Paul Bley Nothing to Declare

Paul Bley & Sonny Greenwich - Outside In (1994) {Justin Time Just 69-2}
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© 1995 Justin Time Records | Just 69-2
Jazz / Progressive Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano / Guitar

RIP Paul Bley. In memory of Paul Bley. Paul Bley, a jazz pianist whose thoughtful but intuitive commitment to advanced improvisation became widely influential, died of natural causes Sunday. He was 83. This duet set by pianist Paul Bley and guitarist Sonny Greenwich, after two melodic solos by Greenwich and Bley's feature on "Arrival," becomes a loose bop session. "Meandering" is a blues and, in the tradition of Lennie Tristano, the origins of the originals "Willow" and "You Are" are not too difficult to figure out. The music does meander a bit but mostly swings in a floating way. Although there are some freer moments, this is as straight as Paul Bley has played on records in years and Sonny Greenwich also sounds fairly conservative, at least if one does not listen too closely. It's a relaxed and very interesting set.

Paul Bley - Improvisie (1971) {America Records 30 AM 6121}
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© 1971 America Records | 30 AM 6121
Jazz / Experimental / Improvised Early Electronic Jazz / Synthesizer

Incredible work from Paul Bley – and a record that captures him in his excellent electric period, working in a different setting than we've heard him elsewhere! The group on the set is a trio – one that matches Bley's work on electric piano and synthesizer with percussion from Han Bennink and vocals, piano, bass, and additional synthesizer from a young Annette Peacock! Peacock is especially restrained on the record – especially if you only know her later, straighter work – and her contribution here is wonderfully subtle and extremely lovely. Side one features the track "Improvisie", a free improvisation with Bley on electric piano and synthesizer – and tonalities are as "out" as the playing, which is generally quite spacious and dynamic – though hardly quiet. The second side features a Peacock tune titled "Touching" that's a bit more intense – very much in the spirit of the work on the first side, and a unique slice of magic from this one-off session!

Paul Bley - Paul Bley - EmArcy (1954) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster UCCU-9739}
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© 1954, 2013 EmArcy / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9739
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano

Early early work by Paul Bley – years before he picked up the synthesizer, and years before he became the moody modernist he was in the 70s! The album's a relatively straight batch of tracks, but does have a touch of modernism – an early example of the sharp sounds that Bley would fully forge in alter years. The lineup is nice, too – with either Percy Heath or Peter Ind on bass, both players who clearly feel Bley's intentions – and Al Levitt on drums. Tracks are mostly standards, but they're done by Bley in a way that's fresh and sprightly – and titles include "My Heart", "Topsy", "I Want To Be Happy", "Autumn Breeze", and "My Old Flame".

Paul Bley - Indian Summer (1987) {SteepleChase SCCD 31286 rel 1991}
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© 1987, 1991 SteepleChase Productions ApS | SCCD 31286
Jazz / Modern Creative / Post Bop / Piano Trio

The mid-'80s trios for Steeplechase mark a consistent high point in Bley's now capacious output. …It's only really on Indian Summer that one feels the chemistry is just right. This is one of the pianist's periodic blues-based programmes. Engineered by Kazunori Sigiyama, who's responsible for DIW's output, it registers brightly, essential for music which is as softly pitched as much of this is. The high points are Bley's own "Blue Waltz" and an ironic "The More I See You," in which he works through variations in much the same way as he had on Caravan Suite for the same label, reconstructing the melodies rather than simply going through the changes. It's a fine record by any standards, but it stands out prominently among the later trios.