Paul Bley RIP

[bluenoter]

17 hours ago, GA Russell said:

This, from ECM:

It is with deep regret that we share the news below from the family of the great Paul Bley:

[followed by Vanessa Bley's statement on behalf of the family]

ECM has now posted a statement of its own, "Open, To Love: Paul Bley 1932–2016," both on its (public) Facebook page and in the News section of its website (dated 05.01.2016, European style).

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i only have the GNP album 'solemn meditation' and a live lp ornette//cherry/bley/haden/higgins live in LA.  so i guess i only have his west coast jazz era? i have an original sonny meets hawk -cover- (no lp).  i knew his two women he was with carla bley and annette peacock are both way out there, so i always thought he must of been too but i dont know his story- i know he used the moog modular systems in late 60s too.  he played w/ konitz a lot too i bet.  ill listen to the live ornette soon, its on inner-city

 

 

 

[medjuck]

1 hour ago, srellek said:

One of the very greatest. How many other musicians could have played with Charlie Parker and Evan Parker? Not to mention Ornette, George Russell, Lester Young, Lee Konitz, Marshall Allen, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Giuffre, Jaco, and Chet Baker.

And let's not forget Charles Mingus and Art Blakey.

[mjzee]

How many albums did he record as leader?  It's interesting that there was a consistent output from him through the decades.

[alankin]

16 minutes ago, mjzee said:

How many albums did he record as leader?  It's interesting that there was a consistent output from him through the decades.

More than 80.

[clifford_thornton]

He claims around 120, which I'd believe.

chewy - yeah, the West Coast stuff is strong though - and I dig Solemn Meditation. I don't think Carla is all that out, but her music is very interesting. Annette is more out, and differently interesting. Bley was a motherfucker of an artist and as weird as things got, there was always a reference to a theme or an idea, and often an underpinning of a bluesy Latinate groove. 

[JSngry]

5 hours ago, Van Basten II said:

, , , I like the idea of Joni though, a bit more famous although not technically a jazzwoman in the purest sense. but there is enough of a connection.... 

Kindred spirits in separate marketworlds, that's all, really. When it comes to going outside the lines and ultimately bringing the lines along rather than losing them altogether, I think you can trust both equally (and far more than most others).

Also, this:

Definitely.

[Homefromtheforest]

I bought that book as soon as it came out; a fascinating read!

[Al in NYC]

Just catching up with this sad news now.  Strangely, had just been listening after Christmas to one of my favorite recordings of his, Open To Love, from the early '70s.  Goodness he was wonderful.  I was fortunate enough to see him a few times, including a memorable duet concert with Charlie Haden.  He will be truly missed.

Bye Paul.

[A Lark Ascending]

1 hour ago, Al in NYC said:

Open To Love

I always like to listen to that on a cold, frosty morning in winter. Unfortunately we've yet to have one this winter. 

[OliverM]

Really sad news, but what a full life as many have noted. What saddens me particularly is how he seems to go away in partial anonymity at least here in France. France Musique radio station (maybe the only good one left) changed its programs yesterday evening for Mr Bley though, here it is:

http://www.francemusique.fr/emission/open-jazz/2015-2016/hommage-paul-bley-01-05-2016-18-00

I didn't realize Paul Bley's collaborations were that widespread - truly amazing.

I return also to Open, to love, Mindset, and Sankt Gerold regularly.

 

[romualdo]

RIP Paul

[srellek]

 

12 hours ago, mjzee said:

How many albums did he record as leader?  It's interesting that there was a consistent output from him through the decades.

12 hours ago, alankin said:

More than 80.

A very consistent output. There was a joke in one of the Penguin guides on a statement that Bley had made about listening to only his own records -- the gist of which was, well there are enough of them. I might push that total closer to 100. In his valuable Bley discography, Henk Kluck wrote (in 1996) that there were "127 recording sessions (resulting in 459 issued records)". He added more in the 2006 second edition and of course there have been more since.

For anyone with serious interest in Bley's work, the discography is a must read.

http://www.improvart.com/bley/discogra.htm

Though I'm not sure if it's still available. Last time I was at Jazz Record Mart in Chicago they had one on their shelves...

[Justin V]

I'm at a loss for words, but Paul Bley was such a monumental figure whose presence will be missed and whose influence will be felt for a long time.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Bley, and rest in peace.

[robertoart]

I found a very engaging duo session with Sonny Greenwich in a cut out bin a few years ago that kinda reminds me of the quote upstream about I Got Rhythm. It's not exactly Undercurrent  But l love it anyway. 

[skeith]

I did not learn of this until reading the NY Times today.   He was one of my favorites....glad I can still enjoy his recordings.

[medjuck]

19 hours ago, srellek said:

One of the very greatest. How many other musicians could have played with Charlie Parker and Evan Parker? Not to mention Ornette, George Russell, Lester Young, Lee Konitz, Marshall Allen, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Giuffre, Jaco, and Chet Baker.

And let's not forget Charles Mingus and Art Blakey.

 

1 hour ago, robertoart said:

I found a very engaging duo session with Sonny Greenwich in a cut out bin a few years ago that kinda reminds me of the quote upstream about I Got Rhythm. It's not exactly Undercurrent  But l love it anyway. 

Wow. I'd like  to hear that. I used to love Sonny Greenwich. IIRC I saw him play at Dunn's Delicatessen in Montreal. (Is that possible?) 

BTW There was a good obit on NPR this morning:

http://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2016/01/05/462061538/paul-bley-influential-jazz-pianist-has-died

and I just discovered that the written version is different from  what you hear when you play it.  I always thought the written posts were just transcriptions of the  audio.  In any case they're both informative. 

Edited January 6, 2016 by medjuck

[mikeweil]

R.I.P. - heard the sad news over local radio and it really hit me. He was such a free spirit, true to himself. A great inspiration to stay free of cliché and follow my inner impulses, now that I want to give music making another chance. I'm really sorry I never had a chance to see him live .... 

I like the sentence in that Ottawa obituary, from his family, "Private memorial services will be held in Stuart, FL, Cherry Valley, NY and wherever you play a Paul Bley record.”

[Utevsky]

What a great player he was!  I did a two-hour tribute to Paul Bley Monday night on my radio show on KBCS.  If you are interested, you can hear a streaming version of the program (until Jan. 25) in the audio archive on the station website, www.kbcs.fm.  Just look up January 11 and "Straight, No Chaser."

The playlist is on the latest page of my Organissimo thread, "Straight, No Chaser" Playlists, under "Jazz Radio and Podcasts."

 

 

[bluenoter]

A thread/topic in Live Shows & Festivals:

Free: a Paul Bley memorial celebration — NYC | February 11, 2016