Cecil Taylor

Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929 – April 5, 2018)^[1][2][3][4] was an American pianist and poet.^[5][6]

Cecil Taylor
Background information
Birth name	Cecil Percival Taylor
Born	(1929-03-25)March 25, 1929 Queens, New York City, U.S.
Died	April 5, 2018(2018-04-05) (aged 89) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, avant-garde jazz, free jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, bandleader, composer, poet
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1956–2018
Labels	Transition, Blue Note, Freedom, Hathut, Enja, FMP

Taylor was known as having been one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized as energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds. His piano technique has been likened to percussion, for example described as "eighty-eight tuned drums" (referring to the number of keys on a standard piano).^[7][8]

Taylor died at his Brooklyn, New York home on April 5, 2018 at the age of 89.^[9][10]

Related pages

• List of poets from North America