Craig Taborn is a pianist, organist, keyboardist and composer whose prolific body of work as a solo artist and in bands spans more than three decades. A high percentage of those releases and performances could probably be in the realm of jazz. As a band leader and as a side player Taborn has worked with the likes of McCoy Tyner, John Zorn, Ches Smith, Bill Frisell, Nels Cline, Tomeka Reid, Ikue Mori and Joëlle Léandre. His diverse compositions and playing style pushes boundaries and his compositions have built into them an improvisational component so that no two performances are inherently exactly alike. Taborn grew up in Minneapolis and as a teen had access to seeing underground rock and hardcore bands as well as avant-garde jazz ensembles like Last Exit and free jazz legend Sun Ra which inspired his future direction in music. In 2024 Taborn put together a trio with cellist/composer Tomeka Reid and percussionist/composer/producer Ches Smith and recorded the album Dream Archives which was released in January 2026. The record has great nuance and spontaneity and might strike the sensitive listener as have elements of free jazz and modern classical sensibilities. The ensemble’s masterful orchestration of tension, atonality and fluidity of rhythm sets it apart from a more conventional approach to jazz and improvisational composition.
Listen to our interview with Craig Taborn on Bandcamp and for more information on the musician/composer please visit craigtaborn.com. He will be performing a solo set at Classic Pianos in Denver on October 9, 2026, doors 7pm, show 7:30 pm. For tickets please visit the Creative Music Works website.
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