AOTW - July 10 2005

[fent99]

Responsibility to pick a good AOTW has been weighing heavily on me since I meant to post a heads up before I departed on a business trip and didn't find the time. Well sleeplessness and an NYC internet cafe gives me 20 mins to make a pick.

Lots of my favourite artists have had an album picked reasonably recently so I've gone for something I bought a month ago and that left a big impression.

Not sure how I came to Paul Bley but the purchase (pretty randomly and mainly because of the packaging) of the 2cd reissue on ECM of Jimmy Giuffre's albums was a big influence and when I saw a Paul Bley album with Ida Lupino on it (a compilation of Savoy material with John Gimore on it) which I loved, who knew I'd be looking out for his stuff for years to come.

To get on to Open to Love, its that tune Ida Lupino that made me pick it up recently in Rays in London, hoping for a quality rendition on a well recorded piano. I'm certainly not disappointed. Possibly my new favourite version and certainly my favourite Carla composition, its a majesterial centrepiece on the cd (not sure where on the album and don't have it in front of me).

The rest is no less impressive though much of it has a brittle, tense quality that has taken me a bit of time to learn to love.

I've probably got more Bley albums now than I need and some a hard work to digest but this is a keeper for me.

Intrigued by others thoughts on him and this album especially so hopefully there'll be some interesting discussion.

Maybe someone can help by posting a cover too.

[JSngry]

I've got a fair amount of Bley in my collection, but not nearly as much as I want/need, and unfortunately, not this one. Will read the commentary on this one with interest, and will pick it up first time I see it, whenever that should be,

[mikeweil]

This was the album that brought Bley's solo piano artists to the spotlight, IIRC, at least for the European fans. If ECM had helped Bley along as much as Jarrett or Corea ...

[JSngry]

Not sure that it's Bley's nature to have been "helped along" like that. The guy seems to be as slippery and elusive a person as he is a player. And I mean that in a totally non-pejorative way. It's what "makes him him", if you know what I mean.

[mikeweil]

I didn't mean to say it would have worked if Eicher had "helped" - Bley is what he is, unique in the pantheon of jazz pianists.

I personally find him much more compelling and original than Jarrett or Corea or anbody else in that league. He makes me want to keep listening and let him guide me along his musical paths no matter where he goes.

[clifford_thornton]

You know, I didn't keep either of the solo LPs I had - this one and one on IAI - but his trio records are all amazing. I found the ECM recording quality a hindrance to his unadorned, subtle style. Luckily, they didn't master out the color on "Ballads" or "Bley with Gary Peacock," two great ECM trio sessions.

[Guy Berger]

I want to pick this up, but I think ECM deleted it in the US.

Guy

[clifford_thornton]

Anybody here read Stopping Time, the assisted autobiography? Interesting, and easy reading - finished it in an afternoon.

[Guest youmustbe]

If you think about it, Paul is one of the most influental, quiet as it's kept, musicians in jazz since the late 50's! He took over for Tristano as the 'white' influence (I hate those terms but have to use them). Keith Jarrett told me many times that Tristano was the guy that he really heard and grudgigly admitted to Paul. Figures.

I can't say I'm a fan, but did hear Paul a lot including the synthesizer band, the quartet with Scofield, various trios and the Barrage band, which maybe I should relisten to.

[clifford_thornton]

Keith Jarrett told me many times that Tristano was the guy that he really heard and grudgigly admitted to Paul.  Figures.

←

Yeah, ever spend much time listening to "Life Between the Exit Signs?" A great Bley date under Jarrett's name...

[fent99]

Not as much discussion as I was expecting and I've had little connectivity last week so just managed to check in briefly.

He's a pivotal figure I think, certainly in his early career with the Hillcrest gigs and the material with Giuffre.

An interesting figure then, but too spiky for ECM I'd guess and fond of following his own thing.

I find it fascinating though that his career is also shaped by playing two partners/ex-partners compositions and how they've recurred throughout his career. Open, to Love has 3 by Carla 2 by Annette and 2 by himself. Through his career lots of things he goes back to and revisits like the Giuffre trio reunion stuff as well as the compositions. Though he also seems to be moving forward and exploring all the time?

I'd be intrigued by his autobiography and anyone know of a reasonable priced copy since its $50 on his website and I'd like to read more about him.

Edited July 18, 2005 by fent99

[clifford_thornton]

I got it at Borders for like $20 or something a few years ago... shouldn't be that hard to find. Again, I love Bley and his choice of material, but this album didn't do it for me.

Listened to Turning Point this morning with my coffee, a great date originally recorded for Savoy (but not released until he put it out on IAI) with Gilmore, Peacock and Motian from '64.

[fent99]

Listened to Turning Point this morning with my coffee, a great date originally recorded for Savoy (but not released until he put it out on IAI) with Gilmore, Peacock and Motian from '64.

←

I have this as a Savoy reissue with notes by Cusuna and love it too (not sure if its all on one or the other, there are a couple of alternates on the savoy certainly). Ida Lupino again and Gilmore is brilliant on this, better than anywhere else I've heard him.

I've another savoy compilation of trio material Floater Syndrome which is tougher to get into. I have also Closer on ESP which is great but all the tunes are over quick. Might be one of my fave ESPs though. (My comments on Gilmore might suggest that I don't have that many...)

Doing a bit of searching I see he played with Parker and Ayler which is maybe not so far but its been a long and interesting journey.

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, that's right, "Turns" does have some extra stuff on it. Wish that had come out as an actual original Savoy...

Gilmore is always nice to hear outside the Ra context; great on sessions by Andrew Hill and Pete La Roca.

I like Closer a lot, though you're right in that the songs are too short. I think there was a 45 of Ida Lupino from that session - a real jukebox hit...

[P.L.M]

I personally find him much more compelling and original than Jarrett or Corea or anbody else in that league.

Can't agree more.

A true original in all aspect and the greatest pianist of them all after TRISTANO, MONK, POWELL and beside TAYLOR.

Seems than the guy was always first when something new and INTERESTING was cooking.

As a young starter, his bass player and producer was nothing less than MINGUS and his drummer ART BLAKEY.

He plays with ORNETTE COLEMAN when nobody knows who was ORNETTE.

He invented free improvisation with JIMMY GIUFFRE.

Back SONNY and HAWKS in their legendary duel.

Discovers or pushes artist like CARLA BLEY or ANNETTE PEACOCK. And plays their music better than anybody else including themselves.

Was on the ESP label where he recorded two of his best LP with the like of MARSHALL ALLEN, MILFORD GRAVES, EDDIE GOMEZ, BARRY ALTSCHUL.

Published on his label SUN RA in solo.

Was a pioneer of the synthesizer at the same time than RA.

Help KOGLMANN to define his concept of a "white" jazz esthetic.

And was still leading the way recently with records like TIME WILL TELL, SANKT GEROLD associates to EVAN PARKER & BARRE PHILLIPS

OPEN, TO LOVE is a great album, his very first solo album (as far as I know), even if I prefer titles like HOMMAGE TO CARLA (OWL), HANDS ON (EVIDENCE) or SWEET TIME & BASICS (JUST IN TIME).

Edited July 19, 2005 by P.L.M

[Guest youmustbe]

I was talking to Geri Allen once and I said, 'You seem to have been influenced by Paul Bley somewhat' and she protested a little too much, "No, No, I never listened to him''

Yeah right!.

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, especially since they both played with Haden and Motian in Montreal in '89!

[mikeweil]

You know, I didn't keep either of the solo LPs I had - this one and one on IAI - but his trio records are all amazing. I found the ECM recording quality a hindrance to his unadorned, subtle style. Luckily, they didn't master out the color on "Ballads" or "Bley with Gary Peacock," two great ECM trio sessions.

←

Eicher always admitted he got the trio record with Peacock from Bley as it was issued, as an album ready for release, produced by Bley himself. The sessions for this overlap with others IIRC.

[Guy Berger]

You know, I didn't keep either of the solo LPs I had - this one and one on IAI - but his trio records are all amazing. I found the ECM recording quality a hindrance to his unadorned, subtle style. Luckily, they didn't master out the color on "Ballads" or "Bley with Gary Peacock," two great ECM trio sessions.

←

Eicher always admitted he got the trio record with Peacock from Bley as it was issued, as an album ready for release, produced by Bley himself. The sessions for this overlap with others IIRC.

←

Is the Bley with Peacock album a reissue of the Savoy sessions?

Guy

[clifford_thornton]

Nope, a trio with Billy Elgart or Barry Altschul on drums. I think the Elgart tunes are the same as on the IAI "Turning Point" (which adds two non-Savoy tracks) but I can't remember right now.