Discography

· Closer (rec. 12/12/65, ESP--1021.2) Paul Bley - piano; Steve Swallow - bass; Barry Altschul - drums AP Track [10] Cartoon · Ramblin' (rec. 07/01/66, Red--RR123117.2) Paul Bley - piano; Mark Levinson - bass; Barry Altschul - drums AP Tracks [1] Both [2] Albert's Love Theme [5] Touching · Blood (rec. 09/21 & 10/04/66, Fontana 883911ZY) Paul Bley - piano; Mark Levinson - bass; Barry Altschul - drums AP Tracks [1] Blood [2] Albert's Love Theme [3] El Cordobes [6] Mr. Joy [8] Kid Dynamite [9] Nothing Ever Was, Anyway · Paul Bley with Gary Peacock (rec. 04/13/63 & 05/11/68, ECM--1003.843.162.2) Paul Bley - piano; Gary Peacock - bass; Paul Motian/Billy Elgart - drums AP Tracks [6] Gary [8] Albert's Love Theme

Touching (rec. 11/05/65 Copenhagen, Denmark, '99 CD reissue TOKUMA JAPAN TKCB 71619) Paul Bley - piano; Kent Carter - bass; Barry Altschul - drums AP Tracks [2] Cartoon [3] Touching [5] Both

recto

In Haarlem (rec. 11/04/66, Haarlem, Holland, Polydor 623258, '99 CD reissue TOKUMA JAPAN TKCB 71620) Paul Bley - piano; Mark Levinson, Kent Carter - bass; Barry Altschul - drums All compositions written by Annette Peacock AP Tracks [1] Blood [2] Mr. Joy [Note: There was another version of album jacket: Aviation solar photo over peculiar clouds. In US, Touching and this album were issued as a double album Copenhagen And Haarlem.]

verso

recto

BALLADS (rec. 03/31/67**, 07/28/67* in New York, ECM 1010, '71; '00 CD reissue UNIVERSAL CLASSICS & JAZZ JPN -- UCCE3003) Paul Bley - Piano; Gray Peacock - Bass*; Mark Levinson - Bass**; Barry Altscul - Drums; All compositions written by Annette Peacock Side I: Ending* Side II: Circles**, So Hard it Hurts** [Note: Besides the solo piano albums, I would pick The Floater Syndrome (rec. 1962/ SAVOY JAZZ ZDS 4427) aforementioned Touching, latter Virtuosi and this album are the best of Paul Bley recordings. According to Japanese CD reissue liner notes, Bley brought the tape himself to ECM. This album was the second album from the ECM inception -- the very first album came out from ECM was Paul Bley With Gary Peacock.]

verso

Virtuosi (rec. 06/28/67, IAI--123844.2) Paul Bley - piano; Gary Peacock - bass; Barry Altschul - drums All compositions written by Annette Peacock AP Tracks [1] Butterflies [2] Gary

· Turning Point (rec. 03/09/64 & 05/10/68*, IAI--123841.2) Paul Bley - piano; John Gilmore - tenor sax; Gary Peacock - bass; Paul Motian; Billy Elgart* - drums AP Tracks [8] Mr. Joy* [9] Kid Dynamite* · Mr. Joy (rec. 05/10~05/12/68, Mercury--LS86060) Paul Bley - piano; Gary Peacock - bass; Billy Elgart - drums AP Tracks [2] Kid Dynamite [3] Nothing Ever Was, Anyway [4] El Cordobes [6] Touching [7] Blood [8] Mr. Joy · Canada (rec. 12/68, Radio Canada International 305) Paul Bley - piano; Mario Pavone - bass; Barry Altschul - drums AP Tracks [1] Blood [2] Nothing Ever Was, Anyway [5] Touching · The Paul Bley Synthesizer Show (rec. 12/09/70*, 01/21/71**, 03/09/71***, Milestone MSP 9033) Paul Bley - acoustic piano (A-4 & B-3), ARP synthesizer, RMI electric piano; Dick Youngstein - bass & Steve Haas - drums (A-1, A-3: opening chorus & A-4); Youngstein - bass & Steve Haas - drums (A-2, B-2 & B-3); Glenn Moore - snakes and the balance & Frank Tusa - bass; Bobby Moses - drums (A-3); Produced by Orrin Keepnews; All compositions written by Annette Peacock Side A: Mr Joy**, The Archangel*, Nothing Ever Was, Anyway*** (the opening chorus rec. on 01/21/71), Gary** Side B: Snakes***, Parks*, Circles*

Open, To Love (rec. 09/11/72, ECM--1023.827.751.2) Paul Bley - piano AP Tracks [4] Open, To Love [7] Nothing Ever Was, Anyway [Note: In the early 70's, three promising young pianists released solo piano albums: Chick Corea (b.1941)/Crystal Silence; Keith Jarrett (b.1945)/Facing You ('71, ECM); and this Bley's. No contest to others after listening to this album. This album is the most remarkable, aside the sublime quality, comparing the compositions by Carla, Paul Bley, and Annette: Carla's ingenious phrasing draws quick sense; Bley's are ternary, established; Annette's are organic and analog, there is no layer, cannot embrace at once.]

· Scorpio (rec. 11/24/72, Milestone--MSP9046; '99 CD reissud, COMET RECORDS-UV001 ) Paul Bley - arp synthesizer, RMI & fender rhodes electric piano, piano; David Holland - bass & fuzz pedal; Barry Altschul - percussion AP Tracks [1] El Cordobes [4] Dreams [6] Gesture Without Plot [Note: He recorded this electric album, conceivably out of compulsion, only two month after the decisive piano album Open to Love. Amazing how he maintained this double personality. Reissued on CD.] · NHØP (rec. 06/24/73, SteepleChase--SCCD31005) Paul Bley - piano, electric Piano*; Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - bass AP Track [10] Gesture Without Plot* · Pastorius/Metheny/Ditmas/Bley -- Jaco (rec. 06/16/74, IAI--123846.2) Jaco Pastorius- electric bass; Pat Metheny - Electric guitar; Bruce Ditmas - drums; Paul Bley - electric piano AP Track [9] Blood

Alone, Again (rec. 08/08~08/09/74, IAI--123840.2) Paul Bley - piano AP Track [6] Dreams [Note: Bley ended the marriage with Annette who left to UK. He played only one Annette's composition in this album: track [6] Dreams. The track is the most beautiful ballad, perhaps Bley ever recorded. Interestingly, Annette recorded same piece in '88 abstract-contact track [8] If Time Weren't. It is great to compare the recordings between inspirations, the time passed between the two. This was his last album playing his trademark ascetic piano. After this album Bley returned playing be-bop with various ensembles. Miles would retire within a year, after the feverous yet lonesome spells. The time coincided with ultimately the end of glorious jazz era.]

· AXIS (rec. 07/01~07/03/77, IAI--123853.2) Paul Bley - piano AP Track [4] El Cordobes  · Fragments (rec. 01/86, ECM--1320.78118.21320.2) Paul Bley - Piano; John Surman - soprano & baritone sax, bass clarinet; Bill Frisell - guitar, Paul Motian - drums AP Track [9] Nothing Ever Was, Anyway · Montmarte Live (rec. 03/26/86, SteepleChase--SCCD37019.20) Paul Bley - Piano; Jesper Lundgaard - bass AP Track [5] Albert's Love Theme · Solo Piano (rec. 04/02/88, SteepleChase--SCCD31236) Paul Bley - Piano AP Track [2] So Hard It Hurts · Annette (rec. 04/12~04/14/92, hatART CD6118) Paul Bley - piano; Franz Koglmann - flugelhorn & trumpet; Gary Peacock - bass AP Tracks [1] Touching (take 1) [2] El Cordobes [3] Cartoon [4] Albert's Love Theme [5] Kid Dynamite [6] Miracles [7] Blood (take1) [9] Both [10] Blood (take 2) [11] Mr. Joy [12] Touching (take2) [Note: Out of blue, Bley recorded Annette compositions again in long time. For whole album!, with another Annette's former spouse Gary Peacock. Naturally how curious what was their inspirations. Perhaps because Bley recorded an album by Carla Bley's pieces titled Plays Carla Bley five month before. Nonetheless this album is brilliant.]