz pianist, went to Grinnel College. Yeah. Grinnel is still the coolest tiny liberal -arts college in the world. Warren Buffet has long sat on its board. The college president is young, married, black, gay with adopted kids. My favorite peace activist in the world lives there as a "Vegan-Hog Farmer", which she runs with two grown daughters and;. her cool farmer husband. And she happily spent months, on several occasions sitting in a Georgia County Jail because she protested at the school of the americas every year.... where .... nevermind.
I disagree. I think there was something of a fine line between charlatanism and legitimate musical expression when it came to Taylor. Some people have compared him to an abstract painter, but I am not convinced he was able to play within the strictures of conventional harmony and melody. Maybe there’s some secret recording proving that he was, but until I hear it I remain dubious.
"Play within the strictures of conventional..." so if you found a recording of him playing perfect old school jazz you would all of a sudden like his abstract work?! I find that very hard to believe. Either you like or you don't. Looks like you don't.
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Gary is a gift to jazz - a champion of the art in the highest order. I wish more people would listen to this man and his wonderful insights.
I love how he displays such genuine awe about Taylor's music and humbly accepts the poorer comments he made in the past as part of the journey of understanding and appreciating the timeless visionary that Cecil Taylor is.
I could listen to this guy for hours. Great.
Opened for Cecil with a Hard Bop group at the Take 3, in the Village, for 4 months. Took a minute to appreciate his music.
Yeah he is definitely an acquired taste! Genius for sure though!
Finally, a writer on music with genuine insights into Cecil Taylor's music - thanks, Gary! Every time I saw him play, either solo or with The Cecil Taylor Unit, I was competely and entirely blown away. In one concert (1985, Kimball's At The Opera House in San Francisco), the group included Frank Wright, easily the most powerful, downright earth-shaking saxophonist I've ever heard.
Giddins grasps and articulates the psychological aspects of music. And his favorite word is "ebullience." Love listening to this guy. He gets extended screen time on Ken Burn's documentary "Jazz" and he is the most insightful.
You got it !
Joe Bova - New Music Society of Syracuse (alive and still swingin') - So grateful for this intelligent discussion of the disparate roots of the New Music which emerged in the 60's! Thank you Garry Giddins!!
Great talk. Love articulate and insightful interviews like this, specially about intelligent and complex music such as Cecil’s.
Listening to Cecil is as exciting as discovering a previously unknown universe
Hi Gary. I’m so glad I found this!
RIP A true creator
I agree ! He was a liberated spirit and his music is proof of that !
How I wish I had had GG as my teacher when I was getting into jazz.
Joe Bova - New Music Society of Syracuse (alive and still swingin') - Garry Giddins mentions that he brought Taylor to Grinnell College in Iowa. I have a reel to reel recording of that concert performance which has fortunately outlived the tape deck I last played it on sometime back in the early 70's. I don't believe this concert has ever been released on vinyl. Would love to hear back from you Garry.
Gary Giddens is my favorite music writer--very insightful and articulate. His observations on Cecil Taylor are the reason I'm making an effort to give Taylor a re-listen even though his music's put me off in the past. I figure if Giddens is enthusiastic, there must be something there.
Please don't skip on this; there are few people now days who know what they are talking about Gary knew
I wish more jazz critics were as informed and as open-minded as Gary Giddins. I remember well the horrible vitriol that Cecil endured back in the day - so many musicians and writers totally HATED him. I had to hide my love of his music from many of the jazz musicians I worked with, the hate was so strong that even to say you enjoyed his music was enough to cause trouble.
Great to hear Giddins on Taylor after having read him. Insightful. Thanks.
wonderful,knowledgeable,sincere.Great.
Well, that was only one of the best orations on jazz I've ever heard.
Uh wtf. Get your spam off my comment!
Inspiring is the word for Gary Giddins, vocally or in print. Therefore, properly inspired, illuminated, and chastened, I will now tiptoe back to Mr Taylor and try again.
Monks use of half steps was completely intentional and for the most part functional
@Joe W he definatley didnt. he went futher than 2 and would purposefully play 3 4 or even 5 notes next to eachother, these are commonly reffered to as tone clusters
@@sterlingweston hey man Im a 61 yr old jazz pianist composer and spent a lifetime listening to monk and being influenced by Monk and if those clusters don't fall outside of the inventory of notes that, that chord in the moment makes available then you're wrong. Which you are btw. People are so full of s%'t . If you think that makes Monk any less great then you're really dumb. You like many people think clusters have something to do with being outside. they do only if they do. Dissonance doesn't make it outside. I'm paraphrasing Schoenberg in very different language.
@paxwallacejazz I never mentioned outside/ inside playing, all I said was that he (cecil) went further than Monk's minor seconds and would intentionally play larger tone clusters and chromatic chords to add even more character
Thank you for this wonderful presentation...
The Cecil Taylor band playing on Into the hot is some of the most exciting jazz I feel is available. If only it had been an entire album of his group.
I love his enthusiasm. That's what clinches it, for me.
19:40 This is true, I played Cecil Taylor Unit for two of my friends synced to Fortnite and they thought it was a great record. His music is not difficult. Challenging yes, difficult no.
OMG. Could there possibly be a recording of Elvin with Cecil?
Fly home angel.
Well, Mr. Taylor has passed away. Just found out. He was a great musician. Not to bring up bad memories or rile people up, BUT, everybody should send a note to Branford Marsalis and tell him what a snotty little shit he is for talking trash about a much greater musician. This is in reference to Ken Burns' atrocious documentary on Jazz in which Taylor had (according to Branford) the audacity to suggest that the audience familiarize themselves with his work before coming to hear him, as this would better facilitate their enjoyment and appreciation of his performance. To this, Branford countered with the highly intellectual comment: "Bullshit!"
The funny thing about it is that the average person on the street wouldn't be able to enjoy a Branford concert without doing some work to understand what it is he's doing, either.
stellar presentation
Those who took the incredible effort to develop an influence from Cecil Taylor like the great Eric Watson were ignored by critics which was criminal. Eric Watson had some unlikely combination of Jarrett and Taylor but it was all his.
can you recommend a recording by Eric Watson ? like to hear some
Fascinating
I don't know but AACM as an umbrella seemed to encompass a number of separate vectors The Art Ensemble, Muhal Abrams, etc. Then there's Anthony Braxton's very interesting body of Work which is connected to early David Holland's work.
I didn’t ‘get’ Cecil until I saw him live.
I hate jazz critics
but that was fucking beautiful
such respect
gg !!!
Excellant stuff.
One must reckon with Cecils force.
Dennis Charles was a great drummer.... he could definitely play the drums.
Ahhhh... maybe that's why Fred Hersh. the famous NYC jazz pianist, went to Grinnel College. Yeah. Grinnel is still the coolest tiny liberal -arts college in the world. Warren Buffet has long sat on its board. The college president is young, married, black, gay with adopted kids. My favorite peace activist in the world lives there as a "Vegan-Hog Farmer", which she runs with two grown daughters and;. her cool farmer husband. And she happily spent months, on several occasions sitting in a Georgia County Jail because she protested at the school of the americas every year.... where .... nevermind.
I disagree. I think there was something of a fine line between charlatanism and legitimate musical expression when it came to Taylor.
Some people have compared him to an abstract painter, but I am not convinced he was able to play within the strictures of conventional harmony and melody.
Maybe there’s some secret recording proving that he was, but until I hear it I remain dubious.
Just try the recording of Johnny Come Lately with Steve Lacy he mentioned in the video ua-cam.com/video/y5sGJP0nGIo/v-deo.html
check out album with Trane and Kenny Durham-double clutching and shifting down
@@skullcrusher6 ok
@@thurmanbooker7700 Thanks
"Play within the strictures of conventional..." so if you found a recording of him playing perfect old school jazz you would all of a sudden like his abstract work?! I find that very hard to believe. Either you like or you don't. Looks like you don't.