Artist: Cecil Taylor
Album: Return Concert at The Town Hall NYC November 4, 1973
Genre: Free Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz
Label: Oblivion Records
Released: 2022
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Tracklist:
- Autumn/Parade 01:28:03
- Spring of Two Blue-J's [Part 1] 16:16
- Spring of Two Blue-J's [Part 2] 22:02
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The anticipation in The Town Hall was infectious, with the Cecil Taylor Unit and the audience melding their exhilaration into what would be an astounding performance.
Proudly, I can announce the revival of my label Oblivion Records to present the entire concert recording of Cecil Taylor’s Return Concert of 1973. The previous release of only one half of the performance, “Spring of Two Blue-J’s”, was hailed as one of his best recordings ever (and until now was only available as a European bootleg). The addition of a 90 minute quartet will only sharpen that opinion.
The concert is available now only on your favorite digital service, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Cecil Taylor estate.
50 years ago, two partners and I started a tiny record label to record world class blues and jazz musicians, and at the same time I’d oversee live jazz broadcasts at WKCR-FM, my college radio station in New York City. One day a manager asked if I’d record the concert of Cecil Taylor Unit’s triumphant return to New York City after several years teaching at midwestern US colleges. I jumped at the chance to work with one of the three acknowledged leaders of avant-garde jazz.
The second set would be perfect for the two sides of a vinyl LP which Cecil released on his own label; a side long solo backed with a quartet performance with stalwarts Andrew Cyrille, Jimmy Lyons and Sirone. Hailed as one of his best recordings ever, Cecil’s lack of interest in running a company allowed the 2000 copies to fall out of print, eventually only being available as a European bootleg ripped from the vinyl.
For years I hadn’t listened to the first half of the concert –”Autumn/Parade” was one uninterrupted hail of 88 minutes with the entire Unit– but during the pandemic I pulled out the tapes and realized history had been sitting on my shelves for almost half a century. Putting it together with the two part “Spring…” would allow the world to hear the astonishing progress of Cecil’s vision.
Fred Seibert