CORONA

A grand reunion of sorts in Berlin on the first day of November, 1996. Under the auspices of Free Music Production, Cecil Taylor, the great pianist and one of the premier musical minds of the 20th century, joined forces with his early comrade, drummer Sunny Murray, for a set of improvised duets. Murray was part of Taylor’s important groups starting in 1959, including the trio with alto saxophonist Jimmy Lyons, with which Taylor toured Europe in 1962 and 1963, recording the seminal Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come and Live at the Café Montmartre. On the latter tour, Murray met Albert Ayler when the saxophonist joined Taylor’s group for some concerts; they would go on to record one of the greatest free jazz records in history, Ayler’s Spiritual Unity. Thirty-six years later, Taylor and Murray were back together and better than ever. Never to do things a straightforward manner, Taylor began the concert by inviting eight members of his band to kick things off with an intonation choir, the master himself leading the sound poetry incantation. Taylor and Murray then moved into a 48-minute exchange of energies, peaks and valleys of expressive intensity rolling along, the two veteran improvisors slipping back into sync as if the decades had simply vanished. This extraordinary music has never been publicly released on CD. Gorgeously recorded, with action photos by Dagmar Gebers and a cover painting by Jacqueline Humphries, the music is issued under license from FMP. And yes, the title was all Taylor’s, as if he knew his music would be released during a virus of the same name.

INDENT

Cecil Taylor - "Unit Structures (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)" The intrepid free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor made his Blue Note debut with the explosive 1966 album Unit Structures featuring trumpeter Eddie Gale, saxophonists Jimmy Lyons and Ken McIntyre, bassists Henry Grimes and Alan Silva, and drummer Andrew Cyrille. The four extended pieces performed here scale the pinnacle of the mid-1960s jazz avant-garde. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, & pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

CD reissue. The World of Cecil Taylor is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded for the Candid label in October 1960. The album features performances by Taylor with Archie Shepp, Buell Neidlinger and Denis Charles. Some of the tracks the pianist chose to release on this album were improvised, single-take pieces, while others were the result of multiple takes.

Cecil's happy, weaving style, Clark Terry's whimsical, beautiful trumpet, Duke Jordan's pristine, crisp melodic piano and the combined talents of Ron Carter and Charlie Persip swinging the whole session is music to any jazz fan's ears. Combine that with the fact that this is the first release of a live recording by the Charlie Parker Record Company, and features six of the best-loved Charlie Parker compositions, and one original Cecil Payne? Well that's just something not to be missed. This homage to Parker was performed as a tribute to a true legend. One of the greatest virtuosos ever to do it. With these interpretations of his works, Payne shows a beauty of tone and agility in his sound that has such beauty and such soul, underlining him as one of the great jazz performers of his time. The depths of his highly original and creative musicianship captured in this recording for all to hear.

Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex improvisation often involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms.

Cecil McBee's debut album, Mutima, stands as a landmark achievement in 1970s jazz, blending the deeply introspective qualities of spiritual jazz with adventurous post-bop and avant-garde influences. Released in 1974 on the revered Strata-East label, the album highlights McBee's virtuosic skill on the bass alongside his remarkable gift for crafting compositions that resonate with emotional and intellectual depth. Backed by a stellar ensemble featuring luminaries such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Onaje Allan Gumbs, and Dom Salvador, Mutima - translated as "unseen forces" - unfolds as a vivid musical journey.

Cecil McBee's debut album, Mutima, stands as a landmark achievement in 1970s jazz, blending the deeply introspective qualities of spiritual jazz with adventurous post-bop and avant-garde influences. Released in 1974 on the revered Strata-East label, the album highlights McBee's virtuosic skill on the bass alongside his remarkable gift for crafting compositions that resonate with emotional and intellectual depth. Backed by a stellar ensemble featuring luminaries such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Onaje Allan Gumbs, and Dom Salvador, Mutima - translated as "unseen forces" - unfolds as a vivid musical journey.

The Jazz Platinum 1100 - Jazz Expo 2025-2026' is a special, limited-time campaign where 19 record labels, ranging from prestigious to unique, have gathered to offer a curated selection of 187 jazz titles, including both classic staples and hidden masterpieces. Solid. 2025.

CLASSIC ALBUMS

HOT DOG

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

LIVE AT SWEET BASIL 2

Some cats just seem to fall out of bed swinging, full of fire & forever seeking those flames - call them the good groove merchants, and make sure you include drummer Cecil in this exclusive coterie. The five extended selections on this record are an apt reflection of an ebullient leader, a collection of skillful players & comfort of place, featuring hard-hitting pianist John Hicks & smokin' sax man Don Braden playing before a full house at New York's famed jazz venue Sweet Basil

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE TO GROOVE

WILLISAU CONCERT

Baritone sax/flute player presents new original compositions featuring Marcus Belgrave-trumpet, Harold Mabern-piano, Eric Alexander/Lin Halliday-sax, John Ore-bass, Joe Farnsworth-drums.

GREAT PARIS CONCERT

Cecil Payne (Dizzy Gillespie, Tadd Dameron, J.J. Johnson, Illinois Jacquet, Randy Weston+)-bari sax & fl, w. Eric Alexander-ts, Harold Mabern-pno, John Ore-bs, Joe Farnsworth-dms, special guest Freddie Hubbard.

Jazz veteran presents a nice balance of original compositions & covers, joined by sax master Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, Harold Mabern, John Webber & Joe Farnsworth.