2018 · Album
Octopus
Recorded 2016 (three live performances) · Pyroclastic Records · Released: 26 January 2018
Two Pianists Playing Like Eight Arms
No two pianists have played with the kind of freedom and grace, abandon and emotion as Davis and Taborn.
Octopus arrived quietly in early 2018 but landed with surprising consensus. Multiple critics gave it four stars—AllMusic, Audiophile Audition, Financial Times, and Jazzwise all heard something immediate and compelling. Village Voice critic Michael J. Agovino called it simply beautiful music, while London Jazz News described the virtuosity as so intense you'd swear there were eight arms at work. This wasn't a slow-burn cult record. It was recognized right away as something worth your time.
What made the recognition stick is the sheer conversational ease between Kris Davis and Craig Taborn. Drawn from three live performances, these six tracks blur free jazz, blues, and modern classical so smoothly you stop thinking about categories. The pianists trade phrases, shadow each other, collide and separate without script. You'll find yourself genuinely uncertain who's playing at moments—not as a gimmick, but because they've achieved real telepathy. The music feels both composed and spontaneous, intellectual and visceral in the best sense.
For listeners new to either pianist, this is an excellent entry point. Neither player dominates; both shine. If you know Davis from her leader dates or Taborn from his ECM work, Octopus shows them at ease with each other, playing without ego or agenda. It's the sound of two musicians who trust each other completely.
Who's playing
Kris Davispiano
Craig Tabornpiano
