Qu'a Yuba: Live at the Irridium, Vol. 2

AMG Review of Qu'a Yuba: Live at the Irridium, Vol. 2

Steve Loewy
All Music Guide

This second installment from an electrifying concert should thrill Taylor fans and win a few converts. It defies odds that the pianist, after so many years, continues to astound with his totally original performances. This one is vintage Taylor, with the pianist in full throttle, winding and turning phrases with characteristic brilliance. The almost unbearable intensity continues unabated, but there are waves of delicacy, too. Soprano saxophonist Harri Sjöström is fully up to the task as the lone horn of the quartet, which also includes bassist Dominic Duval and drummer Jackson Krall, all of whom interact spectacularly. Cecil Taylor has never played better, his technique at once symphonic and enthralling. If possible, part two surpasses the quality of part one, but it is clearly a close call.