All the Notes

Colour, DVD
USA, 2003, 72 min
Section: 2005: A Musical Odyssey
Oficiální stránky: www.chrisfelver.com/cecil.htm

Synopsis

Seventy-six-year-old pianist Cecil Taylor is a classic of free jazz. He has been recording albums with elite fellow-musicians since the 1960s and has won a number of awards (e.g. from the Rockefeller and Guggenheim foundations). To this day, his explosive yet crystal-clear performance bears the hallmarks of inaccessibility and mystery: where does he come by this deep-rooted combination of African impulsiveness and modern musical sophistication? Chris Felver, an independent creator of beat generation portraits, filmed Taylor for ten years. In front of the camera, the pianist gives the impression of a captivating actor, presenting distinctive views – albeit tantalisingly curtailed – with the virtuosity of a philosophical entertainer. In fact, it wasn’t at all easy to penetrate Taylor’s defences. Felver’s documentary is not only full of strong music but it also plays an important role in uncovering a personality which has hitherto stood in the shadow of his music: adored and condemned, often somewhat misunderstood. 

About the director

Christopher Felver (b. 1947, Pittsburgh) is a filmmaker, photographer, poet, biographer and former street musician. He has spent his whole life documenting artists of the beat generation. He has filmed Ferlinghetti, Corso and Ginsberg, among others. Films (selection): The Last Time I Saw Neil, West Coast: Beat & Beyond, John Cage Talks about Cows, The Coney Island of Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Donald Judd’s Marpha Texas.

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