“Jazz Advance” was the debut recording for pianist Cecil Taylor and the entire album was recorded in one day. The session was in Boston and featured Taylor, saxophonist Steve Lacy, Buell Neidlinger on bass and Denis Charles on drums. The recording was made on September 14, 1956 and released by the Transition label.

Cecil Taylor was born in Queens, New York in 1929 and was trained as a classical pianist beginning at age 6. He went on to study music at the New York College of Music and at the New England Conservatory of Music where he majored in composition. He formed the quartet that is heard on “Jazz Advance” in 1955. They performed at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival and at the Five Spot Cafe in Greenwich Village. Taylor’s music was always considered avant-garde and he performed with both John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman.

“Jazz Advance” has been selected by the Penguin Guide to Jazz as part of its “core collection,” and has seven tracks. It features three original compositions by Taylor, and four by other composers including Ellington’s Azure, Monk’s Bemsha Swing, Cole Porter’s You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To and Gus Arnheim’s Sweet and Lovely.

Here is a link to one of the Cecil Taylor originals from “Jazz Advance:”

"CHARGE 'EM BLUES"