The rhythmic and percussive sounds that Cecil Taylor made piano on the piano been described as "eighty-eight tuned drums." As a student at the New York College of Music and New England Conservatory Cecil absorbed the sounds of European art music and cited Bartok and Stockhausen notably influenced his music.

Along with cats like Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy (to name just a few), Taylor set the stage for a new form of improvisation which would be known as "free jazz."

A giant of expression left this plane when Cecil Taylor passed away earlier this week. He was 89 years old.

What are you listening to tonight?