Cecil Taylor Documentary

[Adam]

The William Eggleston doc referred to above is playing at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles this coming week.

The fact that such options exist on Comcast, somewhere, is very interesting. I need to check my Comcast listings - I have it but almost never watch. So where do I find such listings?

[WD45]

It is the eyeball icon on the menu that allows access to the on-demand materials.

[BFrank]

The William Eggleston doc referred to above is playing at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles this coming week.

The fact that such options exist on Comcast, somewhere, is very interesting. I need to check my Comcast listings - I have it but almost never watch. So where do I find such listings?

These docs are all part of Comcast's digital "On Demand" service. You select Channel 1 and it takes you to a menu that lets you select whatever you want to watch (from what's available).

[ep1str0phy]

The William Eggleston doc referred to above is playing at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles this coming week.

The fact that such options exist on Comcast, somewhere, is very interesting. I need to check my Comcast listings - I have it but almost never watch. So where do I find such listings?

These docs are all part of Comcast's digital "On Demand" service. You select Channel 1 and it takes you to a menu that lets you select whatever you want to watch (from what's available).

More specifically, it's listed under "free movies" (you'll probably have to cycle through the options to find it) as "Cecil Taylor."

[JSngry]

Even further - once you get into the Free Movies section, it's in the Palm Videos group.

[BFrank]

Finally watched the whole thing last night. Very interesting to see Cecil expound on music, art, etc......and WHATever. The guy's INsane, no doubt about that - but in a GOOD way.

OTOH, I found the editing to be very frustrating. I don't think the director had a clue about how he/she wanted to present this. It seems to jump around from one thing to another without a clear direction. I felt that I could have learned much more about CT with a better vision.

[Adam]

It's playing (at least, a doc on Cecil is playing) this week at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles this week. I'm going to try to see it.

There's also a film on Charles Lloyd & Billy Higgins - I think this is teh film alluded to to during their making of their final album(s).

http://www.paff.org/html/index.php

[relyles]

I was forced to lay around at home for a couple of days last week because of health issues and had a chance to watch the film. I have heard a lot of Taylor's music, but the "interview" segments gave some insight into Taylor's personality. Probably not the kind of person that I would typically hang out with, but interesting. The concert footage was also very nice to see. I saw Taylor live years ago at Alice Tully Hall, but I was so far back I think some of the experience was lost. This gave me an opportunity at least on my TV to get a glimpse of him in action up close.

[marcello]

Seeing him live, up close, is a expierence. It's for me, the best way to listen to his music for the greater part.

One week at the Vanguard, I went several times, sat up front or close enough, to let that sound hit me like a Tsunami!

It was that band that had Jimmy Lyons and Ralph Malik.

I wonder how this concert went?

Edited February 15, 2006 by marcello

[Chuck Nessa]

It is also fascinating to watch Cecil rehearse. I've witnessed rehearsals with student ensembles and with his own unit.

[BFrank]

I wonder how this concert went?

Wow. Bill Graham sure knew how to book 'em, didn't he? Talk about an inspired lineup!

[nedgoold]

i especially liked the part where he was enjoying that violinist at the 55 bar. that's the great thing about jazz, especially now that it's considered an art form, everybody can participate whether they're a master or they've been playing for two months. it's beautiful the way he lets his students bypass all that tedious work by telling them to create their own language. what an idiot schoenberg was when he refused to teach 12-tone harmony before his students were thoroughly versed in diatonic traditional practices. thank god jazz has done away with all that.

[Chuck Nessa]

Somebody's on a mission.

[JSngry]

"That violinist" was Billy Bang, iirc. And Billy Bang can play.

[clifford_thornton]

i especially liked the part where he was enjoying that violinist at the 55 bar. that's the great thing about jazz, especially now that it's considered an art form, everybody can participate whether they're a master or they've been playing for two months. it's beautiful the way he lets his students bypass all that tedious work by telling them to create their own language. what an idiot schoenberg was when he refused to teach 12-tone harmony before his students were thoroughly versed in diatonic traditional practices. thank god jazz has done away with all that.

Yeah. Improvised music is so easy to play, and experience. Thank God I get my challenges from television.

[Chuck Nessa]

"That violinist" was Billy Bang, iirc. And Billy Bang can play.

You don't have any idea how hard it is to be "35 years behind the times" and "50 years behind the times" at the same friggin' time. It leads to discomboblulation.

[JSngry]

As well sa disemboweled locution!

[Chuck Nessa]

You don't have any idea how hard it is to be "35 years behind the times" and "50 years behind the times" at the same friggin' time. It leads to discomboblulation.

Geez, I forgot to say 100 years.

Let me consult Berg, Webern, Carter, Boulez, Cage, Stockhausen, etc.

Or maybe more "on point" I should check with (late) Gorecki.

[Epithet]

I just knew Schoenberg was an idiot. Glad I have confirmation.

[cue Gurrelieder: Tom and Jerry sequence]

Edited March 5, 2006 by Epithet

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, and what was the point of Beethoven doing all that "hard" shit at the end of his career? He shoulda chilled out and kept it "lite." Western music has him to thank for all this foolishness and idiocy!

[Adam]

Finally watched the whole thing last night. Very interesting to see Cecil expound on music, art, etc......and WHATever. The guy's INsane, no doubt about that - but in a GOOD way.

OTOH, I found the editing to be very frustrating. I don't think the director had a clue about how he/she wanted to present this. It seems to jump around from one thing to another without a clear direction. I felt that I could have learned much more about CT with a better vision.

I did watch it at the Pan African Film Festival, and I thought it was a really good portrait of Cecil Taylor. I didn't find the editing irritating - I thought it kept the film moving, with several "storylines" intertwining. I thought the direction was pretty clear. And Taylor's sense of humor, and delight in the world, was marvelous.

But then, I'm also used to experimental documentaries, and this didn't seem so unusual.

I was also delighted by Cecil visiting Mal Waldron (my favorite). This doc must have found footage from several years back, or could the doc maker actually have been filming for several years? Either is possible.

In any case, for those in Los Angeles, I'm going to try to screen it at Los Angeles Filmforum at some point.

[Chuck Nessa]

Mr Ned Goold seems to have run away without defending his position. Come back and defend your life.

[JSngry]

I've enjoyed (and recommended on this board) Ned Goold's playing & recordings, and will continue to do so, but dude, get a fukkin' grip!

[Chuck Nessa]

I've enjoyed (and recommended on this board) Ned Goold's playing & recordings, and will continue to do so, but dude, get a fukkin' grip!

I think it's spelled "dood".

[Lazaro Vega]

Featuring Ned tonight on Jazz From Blue Lake and recalled Luke's insights into his "system."

After reading through the thread thought these comments, made over at Branford Marsalis's long gone forum, might shed some light on Mr. Goold's views:

Ned Goold wrote: Every art form is based on certain universal elements common to all art and local ones exclusive to it. In Jazz and American popular song of what is generally considered its golden era, the essential ingredient is one of lightness. This is the essence of this music and any attempt to steer it into heavier areas, while perhaps gaining a temporary lyrical power, diminishes its efficacy and hastens its descent into the abyss of insignifigance. Jazz has neither the rythmic complexity of traditional African music nor the harmonic depth of any era of European art music. What it does have derives from a combination of the two plus the all-encompassing blues harmony which pervades everything to some degree. What the blues does is basically turn the root tonic chord into a dominant 7th chord. This feeling of unresolvedness and perpetual forwartd motion (due in no small part to the complex triplet based swing beat) gives American music its unique value. The dominant chord is the essence of funk. When Bird had his famous breakthrough about soloing over the upper tones of the dominant chord it was not new. Pop tunes (whose lyrics were fittingly light) had used those intervals as strong melody notes since the teens, Bird and Dizzy came up with a system for soloing over these complex progressions (with help from Bix and Pres). As heavy as this all is, it never lost is fundamental lightness; Dizzy talks about how Bebop is based on the cycle of dominants. One of Monk's greatest achievements is his reharmonisation of Tea for Two over a cycle. The introduction of "modal" harmony into Jazz is emblamatic of the dissolution of the prime elements which alone make it great. Ornette Coleman tried to further the Bebop revolution, but introduced elements of "spirituality" by emphasising the major sound to the detriment of the dominant; another step backwards. Coltrane's use of an endless minor chord (without even a V to modify it) and group dynamics and climaxes, while perfect for his extremely powerful music, is another huge step away from the essence of Jazz which is like European polyphony where all the parts work together while being independent. The influence of these developments (along with other factors outside of this thesis) has sent Jazz tumbling into the veritable pit of Hell wherein it now resides. (Complete with a plethora of minor imps and demons whose existence is based on the furthering of lies and the perpetuation of this evil and worthless state of affairs). And by the way, I'm playing at Small's every Saturday night (while it lasts) at 7.30 PM, so c'mon down, I'm a beautiful guy once you get to know me.