Other wonderful listening: Cecil Taylor European Orchestra, Alms/Tiergarten (Spree) One of the 20 CDs Cecil made during a musical residency in Berlin in 1988, this one is Cecil with big (17-piece) band. He's always claimed Duke Ellington as his biggest inspiration, and on this huge, explosive, brilliantly colored release I can finally hear that influence come to fruition. Something that's surprised me listening to many of CT's albums from the '80s is how lyrical and beautiful they are. (Ferocious you know about.) And he's able to develop his themes orchestrally (as well as rhythmically and dynamically), so the structure of the compositions and the comp/improv balance are clear.

And let's not forget Hank Jones. So much swing and mastery--what a soloist!!!