Cecil Taylor Recordings/Sessions from 1983
(updated on 03.09.28)

"March '83, from the 8th to the 19th, ...marked my first European tour with Cecil. The pieces were titled 'Children of the Air' (1st section); 'Tunakapec'; and 'Tutuzso'." --Andre Martinez archive, correspondence 02.10.16

83.03.08 - Cecil Taylor Unit: Taylor, Parker, Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, Martinez / Vienna, Austria "in a major Concert Hall (name?). ...It was their main opera house-- I remember taking photos in the balcony with William. It was red and gold..."
83.03.09
83.03.10
83.03.11 - Cecil Taylor Unit and Sounds in Motion Dance Company: Taylor, Parker, Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr,
Martinez; Dancers - Diane McIntyre, Cheryl Banks, Dorothea "Mickey" Davidson, Edward Jordan, Kevin Wynn /
"Children of The Air" / Palazzo Dei Congressi, Bologna Italy [Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.10.14]

83.03.12
83.03.13

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Television Broadcasts]

March 12 & 13, 1983
Rome, Italy
1.Children of the Air' (1st section) []
2.Tunakapec []
3.Tutuzso []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)

"While in Rome they treated us to a banquet dinner and I remember all [of us] being interviewed at the restaurant the night before taping by a TV crew... we went shopping for leather jackets in downtown Rome." --Andre Martinez correspondence 02.11.06

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive}

83.03.15

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Broadcast Videotape]

March 14 & 15, 1983
Jazz '83
Pallazo Dei Congressi della Fiera
Cagliari, Sardania, Italy
1.television introduction [4:20]
2.unknown title (excerpt) [44:00]
3.
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

"Before the show we had lunch with Scavolo, a famous sculptor, who gave Cecil a piece that day. Concert was in a beautiful part of
town-- you could look across the waters and see Africa. There were lots of merchants in the streets selling all kinds of exotic birds,
very beautiful ones... I was translator for the band when necessary since I understand and speak Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and
some French. And many times when boarding and unboarding planes I was greeted as though I was from their country... Which the
guys found amusing." --Andre Martinez correspondence 02.10.16; 02.11.06

Cecil Taylor (p; voc)
Brenda Bakr (voc)
Jimmy Lyons (as)
William Parker (b)
Rashid Bakr (d)
Andre Martinez (d; perc)

{Primary Source: RL, Videotape; venue info and exact date via Andre Martinez archive}

83.03.16 - Cecil Taylor Unit: Taylor, Parker, Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, Martinez / Al Teatro Franschini, Pavia, Italy
"This was a beautiful city, but the water was pure sulfur-- strange odor. This was the first concert I recall Cecil ever asking if
it was recorded, since he does not like hearing things back once they are done." --Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.10.16; 02.11.05

83.03.19 - Cecil Taylor Unit and Diane McIntyre Dance Co.: Taylor, Parker, Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, Martinez; Dancers - Diane McIntyre, Cheryl Banks, Mickey Davidson, Warren Spears, Kevin Wynn / Camden Jazz Week, The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road NW18BG, Camden, England / "[The Unit played] the final concert at this great concert hall which closed after this... It was a week-long event which featured The Gil Evans Big Band, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Lester Bowie and Freddie Hubbard." --Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.10.13

83.04-05.00 - Peter Brötzmann Trio: Parker, Bakr / Three concerts, late April or early May, (no venue listed), NYC [CODA #192 October 1983 p.36], RL

83.05.20-23 - William Parker (no personnel details) / Moers Jazz Festival, Moers, West Germany [CODA #189 April 1983 p.38], RL

83.06.00 - Jimmy Lyons Quartet: Parker, Karen Borca (bassoon), Paul Murphy (drums) / Kool Jazz Festival Soundscape Series, NYC [CODA #192 October 1983 p.37], RL

83.08.27

Cecil Taylor Unit: Nicaragua: No Parasan / Willisau '83 Live

Nica (no #) (2LP) 1984 SWZ

August 27, 1983, 14:30
Willisau Jazz Festival
Festhalle
Willisau, Switzerland
1.F = Seite 1 [21:05]
2.S = Seite 2 [21:50]
3.L = Seite 3 [22:20]
4.N = Seite 4 [13:00]
5.
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (p; voc)
Brenda Bakr (voc)
Jimmy Lyons (as)
William Parker (b)
Rashid Bakr (d; perc)
Andre Martinez (d; perc)

Nicaragua liner notes, translated from German to English by Igor Danilishen (thanks igor!):

"Cecil Taylor's music originated in the sixties as an expression of African
Americans' revolt against the domination of U.S. imperialists in the black
ghettoes and Vietnam.

Today, there is a threat of Central America's becoming a second Vietnam. The
American invasion in free Nicaragua has been under way for several months.

So far, the creme of the black avant garde jazz musicians play their
serenades at the White House in front of the President.

Taylor, too.

However, the Willisau Concert was an anthem of colonized African Americans
for the vulcanic uprising of the Third World, for freedom and peace.

We are producing this record for you and against the mafia of the music
business. We dedicate it to the revolutionary people of Nicaragua,
especially to the black Sandinists of the Atlantic coast. The net proceeds,
approximately 7,000 franks, go for the support of a music cooperative in
Nicaragua."

Cover art for Nicaragua: (mouseover the thumbnail below for the full size image: will open up in new browser window)

front

back

{Primary Source: RL, info via R. Shapiro's Cecil Taylor Sessionography; M. Ehlers & B. Coley Wm. Parker discography from the "Fire in the Valley '98" program; "Free Jazz" vol.2, pg. 280, by T. Kamimura; info via Heinrich Smejkal}

83.08.31 - Cecil Taylor Unit: Jimmy Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, William Parker, Andre Martinez / FABRIK Mid-Summer Jazz, Hamburg, Germany
"This was a strange hit perhaps the strangest we ever did... First of all this place was a bomb factory during the war and had a very strange vibe. When we got there [it] is was filled with hardcore raver-punk types with Mohican haircuts-- not our usual crowd. Anyway we played the first set and played our butts off and the response from the crowd was luke-warm. Cecil and crew went to dressing room for a break, Cecil in amazement said "what the hell is going on here this crowd is strange or very demanding". He then suggested that Rashid and I, followed by William and Jimmy, then the Maestro, do a whole percussion intro batucada style to start the second set. The crowd flipped, they danced on tables and then started chanting, just going wild. We then played the set and they were hooked, as the standing ovations and encores proved..." [Andre Martinez correspondence to RL]

83.09.02 - Cecil Taylor Unit: Jimmy Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, William Parker, Andre Martinez / Messina, Sicily "...We did a concert TV show in Messina Sicily, titled "6 Messina Jazz Meeting", held in the Arena della Libertad. It was a trip because the guards in the place were equipped with machine guns." [Andre Martinez correspondence to RL]

83.09.04

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Soundboard Tape]

September 4, 1983
Jazzfestival Saalfelden, Tage Jazz 3
Saalfelden, Austria
1.unknown title [61:00]
2.unknown title [18:00]
3.unknown title [3:30]
(Composition, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (p; voc)
Brenda Bakr (voc)
Jimmy Lyons (as)
William Parker (b)
Rashid Bakr (d; perc)
Andre Martinez (d; perc)

{Primary Source: RL, CD-R}

83.09.28
83.09.29
83.09.30
83.10.01
83.10.02

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Soundboard Tapes; Private Tapes]

September 28 through October 2, 1983
Sweet Basil's
New York City
1.Sahmieros "T" []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)

"There is a story about the Bosendorfer they brought for Cecil and held an extra day for Abdullah Ibrahim October 3rd. CODA #193 1983 P.32 article by Kazunori Sugiyama." --Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.10.18

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive; Advertisement, The Villager Sept.29 1983 p.10; Steve Israel "Cecil Taylor's Jazz : A Club event of the year" The Villager Sept.29 1983 p.11; article by Jon Pareles in the NY Times 83.09.28 in reference to "Sahumieros T" debut}

83.10.18

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Private Tape]

October 18, 1983
Programme Du 6th Nancy Jazz Pulsations
Nancy, France
1.unknown titles []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)

"Sun Ra opened the show, 4000 people attended... we opened with poetry and Bata drums." Andre Martinez correspondence to RL, 02.11.02

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive}

83.10.26

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Private Tape]

October 26, 1983
Festival Internacional Jazz de Zaragoza
Coliseo Equitiva
Zaragoza, Spain
1.unknown titles []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)

"I remember walking the streets looking at the stores and at tools with William. I learned a lot about [my] Heritage on this trip and do remember how wonderful it was to see Latin names on banks and huge complexes on a plaque in front of the buildings, a lot more reassuring than what I had to see back home at the time. Definitely an uplifting experience, the people were wonderful, and the food
was great... Zaragoza was Oct. 26-- I have a huge poster of event autographed to me from Max Roach [who] writes 'Fly Strong Andre!!' " Andre Martinez correspondence to RL, 02.10.19; 02.10.21; 02.11.03

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive}

83.10.27

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Broadcast Tape; Private Tape]

October 27, 1983
IV Festival de Jazz de Madrid
Palacio de Deportes
Madrid, Spain
1.unknown titles []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)
Diane McIntyre and Sounds in Motion:
Cheryl Banks, Dorothea "Mickey" Davidson, Diane McIntyre, Warren Spears, Kevin Wynn (dancers)

"In 83 we went on tour with Diane McIntyre and her dance troupe from Harlem, NYC. After that tour Cecil and Diane were to do a
show at the Brooklyn Academy but they had a falling out. So Cecil hired Mickey Davidson and her choice of dancers to do the '85
shows. Mickey was a principal dancer with Diane and did do the '83 tour..." --Andre Martinez, correspondence 02.05.25

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive}

83.10.29

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Broadcast Tape]
The Orleans concert was recorded by SIMLO for Radio France

October 29, 1983
Orléans Théatre Carré St. Vincent
Orleans, France
1.unknown titles []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)

"Then our driver takes over, Gunnar Pfabe, a very beautiful and fun guy and a scarey great driver-- especially around mountains
and curves. ...takes us to Berlin..." [correspondence Andre Martinez 02.11.02]

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive}

83.10.30

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Broadcast Tape / Broadcast VIDEO]

October 30, 1983
Berlin Jazz Festival
Total Music Meeting '83
Berlin Philharmonic
Berlin, Germany
Broadcast Tape:

1.unknown title (excerpt, cuts in at beginning, fades at end) [34:13]
Broadcast Videotape:

1.unknown title [61:06] (continuous set, incomplete, cuts in at beginning, out at end)

"Taylor played better than ever for over two hours." [CODA #194 February 1984 p.22]
[I've yet to run a comparison on these. --RL]

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)
Diane McIntyre and Sounds in Motion:
Cheryl Banks, Dorothea "Mickey" Davidson, Diane McIntyre, Warren Spears, Kevin Wynn (dancers)

{Primary Source: RL, CD-R; Videotape; info via Andre Martinez archive}

83.11.03 - Cecil Taylor Unit: (personnel as above) / Mannheim, West Germany
[Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.11.02]

83.11.08

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / Broadcast Tape; Private Tape]

November 8, 1983
Dornbirn, Austria
1.unknown titles [110:00]
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive; H. Smejkal}

83.11.10
83.11.11

Cecil Taylor Unit: [Unissued / hat HUT Recording session]

November 10 & 11, 1983
Black Forest, Germany
1.unknown titles []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Rashid Bakr (drums)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)
Diane McIntyre and Sounds in Motion:
Cheryl Banks, Dorothea "Mickey" Davidson, Diane McIntyre, Warren Spears, Kevin Wynn (dancers)
("dancers did VOCAL track" --A. Martinez, correspondence 02.05.20)

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive; dates via Tanz Anzeiger Magazine, February, 1984, pg. 37}

83.11.14 - Cecil Taylor Unit: Jimmy Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, William Parker, Andre Martinez with Brown, Davidson, Zaquehi (dancers) / Munich, Germany

[Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.11.02]

83.11.15 - Cecil Taylor Unit: Jimmy Lyons, Rashid Bakr, Brenda Bakr, William Parker, Andre Martinez with Brown, Davidson, Zaquehi (dancers) / Neon, Geneva, Switzerland / "...the river waters were rough at the time and it was very foggy."

[Andre Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.11.02]

83.11.16

November 16, 1983

Cecil Taylor Unit & Afrodancers

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Brenda Bakr (vocals)
Jimmy Lyons (alto sax)
William Parker (bass)
Andre Martinez (drums; percussion)
Dorothea "Mickey" Davidson (dance)
Pauline Zaguehi (dance)
Leon Brown (dance)
Philip Bond (dance)

Foyer Stadttheater Basel
Bern, Switzerland
1.unknown titles []
(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

{Primary Source: RL, info via Andre Martinez archive, correction on date from Jan Strom. (was listed as 85.11.16)

83.11.18

November 18, 1983

Cecil Taylor (Solo?)

Cecil Taylor (p)
all other details unknown

Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, Pennsylvania

Primary source: Cadence (September 1983, p.80), Michael Fitzgerald.