1990 · Album
In Florescence
Recorded June 8, 1989, New York City · A&M Records · Personnel: Cecil Taylor (piano), Gregg Bendian (drums), William Parker (bass)
Taylor Returns: A Decade's Absence Broken
After a decade away from major labels, Taylor came back swinging—sharp, restless, completely himself.
By 1989, Cecil Taylor had been absent from major label recording for over ten years. In Florescence marked his return to that world on A&M Records, and it arrived with no apologies or softening. Taylor was in his sixties, his approach to the piano undiminished—still attacking the keyboard with the intensity and architectural precision that had defined his entire career. This was not a comeback album in the sense of reclaiming past ground; it was proof that his vision remained vital and urgent.
Taylor worked here with Gregg Bendian on drums and William Parker on bass, a lean trio configuration that gave the music room to breathe and collide. The session, recorded in New York on June 8, 1989, captures Taylor's playing at its most focused—dense clusters of notes that build into structured torrents, then suddenly open into sparse, deliberate passages. He was never interested in comfort or accessibility, and this record doesn't pretend otherwise. The music demands attention; it rewards it with intelligence and genuine invention.
The album met a mixed critical reception—some listeners found its intensity overwhelming, others heard it as the work of an artist still at full command. Rolling Stone's five-star rating stood apart as recognition that Taylor had lost nothing during his absence. For anyone committed to understanding how jazz could evolve without abandoning its improvisational core, In Florescence remains essential. For casual listeners, it remains exactly what it always was: Taylor playing exactly as Taylor plays.
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