If I can describe this year in one word then that word would be: traveling. I did a lot of travels and a lot of those travels were by car. Driving 500 to 600 kilometres in one day alone and free to listen to whatever I want for hours. Certainly I always had a soft spot for difficult music but these long drives allowed me to dedicate a lot more head space to it and enjoy it with new perspectives and refreshed vigor.
Cecil Taylor undoubtedly fits in this category of difficult music. Difficult to focus on, difficult to process, difficult to endure maybe but definitely easy to have a dismissive opinion on it. Over the years my favorite albums by him were albums where he had groups of musicians with him and solo albums I've tried maybe once but quickly passed on them. Conquistador definitely still is my favorite album by him, closely followed by the immense live album - Nefertiti but only recently I've grown to appreciate his solo albums.
I've read descriptions of these albums as being more percussive than pianist. A statement that I can definitely understand and see where it comes from. From my perspective, which is a perspective of a dumb fucking elitist caveman metalhead, Cecils playing sounds to me like primordial versions of guitar solos that Trey Azagthoth did on Morbid Angel albums.
I get that this is a stretch and an unfair comparison but I hear it. Maybe I'm just crazy. But Cecils solo performances are never focused on structured playing - it is sculpting with sound. Textures and layers of sound, morphing into an infernal whirlwind of piano keys that rises and falls throughout the album as he sees or feels. Unbarred pure expression limited by very little. Kinda like the early extreme metal scene.
In any case this album definitely isn't for anyone but one day you might sit down and suddenly it'll all make sense and you'll enjoy it. For me it only took a 6 hour drive from Rijeka to Genoa - for you it will be something different. No shame in trying!
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