Unit Structures

Unit Structures

ASIN: B000005HD4

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Uncompromising and endlessly controversial, Cecil Taylor's percussive, intellectual approach to jazz composition, improvisation and piano remain largely outside the mainstream after more than 40 years. A classically trained pianist prior to discovering the music of Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver, Taylor soon developed a percussive, clustered, impressionistic style that, while taking Monk as a harmonic starting point, charts a course straight for the stratosphere. Indeed, Taylor frequently seems to have dispensed with both melody and form, yet he's brilliant at conveying a broad complex of emotions, from introspection to tenderness to rage.

Unit Structures, through its use of two bassists (Henry Grimes and Alan Silva) and the two-reed front of Ken McIntyre and Taylor-mainstay Jimmy Lyons, suggests a "double band." Yet such structures become almost meaningless in Taylor's world: it is all about energy and exploration. Punctuated by percussive bursts and melodic eruptions, Unit Structures is, despite its title, impressionistic and whimsical, although devoid of all standard structures and romance. Instead, Taylor pushes his band to explore the limits of improvisation where nothing--neither form, nor melody, nor structure--is a given. Still challenging listening after nearly four decades. --Fred Goodman

Product Description
Japanese 20Bit Re-Issue.

Unit Structures,Cecil Taylor,Blue Note Records,Avant-Garde,Avant-Garde Jazz,Free Improvisation,Free Jazz,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop

Average customer rating:

unit structures indeed !

Good summation of the free Jazz spirit through piano

life-changing

Very poor indeed.

the jokes on you

Unit Structures
Cecil Taylor
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Avant-Garde | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000005HD4
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Steps
Enter, Evening (Soft Line Structure)
Enter, Evening (Alt. Take)
Unit Structure/As Of A Now/Section
Tales (8 Whisps)

Amazon.com

Uncompromising and endlessly controversial, Cecil Taylor's percussive, intellectual approach to jazz composition, improvisation and piano remain largely outside the mainstream after more than 40 years. A classically trained pianist prior to discovering the music of Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver, Taylor soon developed a percussive, clustered, impressionistic style that, while taking Monk as a harmonic starting point, charts a course straight for the stratosphere. Indeed, Taylor frequently seems to have dispensed with both melody and form, yet he's brilliant at conveying a broad complex of emotions, from introspection to tenderness to rage.

Unit Structures, through its use of two bassists (Henry Grimes and Alan Silva) and the two-reed front of Ken McIntyre and Taylor-mainstay Jimmy Lyons, suggests a "double band." Yet such structures become almost meaningless in Taylor's world: it is all about energy and exploration. Punctuated by percussive bursts and melodic eruptions, Unit Structures is, despite its title, impressionistic and whimsical, although devoid of all standard structures and romance. Instead, Taylor pushes his band to explore the limits of improvisation where nothing--neither form, nor melody, nor structure--is a given. Still challenging listening after nearly four decades. --Fred Goodman

Album Details

Japanese 20Bit Re-Issue.

Customer Reviews:

unit structures indeed !.......2007-06-23

There should be no misunderstanding - Cecil Taylor meant it when he called this album "Unit Structures". That these structures are experimental in nature does not make them less "structured". By respecting his audience, Taylor is not content with repeating old structures (12, 16, 32 bars). He experiments with different elements of structure - the structure of instrumentation, of the melodic development, of the dynamics. You will notice how on each piece the instrumental structure changes - piano and drums, a bass joins, the drums drop out and a second bass joins, etc. The two takes of "enter evening" prove that the musicians were provided with a basic melodic line which is the starting point and the point of departure for their collective experiments.
We should be thankful for artists such as Taylor who respect us enough to attempt to find something new for us, who believe that we deserve a broadening of the musical spectrum.
For the edventureous experiments, for the many beautiful moments, and for the communicative energies - this is a definite 5 star album worth having and listening to.

Good summation of the free Jazz spirit through piano.......2007-06-02

Although nothing here is as shocking as Albert Ayler's forays into structure/less jazz improvisation--nor as revolutionary as Ornette Coleman's hard-charging free-bop assault; Cecil Taylor introduces a comparatively difficult to manipulate instrument to free jazz; the piano. His fingers sound like they are that of a millipede on some of these tracks because I honestly cannot distinguish notes at times. Instead everything is clustered in spasmic leaps. The great part about this seeming indulgence, however, is that there is a well-studied classicism here. Strings pop up and fade away. Best of all, in true Blue Note fashion, it is a live recording with all of the great explosive energy of 60's freak out jazz. I would recommend this for progressive enthusiasts of any music who are looking for a change from brass-based free jazz, with a touch of classical, or even avant rock tendencies. That is not to say this CD is cosmic. Quite the opposite actually--this is rooted in the hard sounds of jazz and amidst all of its beauty, it is also menacing at times. Solid for sure. I would recommend Ornette Coleman's live at the Golden Circle or any of the Ayler 'Spirit' series if unrestrained energy is what you are looking for. If you prefer the mathematician approach of Thelonious Monk and wonder what he would have attempted if pumped full of endorphins and 60's counterculture; start with Unit Structures.

life-changing.......2007-01-27

as a jazz pianist (of both traditional and avantgarde jazz), i consider listening to this album for the first time one of the major moments in my life that changed my perception of music. i don't understand how people can think this is meaningless, as this album has opened my mind to so many things and made me appreciate the value of cecil's emotional playing. powerful and breathtaking stuff.

Very poor indeed........2005-11-24

What a racket. Give this a miss. Like being dragged through a hedge backwards.

the jokes on you.......2005-10-04

is this guy putting us on? all his albums sound the same and the reviews do as well-if your not hip enough or intellectual enough than you can't understand this deep moving experience. stick to music you enjoy, not what your supposed to "understand"-this music is for the few people recording it, not those who want music than can experience and feel something from.

Average customer rating:

Unit Structures
Cecil Taylor
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000BRHTAQ
Release Date: 2000-10-25

Average customer rating:

Unit Structures

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000CSUY7E
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Average customer rating:

somewhere there

Unit Structures
Cecil Taylor
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Visi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000053SQE
Release Date: 2000-10-25

Tracks:

Steps
Enter,Evening (Soft Line Structure)
Unit Structure - As Of A Now - Section
Tales (8 Whisps)

Album Description

Japanese 24bit remastered reissue by RVG. Originally released on Blue Note in 1966. Packaged in a miniature LP sleeve reproduction of the original artwork.

Album Details

Japanese Version Featuring A Limited LP Style Slipcase Cover. 24Bit Digitally Remastered.

Customer Reviews:

somewhere there.......2000-12-14

A lurid beauty walking from hill to hill. Directions transcend the compass.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music