first emerged as an exciting, adventurous soloist and composer on the free scene in the early '80s. She was a member of
during the '80s and '90s, and also led a number of her own dates (mostly for Leo and Music & Arts) during this period. Although not as widely acclaimed as she deserves to be,
has nevertheless gained an increasing amount of respect and fewer write-offs simply as a pianist in the
Crispell is a rarity in that she's not interested in hard bop, jazz/hip-hop, or fusion. Her style, with its slashing phrases, percussive mode, clusters, and speed, pays homage to
Cecil Taylor (whom she reveres) but isn't merely an imitation. She's not as dance-oriented, and her use of space, African rhythms, and chording also recall
Thelonious Monk and
Paul Bley, two others she cites as influences, along with
Leo Smith.
Crispell started piano lessons at age seven at the Peabody Music School in Baltimore. She later studied piano and composition at the New England Conservatory in Boston. She abandoned music for marriage and medical work in 1969, but returned to the music world six years later, moving to Cape Cod after a divorce and being introduced to the sound of transitional
John Coltrane (
A Love Supreme) by pianist
George Kahn.
Crispell attended
Karl Berger's Creative Music Studio and studied jazz harmony with
Charlie Banacos in Boston. She met
Anthony Braxton at the studio, and toured Europe with his Creative Music Orchestra in 1978, recording on his
Composition 98 album in 1981.
Crispell began playing solo and leading groups in the '80s, teaming with
Billy Bang and
John Betsch in one band. She made several albums on the Music & Arts and Leo labels, among others, working with
Reggie Workman,
Doug James,
Andrew Cyrille,
Anthony Davis,
Tim Berne,
Marcio Mattos,
Eddie Prevost, and several others.
Crispell continued recording throughout the '90s, yielding a number of incredible albums and interesting lineups that included her
Braxton Quartet bandmates
Mark Dresser and
Gerry Hemingway, as well as sessions with
Paul Motian,
Irene Schweizer,
Workman,
Georg Graewe,
Braxton,
Gary Peacock,
Fred Anderson, and many others, not to mention a few solo recordings, including
Live at Mills College 1995.
Marilyn Crispell has performed at a large number of jazz and avant-garde festivals, occasionally as a solo artist, as with her set at FIMAV 2000 (aka Victoriaville 2000), which preceded a solo set by
Cecil Taylor. Since that time she has kept busy releasing
Amaryllis in 2001,
Storyteller in 2004, and
Vignettes in 2008.
–
Ron Wynn, Rovi