Biography
Cecil Percival Taylor was born on March 25, 1929, in Long Island City, Queens, New York, and was raised in nearby Corona in a vibrant cultural environment. At his mother's urging, he began piano studies at age five and later studied percussion, which profoundly influenced his distinctive percussive keyboard approach. Taylor attended the New York College of Music in Manhattan and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston (1949-1951), where he concentrated on piano and music theory while immersing himself in 20th-century classical composers like Stravinsky. He was also influenced by jazz pianists Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Horace Silver, as well as Lennie Tristano's innovative approach to jazz improvisation.
After returning to New York in 1955, Taylor formed a quartet with soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, bassist Buell Neidlinger, and drummer Dennis Charles, releasing his debut album Jazz Advance in 1956. This recording established him as an uncompromising musical radical, showcasing his unique approach that prioritized texture and registral contrasts over traditional melodic structures. Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, Taylor gained recognition for his dynamic performances and collaborations with alto saxophonist Jimmy Lyons and drummer Sunny Murray, particularly following his Scandinavian tour in 1962-1963. In 1964, he co-founded the Jazz Composers Guild with Bill Dixon to enhance opportunities for avant-garde jazz musicians and protest poor working conditions in jazz clubs. His career gradually gathered momentum from the 1970s onward, with increased touring and recording opportunities, particularly overseas.
Taylor's legacy as one of the most uncompromisingly gifted pianists in jazz history is defined by his pioneering role in free jazz, his virtuosic command of complex improvisation involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms, and his physical approach to the keyboard using open palms, elbows, and forearms. He received numerous accolades including a Guggenheim Fellowship (1973), the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award (1990), and the MacArthur Fellowship (1991). His influence extended into academia through teaching positions at various universities, and he remained musically productive into his 80s, recording dozens of albums as a solo pianist and with small groups until his death in 2018.
Fun Facts
- Val Wilmer described Taylor's piano style as 'eighty-eight tuned drums,' referencing the number of keys on a standard piano to capture his percussive approach to the instrument.
- Taylor's technique has been compared to percussion, and he often played the keyboard using unconventional methods including open palms, elbows, and forearms rather than just his fingers.
- In the summer of 1988, Taylor enjoyed a monthlong residency in Berlin that yielded an extraordinary eleven-compact-disc boxed set featuring him in concert with some of Europe's most renowned improvisers.
- Taylor played for President Jimmy Carter on the White House Lawn, bringing avant-garde free jazz to one of the nation's most prominent venues.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Duke Ellington - Jazz pianist whose work influenced Taylor's musical development (General stylistic influence) [1940s-1950s]
- Thelonious Monk - Jazz pianist whose innovative approach influenced Taylor's harmonic thinking (General stylistic influence) [1940s-1950s]
- Horace Silver - Jazz pianist whose work influenced Taylor's early musical development (General stylistic influence) [1940s-1950s]
- Lennie Tristano - Jazz pianist and innovator whose approach to jazz improvisation influenced Taylor's musical philosophy (General stylistic influence) [1940s-1950s]
Key Collaborators
- Steve Lacy - Soprano saxophonist in Taylor's debut quartet (Jazz Advance (1956), At Newport (1957)) [1955-1957]
- Buell Neidlinger - Bassist in Taylor's debut quartet (Jazz Advance (1956), At Newport (1957)) [1955-1957]
- Dennis Charles - Drummer in Taylor's debut quartet (Jazz Advance (1956), At Newport (1957)) [1955-1957]
- Jimmy Lyons - Alto saxophonist and frequent collaborator throughout the 1960s and beyond (Live at Montmartre (1962), numerous recordings and performances) [1960s-1970s]
- Sunny Murray - Drummer and key collaborator in developing free jazz approaches (Live at Montmartre (1962), various recordings) [1960s-1970s]
- Bill Dixon - Co-founder of the Jazz Composers Guild (Jazz Composers Guild founding and activities) [1964-1965]
- Tony Oxley - British drummer and longtime collaborator in later career (Ailanthus/Altissima: Bilateral Dimensions of 2 Root Songs (2009), The Feel Trio) [1980s-2009]
- William Parker - Bassist and co-founder of The Feel Trio (The Feel Trio) [1980s-2000s]
Artists Influenced
- Ornette Coleman - Contemporary pioneer of free jazz; Taylor's work paralleled Coleman's liberation of jazz from fixed harmonic structures (General stylistic parallel development) [1950s-1960s]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The World Of Cecil Taylor (Remastered) | 1961-01-01 | Album |
| Unit Structures | 1966 | Album |
| Jazz Advance | 1991-01-01 | Album |
| Jazz Advice | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| The Classic Albums | 2025-04-18 | Album |
| Nefertiti, The Beautiful One Has Come - Live At The Cafe Montmartre, 1962 | 1975 | Album |
| Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! | 2014-03-25 | Album |
| Conquistador! | 2004-01-01 | Album |
| Stereo Drive | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| Stereo Drive | 2020-12-20 | Album |
| Silent Tongues | 1975 | Album |
| Looking Ahead | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| Live At Cafe Montmarte | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| Momentum Space | 1999-01-01 | Album |
| For Olim | 1987-12-31 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Port Of Call - Remastered (The World Of Cecil Taylor (Remastered))
- Azure (Jazz Advice)
- Steps (Unit Structures)
- Air - Remastered (The World Of Cecil Taylor (Remastered))
- Bemsha Swing (Jazz Advance)
- Enter, Evening (Soft Line Structure) (Unit Structures)
- This Nearly Was Mine - Remastered (The World Of Cecil Taylor (Remastered))
- Conquistador - 2003 Remastered (Conquistador!)
- Enter, Evening (Unit Structures)
- Unit Structure/As Of A Now/Section (Unit Structures)
External Links
Heard on WWOZ
cecil taylor has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2025 | 16:04 | azurefrom Jazz Advance | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ T.R. Johnson |