Cecil Taylor Recordings/Sessions from 1991

91.00.00

Cecil Taylor: Burning Poles

Mystic Fire Video 76240 (VHS) 1991

Date ?, 1991
National Video Industries
New York City

1.Poles [10:20]
2.The Silence of Trees [30:50]
3.For (1st Part) [7:10]

(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
William Parker (bass)
Tony Oxley (drums)
André Martinez (drums; percussion)

I'm looking for a tape or report on this event: "Friday, May 4th, 2001 at Johns Hopkins University, 2:30-5:30PM Presentation and discussion of the film "Burning Poles" (Mystic Fire Video, 1991; 50 min.), Donovan Room, Gilman 110. Screening of "Burning Poles" along with other performance footage of Cecil
Taylor, in both solo and group format, led by Fred Moten (School of Performance Studies, New York University)." Can anyone tell me about this? --RL

"...Burning Poles was the title of a piece he wrote for a student ensemble in Boston at NEC the year before, and in '91 he went on tour through new England and Canada with Parker and Henry (sic) * Martinez. I'm not sure how Oxley fits in to the footage-- whether he joined them there for part of the tour or not-- but I seem to recall Cecil saying that Oxley himself had some supervision or general oversight of the video projection."
--correspondence from Stefan Dill to RL

* "Cecil would sometimes use peoples' birth name if he knew it. My birth name is Henry and Cecil sometimes called me that... and I would respond 'ok, Percival' and that would end that." --Andre "Henry" Martinez archive, correspondence to RL, 02.05.27
"...Sheldon Roschlin and Maxine Harris [were] producers. Tony Oxley manipulated the whole experience-- the real session which was recorded the night before was not used. William, Taylor and I had just returned from the triumphant New England tour which was crucial to Taylor receiving the MacArthur award. Tony flew in from England to do gig. He and Sheldon were friends. For me personally this is the worst session we ever had."
--André Martinez archive correspondence to RL, 02.05.20

{Primary Source: RL, Mystic Fire 76240; info via S. Dill; venue and date info via André Martinez archive}

91.01.08
91.01.09
91.01.10
91.01.11
91.01.12
91.01.13

Cecil Taylor Trio: [Unissued / Private Tape(s)]

January 8 through 13, 1991
Condon's
New York City

1.unknown titles []

(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
William Parker (bass)
Andre Martinez (drums)

"...Condon's was a six night stint in the Winter. On Friday the 11th there was a major snow storm, and there was some static as to final payment due to the storm, but I did collect for the band-- one of my chores. Barry Harris, Clifford Jordan, Jackson Krall, and others came by to see the shows-- Alex Blake and Ronnie Burrage, and Naima Wade, a poet and friend of Cecil's who had performed with us on the final gig in Vermont [90.11.03] during the New England tour"

--Andre Martinez correspondence to RL, 02.05.27; 02.10.24

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

91.05.03

Stadthalle, Unna (D), WDR - Jazz Meeting

CECIL TAYLOR - TONY OXLEY DUO

Cecil Taylor (p) Tony Oxley (dr)

1) Untitled Improvisation (inc.) (Taylor) 45:20
2) Untitled Improvisation (Taylor) 38:30

Primary Source: Heinrich Smejkal, Private Tape (broadcast)

91.05.09
91.05.10
91.05.11

Cecil Taylor and Rada: Live in New York [Unissued / Broadcast Video; Private Tapes; Private Videotapes]
Japan Satellite Broadcasting

May 9, 10 & 11, 1991
Knitting Factory
New York City

1.unknown titles []

(All compositions, Cecil Taylor)

Cecil Taylor (piano)
Raphé Malik (trumpet)
Carlos Ward (alto sax)
Glenn Spearman (tenor sax)
John Bruschini (guitar)
William Parker (bass)
Thurman Barker (marimba)
Andre Martinez (percussion)
Tony Oxley (drums)

"According to my records there was an Article in the New York Times, Friday, May 10th-- and Gary Giddens also did review on May 9-10. ...a classic
session, [a] three night event. It was also the same time I moved from the house where Cecil and I shared with my family. I rebuilt the entire brownstone where
Cecil still lives from a complete gut job."
--Andre Martinez, correspondence to RL, 02.05.27 and 02.05.31; 02.10 24

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

91.09.09

CECIL TAYLOR QUINTET

Cecil Taylor (p)
Harri Sjöström (ss)
Wolfgang Fuchs (ssi)
Barry Guy (b)
Tony Oxley (dr)

1) Untitled Improvisation (Taylor) 8:30
2) Untitled Improvisation (Taylor) 42:30
Jazz Club Fasching, Stockholm (S)

Notes: On 1) p, b, dr only.
Info from Jazzpodium 9/1991, S.63 (Short article with concert schedule).

Primary Source: Heinrich Smejkal, Private Tape (broadcast)

91.10.16

CECIL TAYLOR QUINTET

Cecil Taylor (p,voc)
Harri Sjöström (ss)
Wolfgang Fuchs (ssi)
Sirone (b)
Tony Oxley (dr)

1) Untitled Improvisation (Taylor) 4:40
2) Untitled Improvisation (p-solo) (Taylor) 15:20
3) Untitled Improvisation (Taylor) 44:00
4) Untitled Improvisation (Taylor) 7:50

Fabrik, Hamburg (D), 16th Jazz Festival (16.10. - 20.10.1991)

Notes: Info from Jazzpodium 10/1991, S.70 (Festival schedule) and 12/1991, S.38, 40 (Festivalreport).

Primary Source: Heinrich Smejkal, Private Tape (broadcast), Private Video (2 - 4) only.