Friday, August 08, 2008

BLUNT OBJECT


I have been in love with Carla Bley since the early 1970's. I actually met her once and my facile glibness totally vanished and I was a stuttering fool. She came to New york in the 60's and worked as a cigarette girl at the Blue Note in the Village where she married the pianist Paul Bley. She was already composing and after her divorce from Paul, she formed the Jazz Composers Orchestra with Michael Mantler which also became an outlet for the distribution of independant Jazz records, The New Music Distribution Service.
The Jazz Composers Orchestra became a grand project which allowed composers to realize grand orchestral projects. Carla's master opus from the period was the indescribable piece, Escalator Over The Hill, released as a three record set with great performances by John McGlaughlin, Jack Bruce and Linda Rondstadt and a host of great Jazz players.
I mention Jack Bruce and Linda Ronstadt because they have a few vocal duets that are chillingly beautiful. Jack also plays bass, of course.
Later, Carla went on to form the Carla Bley Big Band which still exists today as this video is evidence! She has composed many jazz standards and is still on the forefront of puushing the boundaries of the music. She now livces in upstate New York with her present husband of quite a few years, the great bassist, Steve Swallow.
The piece is BLUNT OBJECT
the musicians are:
Carla Bley : Claviers
Mike Mantler : Claviers
Tony Dagradi : Sax Tenor
Steve Slagle : Sax Alto
Earl Mc Intyre : Trombone/Tuba
Ray Anderson : Trombone
John Clarke : Cor
Steve Swallow : Electric Bass
Victor Lewis : Drums

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