RFI: Paul Bley

RIP

Bummer. Loved Fragments in college and Open to Love is one of the best solo piano records ever. Must dig into his synthesizer stuff now.

RIP - a ton of stuff I've never dug into, but yeah, Open To Love is incredible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2fp4QsZly0

I always loved this Ida Lupino (which, btw, was written by his wife):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYnrtXiA0TA

The whole Closer record is really good, and I also love a record he made with Motian/Peacock in the late 90s called Not Two Not One, and there's a lot of other good stuff, and a lot of stuff I haven't even explored.

just ordered this one on recommendation from a friend
http://cdn.discogs.com/ZtPtJm_5m1JNl8N4lPixGN6b03c=/fit-in/280x281/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-1652828-1278966670.jpeg.jpg
live stuff from 65 and 66

A very overlooked player. I've always had a soft spot for this session:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Ballads_(Paul_Bley_album).jpg

May he rest well.

I haven't heard too much besides Barrage, but I looove Barrage. And his interview/performance segments in Imagine The Sound (out of print on DVD, but I think it's on iTunes) are fascinating.

R.I.P.

Damn, RIP

Usually not into trying to investigate the private lives of artists I like, but I've never been totally clear on something, and Google, oddly enough, turns up nothing: so Paul was married to Carla, played in a group with Annette and her husband Gary, who later divorced (?) and then Paul and Annette married? Assuming it was all very evolved and sophisticated, as (iirc) Gary P and Paul played together after this happened, and Paul (and Gary, I believe!) continued performing Carla's material until his death. Do I have this chronology right?

I think that's right and they both together as ex-husbands released an album called Annette which was made up of her songs.

Assuming it was all very evolved and sophisticated

Carla Bley has some shit to say about Paul in this interview. (The way she always says his full name - "Paul Bley" - makes me wish I could hear the audio of this conversation.)

That Carla Bley interview is fantastic, thanks for that. What a cool person. I disagree with her on many points, but her authority and candor (and irreverence!) has me reevaluating a few of my long-held assumptions. Her takes on Powell and Ellington are outrageous, though.

even though she's dumping on two of my biggest heroes there, I absolutely love her style!

would fp anyone on here saying Bud Powell plays too many notes tho!

Right? That interview was a treasure. I love her perspective and glad she was so candid.

I always felt Sonny Rollins could be an exemplar of "never meet your musical heroes, cos they are all complete arrogant dicks" - especially in his younger days.

Really? See, I always figured Sonny would be cool.

I was also surprised / disappointed to read about how Cherry treated Carla.

Surely we can all agree that Ornette was probably the best hang of all: no fear of him nodding out, seemingly unflappable, total PMA vibes...

the Not Two, Not One trio with Motian + Peacock has some sublime moments of inspired minimalist low register piano grinding experimentation that makes me want more!

really swings as well.

I love that record!

blood, closer, sankt gerold, the 80's quartet one with Surman-Frissell-Motian, mondsee solo, are albums I've been fucking with a lot recently - so good.

The upcoming live album - recorded in 1999 with the aforementioned Not Two, Not One trio of Gary Peacock and Paul Motian - is a good one.

excellent!

Ethan Iverson has been posting about what a top album Footloose is, he's right!