Carla Bley

Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow revisit classic Bley compositions on an exceptional album recorded in Lugano last year by Manfred Eicher. Included here are spirited new versions of Utviklingssang and Vashkar, and the suites Les Trois Lagons, Wildlife and The Girl Who Cried Champagne. Carlas robust tunes are vividly conveyed, all members solo compellingly, and the trio has never sounded better.

Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow revisit classic Bley compositions on an exceptional album recorded in Lugano last year by Manfred Eicher. Included here are spirited new versions of Utviklingssang and Vashkar, and the suites Les Trois Lagons, Wildlife and The Girl Who Cried Champagne. Carlas robust tunes are vividly conveyed, all members solo compellingly, and the trio has never sounded better.

The Concert was recorded in Tokyo, Japan 1981.I have only attended one Chick Corea Concert some 20 or more years ago, the Electric Band, which he played with at the time, was so loud that it was painful to listen to and I left after the first half. It has taken me till now to listen again to his work! On the basis of this DVD I have missed out on a lot, Garry Burton and Chick Corea are master musicians and their work together is really exhilarating. All the compositions are written by Corea, but both musicians contribute to the musical entertainment in equal amounts. I have enjoyed Gary Burton' playing with Stan Getz and the GRP Big Band and know him to be the leading light of the contemporary vibes field. Both musicians' posses a phenomenal technique and the interplay between the two of them have to be seen and heard to be believed.

Carla Bley - Heavy Heart (1983) {WATT Works–ECM Records WATT/14–817 864-1 rel 1984}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 226 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 5 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1984 WATT Works / ECM Records | WATT/14 / 817 864-1
Jazz / Post Bop / Neo Bop / Keyboards

In a fanciful press release for this record, Carla Bley wrote that she wanted to make a record that would "put people in a mellow, sensual mood" as opposed to getting them all riled up as usual. She must have meant some of this ironically, for while Heavy Heart is a somewhat bright, light-minded album, there are plenty of dark undercurrents to be heard. For example, take the fascinating "Light or Dark," where a light, happy texture is undercut by Hiram Bullock's intruding dissonant guitar and Kenny Kirkland's discordant comping.

For over forty years, Carla Bley has written music that infuses jazz traditions with her own personality. She continues to lead a variety of ensembles, from small combos to large-scale big bands. With Looking for America, Bley returns to the big band format. Totaling 18 pieces, the group is a rich blend of 13 horns, two keyboards, and a rhythm section. She has worked with many of the featured musicians for decades, and Bley consequently composes and arranges with their individual voices in mind.

Carla Bley - I Hate To Sing (1984) {ECM Japan J33J 20004}
CD rip | FLAC (tracks)+LOG -> 231 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 101 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 13 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1984 ECM Records / Watt / Polydor Japan | J33J 20004
Jazz / Post Bop / Experimental Big Band / Progressive Jazz / Piano

Elements of vaudevillian silliness show up on many Carla Bley albums, but usually as grace notes within compositions that are known for their musical strength and density. I Hate to Sing is a notable exception – here the airy, goofy tone seems to be the only thing holding the album together. Fans of the Carla Bley Band will appreciate the group's jovial performance and loose, swinging style, but this is little more than a novelty album.