Need Carla Bley recommendations, please
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=95604
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Topic: Need Carla Bley recommendations, please
Posted By: schizoidman
Subject: Need Carla Bley recommendations, please
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 13:32
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Just read HolyMoly's 4 star review of Bley's "Tropic Appetites" and it got me to wonderin' about her. I've heard not a note of any of her music. Any recommendations on where I can start? I prefer more melodic compositions rather than atonal free form stuff.
Thanks in advance. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Replies:
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 15:01
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I agree with Steve. Tropic is excellent. If you like melodies, you should try her daughter : Karen Mantler (and her cat). Softer than her mother, but very good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--ZcZ1ntT8Y |
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 16:26
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Isn't she the one who worked with Nick Mason on his Fictitious Sports album? ------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 16:45
| Yep, Carla wrote all the songs on Fictious Sports. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 17:09
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^ Yep - 'Fictitious Sports' is a Carla album under the 'Nick Mason' name. And I find that the album called 'The Hapless Child And Other Stories' - credited to Mike Mantler & Edward Gorey, is a real winner - Carla's keyboards sparkle. |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 19:39
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Try European Tour 1977. It features Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, Roswell Rudd and Gary Windo and several other jazz luminaries. It's not atonal or free jazz but has its more avant moments. I highly recommend it. -------------   
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 19:40
Which also features vocals by Robert Wyatt. Even more win.  -------------
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Tom Ozric wrote:Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 21:19
^ 'Inscrutible' Stories ....and Steve Swallow and Jack DeJohnette as the vibrant rhythm section.  A 5 star album which I should review but I'm very slack on the reviewing front.....
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 21:41
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I haven't heard that album for ages. In fact, I heard it at ManErg's house before I went to see VdGG. I must try and get a copy. From what I've heard of Mantler I think I'd enjoy his albums. -------------
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 21:53
^  Nutter Alert !!
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Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 21:59
Thanks to all!  I will see about getting my ears on some of these albums.------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 22:35
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I'm listening to Tropic Appetites now. I forgot I'd heard it before. Mmmm the saxophone is amazing. -------------
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 18 2013 at 22:54
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Although Howard Johnson's vocals are horrid. I've always enjoyed Julie Tippett's voice though. -------------
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: October 19 2013 at 00:42
| I also have a *very* difficult, avant-jazz album featuring Mantler, Bley, Jack Bruce, Don Cherry etc. called 'No Answer', with words by Samuel Beckett - Bley and Bruce are the finest points about it - as I said - DIFFICULT......... |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: October 19 2013 at 03:08
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The Gary Burton's Genuine Tong Funeral is excellent too. Once again, more a Carla Bley album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVUR2CTE30Q |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 19 2013 at 06:12
I don't know her that well but I like this album a lot -  ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: October 20 2013 at 11:48
And a highly recommended album! Fun listen all the way to the end and then some!
Oh, wait, you'll have to put up with Robert Wyatt! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 20 2013 at 12:07
Robert Wyatt is awesome, Mosh. Now shhh. 
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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: October 20 2013 at 12:18
I like Sextet a lot.  Here's "Houses and People" (Hiram Bullock plays guitar on this album): ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: October 20 2013 at 18:27
Thanks to all  I'm going to concentrate my ears on European Tour 1977, Sextet, Fleur Carnivore and Tropic Appetites. Judging from the samples I've heard I think I'll be occupied with Carla's music for the next few weeks. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 21 2013 at 04:41
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Just beware of the awful vocals of Howard Johnson on "Tropic Appetites". They spoil a good album for me! -------------
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: October 21 2013 at 11:31
Something happened to my cover art. The album is Dreams So Real. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: October 21 2013 at 17:10
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One of the first things I've noticed about her music is the complete absence of synthesizers, which, actually, is a nice break from what I normally listen to.
------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: October 21 2013 at 21:57
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Here's my impression/review of "Tropic Appetites": Thoughts on “Tropic Appetites”. This is the first album I’ve heard by Carla Bley. Indeed, the first time I’ve heard any of her music. My instincts are classifying her in the same compartment of my mind as the legendary Zawinul/Shorter Weather Report work. Carla, of course, employed a far greater range of musicians creating a broader spectrum of work than Weather Report. But, imho, if you like one, you’ll probably like the other. 1. “What Will Be Left Between Us and the Moon Tonight?” Great opening track. Love the intro with Carla’s piano. Great piano/bass/percussion foundation for the horn players to lay out. The Latin flavored section that closes this piece really gave me a most pleasant surprise. Builds to an effective climax. 2. “In India” A short interlude with Julie Tippetts’ voicing over minimal instrumentation. In a film I would say this piece serves the same purpose as landscape views giving the audience a sense of place. 3. “Enormous Tots” Opens with a Brecht/Weill cabaret. Lots of tempo changes. I prefer to think of Howard Johnson’s voice contributions not as singing but as a kind of recitation of Haines’ writing. Bawdy elements are present. Some seriously oppressive musical moments as well, probably drawn from some of the more risqué times he experienced in Southeast Asia, perhaps? Builds to an effective climax. 4. “Caucasian Bird Riffles” Beautiful. Simple. Well arranged. This is a song that could have been arranged as a powerful, bombastic piece, but wasn’t. 5. “Funnybird Song” 1:20 of cuteness. In this piece Johnson doesn’t sing in as much as he creates a likeable character to voice some funny words. 6. “Indonesian Dock Sucking Supreme” Somber intro, evolves numerous times into engaging sax/violin/keyboard/bass solo’s. A lot going on in this piece. Numerous tempo and mood changes. Some serious improvisations over some serious structures. To my ears it succeeds perfectly as it segues imperceptibly into…. 7. “Song of the Jungle Stream” Begins with voices. Gets orchestral. Settles into a song proper for a while. Evolves into some intelligently written dissonant notes. Jazz Opera comes to mind. Bass guitar moves to the forefront, voices reemerge. Polyrhythms, voices reemerge evolving into a satisfyingly calm and melodic conclusion. 8. “Nothing” The Brecht/Weill cabaret motif returns, evolving into a melodic section evolving into the Latin motif, evolving, changing, and resolving into the climax. A serious work by a serious composer with serious musicians creating a work of substantial worth and enjoyment. 4 stars ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: October 22 2013 at 23:32
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Wow. Finding her music is like finding a goldmine. I was also a bit late to the party with Porcupine Tree, Weather Report and Big Big Train, but, better late than never. Really enjoying Musique Mecanique as well. ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: October 23 2013 at 06:36
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I still feel Johnson's words/vocals break the album for me. Everything else is excellent except his voice! -------------
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Posted By: schizoidman
Date Posted: October 24 2013 at 11:45
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Very impressed with Musique Mecanique. Here's my review: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=1065267" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=1065267 ------------- Making the useless useful 24/7. |
Posted By: DigDaddyDon
Date Posted: May 22 2016 at 12:49
I know this thread is very old, but just in case I had to post a reply, as no one seems to have mentioned the totally genre-defying and ground-breaking Escalator Over The Hill. Anyone interested in Carla Bley would do very well to check this out. Paul Haines, whose surrealistic poetry was used as the libretto for the "jazz opera," was a French teacher at the international school in New Delhi when I was there, and we were blown away by listening to this record (3-LP set). It is a sweeping work composed by Bley, and features performances by Jack Bruce, Gato Barbieri, John McLaughlin, Linda Ronstadt, Charlie Haden, Don Cherry, and others. To give it a fair shot, sit down with it for an afternoon or evening and follow along with the printed program (which is much nicer to read in the larger format LP edition). Good listening! |
Posted By: Flight123
Date Posted: May 23 2016 at 04:07
Second that, I have it on a double CD with Silence - which is much better IMHO |
Posted By: Evolver
Date Posted: May 23 2016 at 06:34
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For those who like "Fictitious Sports", try "I Hate To Sing". ------------- Trust me. I know what I'm doing. |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: May 23 2016 at 13:11
Edit: ignore me, I didn't read the thread properly
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