In Focus: Cecil Taylor 14th August 2026 | Listen on NTS

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Soon after he first emerged in the mid-’50s, pianist Cecil Taylor was the most advanced improviser in jazz; five decades later he is still the most radical. Although in his early days he used some standards as vehicles for improvisation, since the early ’60s Taylor has stuck exclusively to originals. To simplify describing his style, one could say that Taylor’s intense atonal percussive approach involves playing the piano as if it were a set of drums. He generally emphasizes dense clusters of sound played with remarkable technique and endurance, often during marathon performances. Suffice it to say that Cecil Taylor’s music is not for everyone." - Blue Note

Created by Claire Rousay

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Tracklist

0:01:10
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Bemsha Swing
0:08:20
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Steps
0:14:36
Cecil Taylor Segments II (Orchestra Of Two Continents)
Taht

Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
-Lono-
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Conquistador
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Amplitude
Cecil Taylor Feel TrioCecil Taylor Feel Trio
Peduncle (The Support Of An Inflorescence)
Cecil Taylor, Cecil Taylor, Tony OxleyTony Oxley
Chimes
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Of What
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Shifting Down (W/ John Coltrane, Kenny Dorham, Chuck Israels & Louis Hayes)
Cecil Taylor UnitCecil Taylor Unit
Idut
Cecil TaylorCecil Taylor
Elell
Cecil Taylor, Cecil Taylor, Tony OxleyTony Oxley
Ailanthus
Cecil Taylor UnitCecil Taylor Unit
The Eel Pot
Cecil Taylor & Paul LovensCecil Taylor & Paul Lovens
Snake Charm (In Berlin '88)