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

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), Conquistador! (1967) and Jumpin’ Punkins (1971).

External links

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