William Drew | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

This record references pianist Cecil Taylor in several ways. There is no piano here, and no attempt to reanimate or imitate Cecil Taylor´s style of playing. This particular trio debuted at the April 2016 Open Plan exhibit on Cecil Taylor at the Whitney Museum in New York. It was still a relatively new prospect when brought together to perform in France in early 2020. They recorded on the following days—just before the world shut down.

Andrew Cyrille and William Parker had deep histories with Taylor, almost exactly the same profile, in fact, for non-overlapping stages of CT´s career. Cyrille and Parker are respectively the rhythm players who spent the longest "continuous" spell of time in the Units and related groups. They were the firmament while other band members came and went. Andrew was the drummer of choice for the Unit for close to 12 years starting in 1964. William was the regular bassist for Taylor groups (including the last Unit and beyond) for the baker´s dozen of years beginning in 1980. Their role in his music is simple to express, though profound in its impact. Both musicians´ voluminous discographies with and without Taylor fuel a study that we will carry on as long as listeners make their way to this music: Were Parker and Cyrille themselves formed by the ensemble or did they form it? They shaped the Unit shaped the music shaped them.

Enrico Rava (flugelhorn)
William Parker (double bass)
Andrew Cyrille (drums)

1. Improvisation No. 1
2. Ballerina
3. Blues for Cecil No. 1
4. Improvisation No. 2
5. Top Bottom and What's in the Middle
6. Blues for Cecil No. 2
7. Enrava Melody
8. Overboard
9. Machu Pichu
10. My Funny Valentine