In the Brewing Luminous: The Life & Music of Cecil Taylor

Review by Ken Waxman

One of jazz and improvised music’s most innovative and creative figures pianist/composer Cecil Taylor (1928-2018) was always involved in controversy from when he first began recording in the middle 1950s, up until his death. Someone whose style was resolutely his own though listeners heard echoes of contemporary notated music as well as expected syncopation and blues, Taylor’s music became even more unmetered and abstract during his career, with performance mixed with poetry and dance. Still the pianist often had as many detractors as admirers. Phillip Freeman is one of the latter and he set himself the herculean task of producing the first-ever biography of Taylor.

It isn’t an easy task despite masses of information available. More so than most musicians, Taylor had far ranging interests that went beyond music. He was also known to party all night and into the morning and afternoon in clubs whose chief attraction was champagne and cocaine and an audience for Taylor’s tales. A mercurial leader, scores for his compositions were frequently obtuse and jettisoned for free improv at the last minute. A master of obfuscation, his interviews while voluble were usually elliptical and repetitive with detours into private references. Freeman spent two days hanging out with Taylor and bolstered his interview with other mostly already published material.

To be honest the book becomes more valuable in its second half as Taylor become famous, plays international concerts, works with some familiar, but mostly changing associates, has some not very rewarding academic stints and finally begins to be recognized with awards and monetary grants. “He had completed the journey from insurgent to institution,” Freman writes. Earlier chapters drag somewhat since most of the information in his rise from poverty and razzing to respect, as well as his relationship to  long-time associates like alto saxophonist Jimmy Lyons, has been frequently published in the past. Beises this the question of whether the book is aimed at the knowledgeable jazz fan or the innocent novice can be asked. For example Freeman supplies a detailed biography every time a new musician comes into Taylor’s orbit. The information is factual but overlong

Freeman provides a valuable service however by meticulously reviewing nearly every one of Taylor’s recordings plus the videos and live performances he could access. This gives the reader an idea of how Taylor’ music evolved and how successfully or unsuccessfully the players dealt with it, leading to a session that is either notable or disappointing.

Freeman interviewed Taylor in person for a total of 12 hours, had conversations or email exchanges with other associates, and attributes some of the quoted material to particular publications. Unfortunately this is rare. Despite a seven-page bibliography most anecdotes aren’t sourced in the text, nor are there indications as to whether the material is contemporary or provided some time after the fact.

In short Freeman must be applauded for the work he put into creating this volume and the wealth of information he amassed. But insight beyond fact recitation is sorely missing. Until another major study of Taylor is written though In the Brewing Luminous will stand as the definite book on someone whose music is as important to jazz as Duke Ellington’s or Miles Davis’s.