Search - Paul Bley :: Introducing Paul Bley

"Introducing" A Master

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 10/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For those familiar with any of Paul Bley's recordings of the past fifty (!) years, from his avant-garde efforts for ESP to his more recent discs on ECM, "Introducing Paul Bley" will prove both illuminating and surprising. At minimum, this is an opportunity to hear the jazz pianist in his early days (November 30, 1953 in fact -- a dozen years before the remarkable Closer), in a trio setting with then fellow aspiring modernists Charles Mingus and Art Blakey. My first reaction was to compare this with early Bill Evans, or even Duke Ellington's "Money Jungle," but of course it precedes those efforts by at least five years, so he must foremost be applauded for his masterful advancements on the instrument. But upon further inspection, I also heard the beginnings of a truly unique musical voice, with its trademark tone and color, despite the fact that at this time it existed only in a be-bop/hard bop context. Even though Bley's musical journey took him light years from this point, it is fascinating to witness the starting line. Whether you know this legendary pianist's music intimately or not at all, I strongly recommend "Introducing" yourself to Paul Bley."