Paul Bley - Ballads session, 60s/early 70s

[mjazzg]

Finally paying attention to the 'interview' on the inside of LP Mr Joy (rec.1968), I read that 'Mr Joy' (Bley') says "I have been preparing a double ballad album consisting of four long pieces each taking up one side of an LP"

Now I'm guessing two of these could be on 'Ballads' , ECM 1010- Ending (17:15) and So hard it hurts (12:12) recorded 1967, released 1971. Possibly my favourite Bley

Anyone help out with whether these are two of the ballads mentioned? If so, have the other two seen light of day? I can't think of any other side-length ballad pieces from my limited knowledge of Bley recordings from this era.

If these aren't two on 'Ballads' aren't those mentioned, then it's four ...

[fkimbrough]

The other titles are "Butterflies" and "Gary" (both composed by Annette Peacock), and appear on "Virtuosi" (Improvising Artists) - the personnel is listed as Barry Altschul, Paul Bley and Gary Peacock. Recorded on June 28, 1967 at Nola Studios in New York. If you don't find it under Bley's name, check under Altschul's.

[mjazzg]

fantastic, thanks Fkimbrough.

I knew someone here would know. Off to hunt Virtuosi down right now

[alocispepraluger102]

fantastic, thanks Fkimbrough.

I knew someone here would know. Off to hunt Virtuosi down right now

it's well worth the search.

[alocispepraluger102]

fantastic, thanks Fkimbrough.

I knew someone here would know. Off to hunt Virtuosi down right now

it's well worth the search.

then there was this great bley trio album from the 70s with mark levinson(the sound guy) on bass. i wish they had recorded more.

i dont recall, without looking at the recording, who was on bass on those copenhagen-haarlem sides.

there is therein the most magnificent(they are all magnificent) version of mr. joy ever. it lasts a very long vinyl side, or most of it, and is musical heaven to me.

[mjazzg]

fantastic, thanks Fkimbrough.

I knew someone here would know. Off to hunt Virtuosi down right now

it's well worth the search.

then there was this great bley trio album from the 70s with mark levinson(the sound guy) on bass. i wish they had recorded more.

i dont recall, without looking at the recording, who was on bass on those copenhagen-haarlem sides.

there is therein the most magnificent(they are all magnificent) version of mr. joy ever. it lasts a very long vinyl side, or most of it, and is musical heaven to me.

I'm just starting to navigate the discography of the Bley trios in this period and it's not too simple. A number of different labels and sessions released sometime after recording - tthe situation that crreated my my initial query

The double LP on Arista compiled two seperate earlier European (?) releases, I think - Touching and Blood:Paul Bley in Haarlem, on Fontana or Debut. Certainly looks like the long version of Mr Joy which is side 4 of the Arista had Levinson on bass, Discogs suggests it was recorded 1966, released later on the Arista.

I think I'll just have to try and hear everything by a Paul Bley Trio from 65-70

[alocispepraluger102]

fantastic, thanks Fkimbrough.

I knew someone here would know. Off to hunt Virtuosi down right now

it's well worth the search.

then there was this great bley trio album from the 70s with mark levinson(the sound guy) on bass. i wish they had recorded more.

i dont recall, without looking at the recording, who was on bass on those copenhagen-haarlem sides.

there is therein the most magnificent(they are all magnificent) version of mr. joy ever. it lasts a very long vinyl side, or most of it, and is musical heaven to me.

I'm just starting to navigate the discography of the Bley trios in this period and it's not too simple. A number of different labels and sessions released sometime after recording - tthe situation that crreated my my initial query

The double LP on Arista compiled two seperate earlier European (?) releases, I think - Touching and Blood:Paul Bley in Haarlem, on Fontana or Debut. Certainly looks like the long version of Mr Joy which is side 4 of the Arista had Levinson on bass, Discogs suggests it was recorded 1966, released later on the Arista.

I think I'll just have to try and hear everything by a Paul Bley Trio from 65-70

listening to the beauty of the bley trios of that period still gives me goosebumps.

[alocispepraluger102]

ironically , from 6pm edt, wkcr-fm and wkcr.org are devoted entirely to playing and discussing bley small group settings.

[NIS]

Thanks for this thread. I have "Open To Love" and "Annette" but have never check into Paul Bley any further and I don't know why. Maybe this will inspire me.

[mjazzg]

Just scored a near-mint Virtuosi.

So, it's thanks again to fkimbrough and I'm diving head first into the pool, alocispepraluger102 to discover all these trio recordings as you suggested

[B. Clugston]

I'm just starting to navigate the discography of the Bley trios in this period and it's not too simple. A number of different labels and sessions released sometime after recording - tthe situation that crreated my my initial query

The double LP on Arista compiled two seperate earlier European (?) releases, I think - Touching and Blood:Paul Bley in Haarlem, on Fontana or Debut. Certainly looks like the long version of Mr Joy which is side 4 of the Arista had Levinson on bass, Discogs suggests it was recorded 1966, released later on the Arista.

I think I'll just have to try and hear everything by a Paul Bley Trio from 65-70

The Arista contains an extra track too from the earlier session ("Closer"). Levinson plays on sidelong versions of "Blood" and "Mr. Joy."

[Chuck Nessa]

I'm just starting to navigate the discography of the Bley trios in this period and it's not too simple. A number of different labels and sessions released sometime after recording - tthe situation that crreated my my initial query

The double LP on Arista compiled two seperate earlier European (?) releases, I think - Touching and Blood:Paul Bley in Haarlem, on Fontana or Debut. Certainly looks like the long version of Mr Joy which is side 4 of the Arista had Levinson on bass, Discogs suggests it was recorded 1966, released later on the Arista.

I think I'll just have to try and hear everything by a Paul Bley Trio from 65-70

The Arista contains an extra track too from the earlier session ("Closer"). Levinson plays on sidelong versions of "Blood" and "Mr. Joy."

There is a Black Lion cd titled Touching including the material on the Arista double minus the extended "Mr. Joy". Inexpensive copies abound.