Cecil Taylor/Instabile

[brownie]

The Cecil Taylor and Italian Instabile Orchestra CD 'The Owner of the River Bank' is out on Enja. This is an hour-long suite that was recorded in September 2000 in Ruvo di Puglia in the south of Italy. It was the first time CT and the II Orchestra had performed together. Three days of rehearsals enabled CT to give enough indications to the musicians to perform a provocative work.

First hearing leaves the listener perplexed with the abruptness of most of the music. Second hearing sets the explorations in perspective and makes much better sense.

The CD one if going to get replays.

[king ubu]

Thanks for the news, brownie! Got to look for this. Yesterday they did not have it here, but they're usually half a year in retard concerning new releases anyway... (though they did have the f**king copy-protected Larry Young Conn... but not the Hill, which I might have otherwise bought right away.)

ubu

[brownie]

Ubu, to be honest, I have seen only one copy in a Paris shop so far. That's the one I grabbed. Did not see any other copies of this in the FNAC/Virgin stores I visited since.

But I saw a copy of the Miles Davis 'Ascenseur pour l'Echafaud' 24-bit reissue from Universal France at FNAC. So this one is out too. It has the original tracks plus the alternates. But as I have said on another thread, doubt that it adds really much to the previous reissues.

[Guest Chaney]

Brownie:

Is the Italian Instabile Orchestra allowed to show its personalty or does CT dominate, as usual?

[brownie]

Chaney, CT has a rather subdued role in the suite leaving the Instabile Orchestra plenty of space to display its talent. Actually, I was hoping to hear more of Taylor's piano playing. But I'm French and - as everyone knows by now - the French can't resist a complaint

[Joe Christmas]

Brownie:

Is the Italian Instabile Orchestra allowed to show its personalty or does CT dominate, as usual?

Have you spent any time with Alms/Tiergarten or any of the duo/trio sets from the same month in Berlin? Taylor hardly dominates any of that music.

[Simon Weil]

Cecil played in the UK with Bang on a Can, which I guess you'd call a modern classical ensemble, a couple of years ago. They did a series of written pieces not by Cecil (maybe one was, I forget), which he more or less added colour to when he soloed. He also seemed subdued then, and I was a bit disappointed too (so it ain't just the French, Brownie). Tony Oxley was also there (although unbilled) and played in a more committed style.

I am wondering if this is a pattern with CT - if, at his age and given the incredible physical demands his style must make, he's slowing down a bit - at least in some settings.

It was quite an interesting concert, nonetheless.

Simon Weil

[David Ayers]

Maybe he's just learned some manners?

[Simon Weil]

I did happen to come a bit late to the concert...and saw Cecil going in the stage door. He seemed a bit floaty and disorientated - and I had the impression he was being supported by a woman helper, a bit. That sense of floaty also seem to appear on stage - and it was in that light that I read his performance.

Like he never really did commit and give it his all that night.

Simon Weil

[brownie]

The Enja CD also features a Bonus Video Track which I have not been able to take a look at yet. Not sure what's there but it includes 'italian text as PDF file'.

[king ubu]

I got the CD last week. Have only had time to listen to the first 15 or 20 minutes, but my first impression is positive. Sounds like an interesting disc!