1987 · Album
For Olim
Recorded April 9, 1986, Berlin, Germany · Soul Note · Format: Solo piano
Taylor Alone: The Berlin Solo Concert
One of Cecil Taylor's most satisfying solo concerts, exploring eight compositions with uncompromising adventurousness.
For Olim arrived as a document of Cecil Taylor at full command of his instrument and vision. Critics recognized it immediately — both AllMusic and The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings gave it their highest marks, with AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow calling it one of Taylor's most satisfying solo concerts. This wasn't a cult discovery that aged into relevance; it was heard as essential work the moment it circulated. A live solo performance by Taylor was always going to command attention from those paying attention, and this Berlin concert delivered on every level.
What makes the album distinct is its structural range. Taylor explores eight of his own compositions across the set, and he doesn't pad them with heroics. Two pieces run under two minutes — brief statements that prove Taylor could be economical without being shallow. The longer pieces unfold with the kind of dense, searching logic that defines his best work: hands in constant conversation, rhythms that don't settle into groove but instead generate their own forward momentum, melodic lines that emerge from the keyboard's texture rather than sitting on top of it. This is solo piano in the truest sense — no rhythm section to negotiate with, no safety net.
For someone approaching Taylor's work, this album sits late in his career but remains one of the clearest entry points. The solo format strips away everything except his thinking and technique, and both are formidable. It rewards repeated listening, as Yanow noted, because the difficulty isn't surface-level posturing; it's the sound of a master mind working through ideas that happen to require an unrelenting ear.
Who's playing
Cecil Taylorpiano, solo
Where next?
More by Cecil Taylor
All 77 albums →
