Cecil Taylor - Looking (Berlin Version) Corona '1989

Tracks list

       Recorded a couple of days after the similarly titled solo piano
performance also released on FMP, Looking (Berlin Version) Corona is a fine
quintet concert, notable for the relatively unusual (for Taylor) instrumental
grouping employed. In addition to longtime associates Tony Oxley and William
Parker, he added a violinist and a cellist (Harold Kimmig and Muneer Abdul
Fatah, respectively), forming with Parker a kind of string trio plunked down
between the two massive musical forces of nature playing piano and drums. This
hornless ensemble creates a very attractive openness of sound, leaving the
players a large amount of apparent sonic space in which to improvise freely.
Kimmig takes advantage of this early on with some inspired soloing, bringing to
mind another violinist briefly affiliated with Taylor, Leroy Jenkins.

The piece itself is divided into three movements, although it actually appears
to be simply an extended improvisation and two briefer, quieter encores. Except
for the last section, there's little in the way of thematic material in even the
most tenuous manner. Instead, it's high-energy improv almost the entire way, the
affinity between Taylor and Oxley especially apparent as they dance around each
other in a dizzying series of patterns and whorls. There's an enormous number of
recordings from Taylor in the late '80s (much of it on FMP) and, while this may
not rank at the very top of even that batch, it's a quite enjoyable release and
one that the serious aficionado will want to hear.

Tracks:

1. "First Movement" 60:15
2. "Second Movement" 3:30
3. "Third Movement" 7:30

Personnel:

Cecil Taylor: piano
Harald Kimmig: violin
Muneer Abdul Fataah: cello
William Parker: double bass
Tony Oxley: drums 

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