Cecil Taylor
Not to be confused with Cecil Taylor (playwright). Cecil Taylor Taylor playing in his apartment in 1972 in NYC. Background information Birth name Cecil Percival Taylor Born (1929-03-15) March 15, 1929 (age 85) Origin New York City Genres Jazz, avant-garde jazz, free jazz Occupation(s) Pianist, bandleader, composer, poet Instruments Piano Years active 1956–present Labels Transition, Blue Note, Freedom, Hat Hut, Enja, FMP Associated acts Steve Lacy, Jimmy Lyons, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Buell Neidlinger, Alan Silva, William Parker, Sunny Murray, Andrew Cyrille, Tony Oxley, Anthony Braxton, Alan Silva, Art Ensemble of Chicago, John Coltrane Cecil Percival Taylor (born in March 15, 1929 in New York City,) is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms. His piano technique has been likened to percussion, for example described as "eighty-eight tuned drums" (referring to the number of keys on a standard piano). He has also been described as "like Art Tatum with contemporary-classical leanings".