Cecil Taylor's Leap Into Free Collective Fire
Conquistador! captures Taylor at a turning point, leading five musicians through dense, interlocking improvisation with absolute conviction.
By 1968, Cecil Taylor had already proven himself a virtuoso—but Conquistador! marks the moment he stopped playing within jazz conventions and started demanding his ensemble meet him in open territory. This is Taylor commanding, not compromising. The album documents a session recorded two years earlier, when Taylor assembled Bill Dixon on trumpet, Jimmy Lyons on alto saxophone, Henry Grimes and Alan Silva on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums. What emerges is simultaneously organized and chaotic—rhythmic structures dissolve into collective conversation, then crystallize again around Taylor's relentless piano. The critical response confirmed its arrival as essential: The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide awarded it a perfect 5/5, and The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings matched that at 4/4. This wasn't a lateral move or a refinement of earlier work. Taylor had moved from being a gifted modernist to a bandleader demanding total commitment to collective freedom. The music doesn't swing in any traditional sense; it propels forward through sheer density and intent. For listeners already inside Taylor's world, this is a peak. For newcomers, it's challenging and demands patience, but it's also where Taylor's vision becomes unmistakable. Blue Note's decision to document and release this session gave the free jazz conversation a permanent, audible artifact.
Who's playing
Henry Grimesbass
Alan Silvabass
Cecil Taylorpiano
Jimmy Lyonsalto saxophone
Bill Dixontrumpet
Andrew Cyrilledrums
Where next?
More by Cecil Taylor
All 77 albums →
The musicians on this record
Special People 1981
Andrew Cyrille
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
♫
In the Tradition 1993
Alan Silva
plays bass here
plays bass here
