Search - Cecil Taylor & Paul Lovens, C. Taylor, P. Lovens :: Regalia

An Amazing Achievement

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 09/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In July 1988, Cecil Taylor recorded ten (!) albums while performing live at a festival celebrating his music in Berlin. The discs include the classics "Pleistozaen Mit Wasser" with Derek Bailey, "Spots, Circles And Fantasy" with Han Bennink, "Remembrance" with Louis Moholo, "Leaf Palm Hand" with Tony Oxley, and this title, "Regalia" with percussionist Paul Lovens. These discs are only available as imports on the FMP label. They may be a bit expensive, but for fans of avant-garde jazz and European improvised music, they are must purchases. All of the discs feature extended compositions, and some are over an hour in length, so you do get a lot of music for the $21 price tag. While not as dynamic as the piano/drum duo on "Leaf Palm Hand," the piano/percussion duo on "Regalia" is wonderfully textured and full of delightfully subtle moments of musical, rhythmic exchange between Taylor and Lovens. These recordings represent an amazing achievement in the history of jazz."

Dedicated to Paul's garden- and kitchen-tools

Joe Pierre | Los Angeles, CA United States | 02/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Regalia" is one of five pairings between Cecil Taylor and a drummer taken from his epic residence in Berlin in the summer of 1988. In this case, the drummer is German free-jazz notable Paul Lovens and while the concert tends to get short-shrifted in reviews in comparison to the others, it's a pretty excellent outing that ranks among the best CT concerts. Lovens' drum kit is similar to Tony Oxley's (the drummer on the universally praised "Leaf Palm Hand," recorded a month later), containing a variety of woodblocks, mini-cymbals, and higher pitched tom-toms -- both drummers (in contrast to Bennink, Moholo, or Sommer) therefore come off more as full-palette percussionists rather than drummers per se. Compared to Oxley, who frequently rides the cymbals, keeping the rhythm (if you can call it that) in constant motion, but playing a complementary role in terms of initiative, Lovens' percussive attacks are less dense with more splashes and volleys but no snare or cymbal bashing, so that overall, he offers more of a unique voice and a bit more an actual interchange. There is in general more space in this duet compared to some of the others, though neither CT or Lovens are ever exactly quiet. Cecil's playing is fairly typical, ranging from softer-touch explorations in many places (though never resting or retreating) to punctuated attacks, and the inevitable forays into vigorous flattening of the ivories.



There are but two tracks on this 74 minute concert, "Snake Charm" and "Regalia," and the pace of the playing is fairly constant throughout, with minimal poetic recitation or much other dramatic fanfare. The two tracks are separated only by some faint vocalisms without the audience making a peep until the somewhat abrupt ending of track 2, when Lovens sets his sticks down and the audience finally erupts with applause, only to then quickly fade out. Cecil must have felt satisfied here and just stood up suddenly after the last note. While it's true that the Oxley duet "Leaf Palm Hand" is probably the best drum pairing from the Berlin '88 series, this one is definitely worth owning as well.

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