“WINGED SERPENT (SLIDING QUADRANTS).” Cecil Taylor. Soul...

“WINGED SERPENT (SLIDING QUADRANTS).” Cecil Taylor. Soul Note SN 1089. Taylor unveils his 11-piece “Orchestra of Two Continents” on “Winged Serpent” and the result is more--dare I use the term?--accessible than you might expect from a large ensemble. Taylor hasn’t toned down his often daunting energy, even if “Womb Waters” and the closing portions of the title track sound almost pastoral by his standards. But the horns state recognizable melodic themes often enough to give most listeners a grasp on the music and strangely seems to thrust his savagely percussive piano style into sharper relief--note the swirling runs toward the end of the title track--than his smaller band recordings. Taylor’s originality can’t be questioned, and “Winged Serpent” might allow a few more people to get a handle on his music. 3 1/2 stars.