Cecil Taylor & Elvin Jones Blue Note 6/17-18/03

[Frisco]

My friends and I kept reiterating, only for Cecil. If there is a place less conducive to hearing the music of Cecil Taylor, I'd be surprised. Nonetheless, there were two quite brilliant performances that took place at the ultimate in tacky jazz clubs in NYC on June 17 and 18.

Playing to two full houses of enthusiastic fans, packed in like sardines, Cecil Taylor and Elvin Jones mesmerized with sets of 70 plus minutes on each evening. This was my first time hearing the two in duo.

Elvin played exclusively with the mallets, apparently as he has in past performances. He layed down a sort of mellow groove that ebbed and flowed in intensity throughout the sets. The duo connected well at times with some nice creative interplay, but as the sets developed it seemed that Cecil took over as the lead voice.

Cecil was as brilliant as ever. I must say that, after hearing Cecil perform countless times over the past twenty six years, he never ceases to amaze me. There were things happening that I'd never heard him do before. I'm sure that it was Elvin's approach and Cecil's search for ways of connecting that prompted such creativity.

Of course the typical cascades up and down the keyboard of the Bosendorfer were there. Explorations of the lower end with Elvin rumbling on the tom-toms. And some beautiful jabs and runs on the upper end, sounding like he was performing his latest Piano Sonata at Carnegie Hall. The high energy was there, Cecil's hands becoming a blur, but not for long sustained periods. There was more ebb and flow than perhaps I;d ever heard.

Well, as you can see, I'm not great at descriptive writing. Just thought I'd share some thoughts as I hadn't seen a write up yet. Now, where was that waitress yelling across the table for me to buy a drink midway through the performance, then plopping the check down in front of me with about 15 minutes left? Hmmm, did they charge tax on the cover charge AND drinks? Are we supposed to tip on this entire bill including cover? What is proper Blue Note etiquette? Oh well, no matter. Until the next Cecil/Elvin performance.

[Pete C]

Originally posted by Frisco

Are we supposed to tip on this entire bill including cover? What is proper Blue Note etiquette? Oh well, no matter. Until the next Cecil/Elvin performance.

If you're a customer, the proper etiquette is to tip on food & drink only. If you're a waitperson, the proper etiquette is to tip on the entire check.

[walto]

Thanks for the review! Makes me wish I'd been there.

[Other Steve]

I was sorry to miss the duo this year, having heard them twice in previous years. My girlfriend and a friend of hers from out of town tried to attend Wednesday night's set -- and they were on the press list, to boot -- and still, the place was so swarmed that they gave up and left.

Let's make it absolutely clear: The Blue Note is the most heinous place in all of NYC to hear live music -- or to do much of anything else, for that matter. (Yes, I've been in the bathroom at CBGB -- so what?) And still, it seems that it's the only room capable of booking (read: paying) this particular twosome.

Still, in both instances the music more than compensated for my disgust at the environs. Seldom does Cecil seem to actually listen more attentively to a duet partner than when he's paired with Elvin.

Hollywood Extra: Last time I caught CT+EJ at the Blue Note, I was also treated to the peculiar sight of Lawrence "Butch" Morris and Avery "Hawk/Captain Sisco" Brooks seated side-by-side at the end of the bar.

[Tom Storer]

Just saw this quote in an article on the Jerry Jazz Musician site, a conversation with Gary Giddins about Cecil Taylor. Giddins says:

Every pianist, whether they play "out" or not, has been liberated by Taylor's keyboard attack. Tommy Flanagan went to hear him when Cecil was playing duets with Elvin Jones at the Blue Note a few years ago. He stayed through two sets and was set to open at the Vanguard a week or so later. When we left I said, jokingly of course, "So will you be playing any Cecil Taylor tunes?" He said, "No, but you can bet I'll be thinking of them."