Cecil Taylor
Photo: nomo /michael hoefner http://www.zwo5.de, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pianists · 1929–2018

Cecil Taylor

American jazz pianist and poet (1929–2018)

Born
25 March 1929
New York City
Died
5 April 2018
New York City
Country
United States
Active
1956–2018
Record labels
Blue Note, Enja Records, Candid Records, FMP/Free Music Production, Cadence Jazz Records
Discography
74 albums

Biography

Cecil Taylor was a jazz musician who played piano. Cecil Taylor was born on 25 March 1929 in New York City and died on 5 April 2018 in New York City. The music is usually filed under jazz and avant-garde music. Record labels: Blue Note, Enja Records, Candid Records and FMP/Free Music Production. The discography here lists 74 albums, from “The World of Cecil Taylor” (1960) to “Flashing Spirits” (2025). Honours include Guggenheim Fellowship (1973), MacArthur Fellows Program (1991) and Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy (2013).

Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929 – April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex improvisation often involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms. His technique has been compared to percussion. Referring to the number of keys on a standard piano, Val Wilmer used the phrase "eighty-eight tuned drums" to describe Taylor's style. He has been referred to as "Art Tatum with contemporary-classical leanings".

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Discography

Studio and live albums

The World of Cecil Taylor 1960 · Candid Live at the Cafe Montmartre 1963 · Live · Debut Unit Structures 1966 · Blue Note
Conquistador! 1967 · Blue Note
Jumpin’ Punkins 1971 · Candid
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght, vol. 1 1971 · Live · Shandar
Innovations 1972 · Live · Polydor New York City R&B 1972 · Barnaby Records
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght, vol. 2 1972 · Live · Shandar
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght, vol. 3 1972 · Live · Shandar
Indent 1973 · Live · Unit Core Records
Solo 1973 · Live · Trio Student Studies 1973 · Live · BYG Records Silent Tongues 1975 · Live · Freedom
Live in Münster 10.6.76 1976 · Live
Air Above Mountains ‹ Buildings Within › 1977 · Live · enja
The Cecil Taylor Unit 1978 · New World Records
3 Phasis 1979 · New World Records
Live in the Black Forest 1979 · Live · Pausa Records
Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! 1981 · MPS It Is in the Brewing Luminous 1981 · Live · HatHut Records Garden 1982 · Live · HatHut Records Praxis 1982 · Live · Praxis The Eighth 1983 · Live · hat MUSICS Chinampas 1987 · Leo Records For Olim 1987 · Live · Soul Note Cell Walk for Celeste 1988 · Candid
Tzotzil / Mummers / Tzotzil 1988 · Live · Leo Records
Erzulie Maketh Scent 1989 · Live · FMP In East-Berlin 1989 · Live · FMP Leaf Palm Hand 1989 · Live · FMP
Pleistozaen mit Wasser 1989 · Live · FMP
Regalia 1989 · Live · FMP
Remembrance 1989 · Live · FMP Riobec 1989 · Live · FMP
Spots, Circles, and Fantasy 1989 · Live · FMP
The Hearth 1989 · Live · FMP
Air 1990 · Candid
Garden 1 1990 · Live · HatHut Records
Garden 2 1990 · Live · hat ART In Florescence 1990 · A&M Records Looking (Berlin version) Solo 1990 · Live · FMP LOOKING (Berlin Version) CORONA 1991 · Live · FMP
Double Holy House 1993 · Live · FMP
Olu Iwa 1994 · Live · Soul Note
Amewa: Live at Sweet Basil 1995 · Live · Sound Hills Records
Iwontunwonsi: Live at Sweet Basil 1995 · Live · Sound Hills Records The Tree of Life 1998 · Live · FMP Cecil Taylor / Bill Dixon / Tony Oxley 2002 · Live · Les Disques Victo The Willisau Concert 2002 · Live · Intakt Records The Owner of the River Bank 2003 · Live · enja Algonquin 2004 · Live · Bridge Records All the Notes 2004 · Live · Cadence Jazz Records
Live in Stuttgart 2006 · Live
CT: The Dance Project 2008 · Live · FMP Piano Solo at Town Hall 1971 2009 · Live · FreeFactory
The Last Dance 2009 · Live
Ailanthus / Altissima: Bilateral Dimensions of 2 Root Songs 2010 · Live · Triple Point Records Almeda (To Matie) 2012 · Live · destination: OUT Solo • Duo • Poetry 2012 · Live · EMPAC Rensselaer
Michigan State University, April 15th 1976 2015 · Live
Conversations With Tony Oxley 2018 · Live · jazzwerkstatt Corona 2018 · Live · destination: OUT
Poschiavo 2018 · Live · Black Sun
....... Being Astral and All Registers – Power of Two...... 2020 · Live · Discus
At AngelicA 2000 Bologna 2020 · Live · I dischi di angelica
Birdland, Neuburg 2011 2020 · Live · Fundacja Słuchaj
Live in Ruvo di Puglia 2000 2021 · Live · Solid Records
Music From Two Continents: Live at Jazz Jamboree ‘84 2021 · Live · Fundacja Słuchaj
Respiration 2022 · Live · Fundacja Słuchaj
The Complete, Legendary, Live Return Concert at The Town Hall NYC November 4, 1973 2022 · Live · Oblivion Records Flashing Spirits 2025 · Live · Burning Ambulance Music
2008-07-20: The Village Vanguard, New York City, NY, USA · Live
Strasbourg, 2009 · Live

Also plays on

Albums where Cecil Taylor is credited as a sideman

Awards

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Cecil Taylor play?

Cecil Taylor is known for playing piano.

When and where was Cecil Taylor born?

Cecil Taylor was born 25 March 1929 in New York City.

What are Cecil Taylor's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include The World of Cecil Taylor (1960), Live at the Cafe Montmartre (1963), Unit Structures (1966), Jumpin’ Punkins (1971) and Innovations (1972).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.