LF: Cecil Taylor FMP set

[AmirBagachelles]

I don't remember ever seeing one for sale anywhere, Ebay included. Does anybody know the recent history of the resale mkt for this? Thanks

[John L]

As far as I know, all of the individual discs in the set are in print and can be purchased separately.

[Guest Chaney]

To make buying the set more attractive, one CD is exclusive to the box set.

CECIL TAYLOR IN BERLIN '88 An 11-CD boxed set from Germany's Free Music Productions. Most of the CDs are also available individually, but the box (available originally through Cadence for $200, reportedly much higher in stores and now most likely out-of-print) also includes an extensive discography of ALL of the participants, and a spectacular 186-page 12x12 book including terrific photos, extensive essays on Taylor's work, transcriptions and analyses of the music. Recorded in Berlin, July 1988, during a MONTH-LONG festival of improvised music dedicated to Taylor, featuring a long list of Europe's most prominent 'free' improvisors, including Han Bennink, Tony Oxley, Paul Lovens, Evan Parker, Gunter Hampel, Derek Bailey, etc. etc. Five of the CDs are duets with different drummers - the aforementioned Oxley, Lovens and Bennink (FMP CD 6, 3, 5), the East German Gunter Sommer (2) and South African Louis Moholo (4). Also, a duet with guitarist Bailey (16), a trio with Evan Parker (tenor) and cellist Tristan Honsinger (11), a solo concert (18), a 'workshop ensemble' (0) on which Taylor directs but doesn't play, and an exhausting but exhilarating 2-CD performance by the 'European Orchestra' (8/9). Obviously (and, unfortunately) such a project could only have taken place in Europe. Excepting the large ensembles, all of these performances are 'spontaneous'; indeed, Taylor had never performed with many of the players before the concerts. There are some lulls during the sets, to be sure, but there are highlights on every disc. I'm particularly fond of the Orchestra sets (though you'll wind up a bit limp after 2 hours), the solo concert (as always), and the duets with Lovens, Oxley, and particularly Bailey, who compels Cecil to 'bend his approach' more than the others, who generally find ways to 'fit into' the pianist's direction, or, in the case of the trio, 'ignore' it to a certain extent. Needless to say, a set designed for total converts only, but it's the best $200 _I've_ ever spent! (and financed by a tortuous weekend with a cocktail pianist - boy, if he ever knew what I spent that money on....) -- Damon Short, Summer 1993 

I'd buy the seperate CDs and save the money... or, more likely, buy more music.

[Peter]

I saw the set on ebay (listed by someone from Cadence I believe) a couple years ago. They had a $500 minimum (if memory serves) and got no bids.

[AmirBagachelles]

At such prices, I would only buy it from a dealer where I could unload a lot of old discs and keep the cash outlay down to $150-200. (I got Two T's for $75 that way a month ago, and I was very happy to part w/ a lot of old crap.) So far I have only bought CT's duo sessions w/ Moholo and Oxley from the set, and those are both fantastic.