“Phasis” – a poem by Russell Dupont
Day six
and the dissonance
of my pneumonia
has become as percussive
as Cecil Taylor’s piano.
April 16th, 2025
cecil taylor
Interview with Phillip Freeman, author of In the Brewing Luminous: The Life and Music of Cecil Taylor
Philip Freeman discusses Cecil Taylor – the most eminent free jazz musician of his era, whose music marked the farthest boundary of avant-garde jazz.
...February 27th, 2025
Book Excerpt from In the Brewing Luminous: The Life and Music of Cecil Taylor, by Philip Freeman
In anticipation of my soon-to-be-published interview with Philip Freeman, who authored the first full-length biography of Cecil Taylor, In the Brewing Luminous, the author has provided readers the opportunity to read his book’s introduction.
...February 7th, 2025
“Strata (in Cecil Taylor’s notes to Unit Structures, 1966)” – a poem by Sean Howard
An abstract poetic view of an abstract jazz recording…
...May 10th, 2023
The Sunday Poem: “Wood Ticks on Fire: Cecil Taylor and the Forests of Sound that Plant Themselves in Us” – by George Kalamaras
The poet writes about the complexity of pianist Cecil Taylor’s music, and the liberation he feels from listening to it
...January 22nd, 2023
“Wood Ticks on Fire: Cecil Taylor and the Forests of Sound that Plant Themselves in Us” — a poem by George Kalamaras
As if the stars contained wood ticks
on fire. As if there were forests within
forests. Trees within stones. Stones
folded over into water.
The most secret nocturnal animals
walk around during the day, unseen.
September 11th, 2022
Veryl Oakland’s “Jazz in Available Light” — photos (and stories) of Thelonious Monk, Paul Bley and Cecil Taylor
In this edition of photographs and stories from Mr. Oakland’s book, Thelonious Monk, Paul Bley and Cecil Taylor are featured.
...October 17th, 2020
Gary Giddins…on Cecil Taylor
In 2003, as part of the Jerry Jazz Musician “Conversations with Gary Giddins” series, I was fortunate to interview Giddins — his generation’s most esteemed jazz writer — about Cecil Taylor, who died earlier today at age 89. It is an excellent read for anyone with an interest in Cecil (or Gary). You can access it by
...April 6th, 2018
Conversations with Gary Giddins: on pianist Cecil Taylor
Village Voice writer Gary Giddins, who was prominently featured in Ken Burns’ documentary Jazz, and who is the countrys preeminent jazz critic, joins us in a March 13, 2003 conversation about pianist Cecil Taylor.
...March 13th, 2003
Your Support is Appreciated
Click here to read about plans for the future of Jerry Jazz Musician.
Publisher’s Notes
In This Issue
The Sunday Poem
“Listening to Life’s Sound Tracks With Terence Oliver Blanchard” by Mary K O’Melveny
The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work....
Mary K O'Melveny reads her poem at its conclusion
Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem
Interview
Community
Short Fiction
Feature
Short Fiction
Poetry
Interview
Short Fiction
Feature
Poetry
Interview
Playlist
Interview
Feature
Art
Feature
Community
Feature
Interview
Feature
Community
Art
Contributing Writers
Coming Soon
Interview Archive
