Paul Bley

From1950—52 Bley studied composition and conducting at the Juilliard School in New York. Established musicians quickly recognized his extraordinary musical gifts, and by 1951 he bad recorded an album with the great bass player Oscar Pettiford — through it was not released at that time. At twenty, Bley played with Charlie Parker and was also leading his own trio in New York. Charles Mingus championed his cause and got him his first album release — Introducing Paul Bley (1953) — an impressive trio debut with Mingus and Art Blakey as his rhythm-section. In the later 1950s be was associated with the burgeoning avant-garde movement, playing with Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Jimmy Giuffre, Don Ellis, Sonny Rollins and Gary Peacock. He also encouraged his wife, Carla Bley, to begin composing. In 1959 he disbanded his own group, which included Bobby Hutchersou and Scott La Faro, in Los Angeles and returned to New York. In January 1960 Bley and Bil Evans were the two featured soloists and duettists with the fifteen-piece orchestra which recorded George Russell’s massive composition Jazz In The Space Age. With Steve Swallow, Bley was also a member of Jimmy Giuffre’s ground-breaking trio of 1960—62. The following year, with his own trio which included Steve Swallow and Pete LaRoca, he recorded the classic and highly influential album Footloose. He was a member of the Jazz Composers’ Guild in 1964—5, the aim of which was to further the jazz avant-garde. He toured Japan with Rollins in 1963 and Europe with his own quintet in 1965.

In the 1970s be pioneered the use of electronics in jazz, incorporating Arp Odyssey synthesizers and dectric keyboards into b/s solo shows; at around dn/s time be was also closely associated with Aunette Peacuck, who sang with bim. The duo appeared at festiyais in the USA aud Europe. Hr continued to appear solo on thc European circuit throughout the 70s.

Paul Biey has always bean a musical adyenturer of the highest order, widn asa unerriug car for yitaily cmatiye collabonators. Although he tirst can-se to prominence widn the 1960s” ayant—garde, Blcy”s music is steeped in jazz history aud be in thoroughly at borne with ali approaches from the abstract and non-tonal to the d.iatonic aud harmonic. In 1975 be formed bis owsu production company, Improyising Artisrs mc, to release records of bis own aud ofotber artists, inciuding Ran Blaira, Sam Riyers aud Sum Ra. In 1999 ha published an enthralling autobiography entitled Stopping T/me; be continues to perform live.

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