The only reason I've never linked to my Time Out New York colleague Hank Shteamer's blog until now is because it shares a not-for-the-workplace name with his excellent math-metal band. My excuse -- and I think it's a valid one, if perhaps slightly highfalutin' -- is that I don't want anything to interfere with my blog's accessibility in schools and libraries. (If, to those who know me personally, I've seemed less salty here than I can be in person, now you know why.)
That said, I feel compelled to link to Hank's space this morning, to draw attention to his detailed and perceptive report on Cecil Taylor's solo hit at Merkin Concert Hall last night. It's been a long time since I've heard Taylor play solo -- since my time of employment at the Knitting Factory in 1997, I'd have to guess, when he played on a double bill with Philip Glass (also solo) during the club's tenth anniversary series in February. Before that, I'd heard a completely epochal solo recital at Alice Tully Hall on Taylor's birthday in 1994 -- then went down to Visiones in Greenwich Village for an Arthur Blythe set, and got to eavesdrop as Stanley Crouch and Ted Panken agreed to disagree about the merits of what had just gone down uptown.
Cecil Taylor solo is one of the world's great things, and Hank does a great job of describing his impressions -- as well as his perception of a slight degree of frailty coming into the pianist's physical apparatus at this point.
Hank is a man of diverse tastes. Scroll down after his Taylor report to catch his impressions of last night's show by Xiu Xiu at the Mercury Lounge. Posts about Cannibal Corpse, Jimmy Lyons, Deerhoof, etc. precede the post in question; if, by now, you're nodding in sympathy, you'll surely make Hank's blog-that-must-not-be-named a regular stop. I'm adding Hank to the blogroll at last -- but under his own name, thank you.
While we're on the topic of Taylor, I note with great enthusiasm that a trio with the pianist, bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Pheeroan ak Laff has just been confirmed at Iridium on October 26 and 27, according to the schedule on Grimes's website. I hope to catch a least a couple of these sets. Maybe I'll see you there. (The trio is also playing on October 21 at the Artists Collective in Hartford, CT.)
Playlist:
Aterciopelados - Oye (Nacional)
Trouble - Psalm 9 and The Skull (Escapi)
Khlyst - Chaos Is My Name (Hydra Head)
Simple Minds - Early Gold (Caroline)
Giuseppe Verdi - Requiem; Quattro pezzi sacri* - Joan Sutherland; Marilyn Horne; Luciano Pavarotti; Martti Talvela; Vienna State Opera Choir and Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Chorus and Orchestra*/Georg Solti (Decca)
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