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Product Description
The Guardian, (John Fordham), May 20, 2011
(4 stars) Taborn's genius makes a world of whispered, wide-spaced figures, ringing overtones, evaporating echoes...it's irresistibly full of surprises and dramas.
His musicality and his attention to detail is hypnotic...as is his remarkable sense of compositional narrative within a completely improvised performance.
His musicality and his attention to detail is hypnotic...as is his remarkable sense of compositional narrative within a completely improvised performance.
CD Description
'Avenging Angel' is Craig Taborn's distinguished contribution to the great solo piano tradition at ECM, first established by the likes of Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and Paul Bley. Taborn's highly original album claims its own space. A powerful, purposeful and rigorous disc, which rises to the challenges of the format and transcends them, it explores the textural dimensions of sound, builds new structures, and uncovers a rugged lyricism. Recorded in July 2010 in the optimal acoustics of the recital room at Lugano's Studio RSI, with Manfred Eicher producing, it's Taborn's first disc under his own name for ECM, following on from highly-inspired sessions with Roscoe Mitchell, Evan Parker, David Torn and Michael Formanek. It's also Taborn's first-ever solo piano album. Solo work has played an increasingly important role in Craig's work in recent years. Taborn has been frequently cited by critics as one of the most important younger pianists. He has repeatedly been voted # 1 Rising Star Keyboardist in the Downbeat International Jazz Critics Poll. Born in Detroit in 1970, Taborn first came to international attention as a member of saxophonist James Carter's ensembles. By the late 1990s he was playing regularly with Roscoe Mitchell – he appeared on Mitchell's Nine To Get Ready on ECM in 1997 – and leading his own groups. In the 2000s he was heard often in Tim Berne's bands and played with Dave Douglas, Gerald Cleaver and many others. One of the most sought after sidemen and sessioneers, valued for his quick-witted improvising capacity, there is growing awareness among the jazz listening public that he is one of the great pianists of the present moment. "There is no place for fear of doubt in pianist Craig Taborn's playing – such states are banished form a mind that seeks to explore the musical possibilities of each moment with maximum freedom. Taborn's improvisational playing is a continual creation where the journey is the thing… True improvisers like Taborn, with the ability to take the leap into the unknown, have always been a fairly rare breed." – allaboutjazz.com Personnel: Craig Taborn (piano)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I was aware of Craig Taborn as a side man with the likes of Scott Colley, Michael Formanik and David Torn on the formidable "Prezens" CD. He always stood out with his unique style of piano playing within these groups. None of this can prepare you for this exceptional solo work. It is so different to other jazz piano playing and is very much a new direction. He does not sound like anyone else but there are clearly links with previous generations of great pianists. If you like the solo works of Keith Jarrett, this will almost certainly appeal. Because it is different in approach and style to that which Jarret strives for, it will also appeal to those who are not so keen on his work. It is difficult to be sure if it is spontaneously composed but it certainly sounds like it could be. There are couple of "tough" tracks but most of this CD is of rare beauty. There is complex rhythmic playing that he sets up to great effect and many melodies use the percussive side of the piano. This is most noticeable on the magnificent "Glossolalia". Some of it is reminiscent of French impressionist composers such as Satie and Debussy. An artist to nuture and, for me, the jazz CD release of the year so far. Unhesitatingly recommended.
The recording quality is of reference level and above the normal high standards that one expects from ECM. All due credit to Manfred Eicher and engineer Stefano Amerio for this achievement in a world where recording standards seem to be reducing in quality.
The recording quality is of reference level and above the normal high standards that one expects from ECM. All due credit to Manfred Eicher and engineer Stefano Amerio for this achievement in a world where recording standards seem to be reducing in quality.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
For the sake of convenience Craig Taborn can be spoken of alongside names like Jason Moran and Matthew Shipp. All three gentlemen are as concerned with the future of jazz and improvised music as they are with the unquestionably glorious past, but they're not in awe of the latter to the extent that their individual futures lie in rehashing it.
Farmers By Nature, the trio Taborn is a member of alongside bass player William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver, is a potent reminder of this, and the same goes for this solo piano recital. Indeed it has an edge when it comes to emphasising the extent to which Taborn breaks with the past. On a piece like "Glossolalia" it's clear that he's the opposite of a musician in thrall to his influences. His right hand is rhapsodic but it's clear too that he's not striving for effect.
"Spirit Hard Knock" is one of the most remarkable pieces on offer, being an exercise in both broken syncopation and the power of touch, which in this case has the effect of damping certain keys in a way which makes the piece notably percussive.
The following "Neither-Nor" is an antidote to nostalgia and in its way quite rhetorical about the matter of the music's relationship with the past. It perhaps goes without saying that Taborn comes down on the side of the present, but the level of his digital dexterity is such that anyone looking for a trite description could label him a 21st century Art Tatum and not lose sleep over it.
So this is one of the `jazz' releases of the year not merely because of its level of engagement with now. It's also one because Taborn is in the business of distilling something new that's not about mere novelty. Because he is he's come of age.
Farmers By Nature, the trio Taborn is a member of alongside bass player William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver, is a potent reminder of this, and the same goes for this solo piano recital. Indeed it has an edge when it comes to emphasising the extent to which Taborn breaks with the past. On a piece like "Glossolalia" it's clear that he's the opposite of a musician in thrall to his influences. His right hand is rhapsodic but it's clear too that he's not striving for effect.
"Spirit Hard Knock" is one of the most remarkable pieces on offer, being an exercise in both broken syncopation and the power of touch, which in this case has the effect of damping certain keys in a way which makes the piece notably percussive.
The following "Neither-Nor" is an antidote to nostalgia and in its way quite rhetorical about the matter of the music's relationship with the past. It perhaps goes without saying that Taborn comes down on the side of the present, but the level of his digital dexterity is such that anyone looking for a trite description could label him a 21st century Art Tatum and not lose sleep over it.
So this is one of the `jazz' releases of the year not merely because of its level of engagement with now. It's also one because Taborn is in the business of distilling something new that's not about mere novelty. Because he is he's come of age.
Format:Audio CD
A musician who has listened deeply to Cecil Taylor and Andrew Hill as well as all the obvious influences on what young pianists play in the 21st century (Monk, Tyner, Duke and the rest). Knotty, ambitious, rhythmically complex and surprising, this is at root beautifully melodic music. Taborn is emerging now as an essential pianist, along with Vijay Iyer. Try Light Made Lighter, which is a trio record and almost as good as this solo performance. Another trio is said to be due from ECM later in 2012. Can't wait.
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