The musical life of Canadian pianist Paul Bley has been a something of success story since the beginning. He made these first recordings under his own name in the bebop idiom with such great artists as Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Percy Heath, Peter Ind or Al Levitt but his advanced concept and playing became soon associated with the burgeoning avant-garde and free jazz movement, which he has gone on to develop throughout his life and music. For over fifty years, Bley has remained on the cutting edge of creative music and has always been drawn to the most innovative players around.
Tracklist
Total time: 68:59 min.
01. Like Some One In Love (Burke-Van Heusen) 4:08
02. Opus 1 (Paul Bley) 4:12
03. Walkin' (Richard Carpenter) 4:32
04. Spontaneous Combustion (Paul Bley) 4:18
05. Split Kick (Horace Silver) 3:07
06. I Can't Get Started (Duke-Gershwin) 3:40
07. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Gillespie-Coots) 3:37
08. Drum One (Paul Bley) 2:23
09. Autumn Breeze (Milt Jackson) 3:08
10. That Old feeling (Brown-Fain) 2:38
11. There Will Never Be Another You (Warren-Gordon) 5:45
12. My Old Flame (Coslow-Johnston) 3:28
13. Topsy (Battle-Durham) 2:41
14. My Heart (Paul Bley) 2:40
15. Time On My Hands (Youmans-Gordon-Adamson) 3:30
16. This Can't Be Love (Rodgers-Hart) 3:09
17. My One And Only (George Gershwin) 6:44
18. I Want To Be Happy (Youmans-Caesar) 2:17
19. 52nd Street Theme (Thelonious Monk) 2:49
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-7, from the 10-inch album "Introducing Paul Bley" (Debut DLP 7)
Tracks #8-19, from the 12-inch album "Paul Bley" (EmArcy MG-36092 / Wing MGW 60001)
Personnel on #1-7:
Paul Bley (piano), Charles Mingus (bass), Art Blakey (drums).
Recorded in NYC, November 30, 1953
Personnel on #8-14:
Paul Bley (piano), Percy Heath (bass), Al Levitt (drums).
Recorded in NYC, February 3 (8-9), August 27 (10-14), 1953
Personnel on #15-19:
Paul Bley (piano), Peter Ind (bass), Al Levitt (drums). Recorded in NYC, August 30, 1953
This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
© 2005 by Fresh Sound Records
Mono · Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas S.L.Press reviews
"This Fresh Sounds CD of Paul Bley's earliest recorded work contains 19 tracks. The first seven are his first recording on Debut, Improvisations: Introducing Paul Bley with Charles Mingus and Art Blakey from 1953, and the final twelve are from his initial offering for EmArcy in 1954, placing the pianist in the company of Percy Heath alternating with Peter Ind on bass (these recordings are from two different sessions that comprised the album), and Al Levitt on drums. These recordings are available separately on CD, but this is a handy way to encounter the young master among some of jazz's giants."
—Thom Jurek (All Music Guide)
