This release presents all existing recordings made by Cecil Taylor for the legendary Candid label. Produced in 1960-61 by celebrated jazz critic Nat Hentoff, these recordings are essential to the history of modern jazz and feature such star sidemen as Archie Shepp, Clark Terry, Steve Lacy, Billy Higgins, and bassist Buell Neidlinger, who was the original leader on half of these sessions. A complete 1961 Taylor septet sessions produced by Creed Taylor, and his entire 1957 quartet performance at Newport have been added here as a bonus. 

Taylor is fully formed and sounds great, but bass and drums swing comfortingly, and supporting players play catch-up with a great innovator – saxophonist Archie Shepp had 29 goes at “Air”; five are included.

Three Creed Taylor-produced bonus tracks are superb.