Carla Bley - Looking For America

[chuckyd4]

This is new, out on ECM/Watts... I haven't heard it, I was just wondering if anybody out there had and wouldn't mind adding their thoughts. The budget is kind of tight and I just dropped a load on the Martial Solal, the Max Roach/Abdullah Ibrahim, and the Nina Simone box that all just came out. I've previously liked her work (though I havent' heard much) and was interested...

[gnhrtg]

I bought this when it came out here (last weekend) along with the new Martial Solal disk. I was not blown away by either of them, though the Carla Bley one gives me a better listening experience each time.

It is almost as you would expect with not a lot of surprises. The soloists are Puschnig, Soloff, Smulyan (and I forgot the tenor soloist but Craig Handy is in the ensemble.

Overall, I find the tunes to be quite playful in mood if not in tempo. There is a long track with quotes here and there from the national anthem, and the last tune and the second to last to last tune are great fun. The solos, overall, are quite good and they do some less usual things where Don Alias solos on a mid-tempo latin number (the usual thing I have in mind is percussion solos on up-tempo latin numbers)

If you do like her work, I would recommend this as it has not been a week since I bought it and I already gave it three spins. The solos are quite, and most of the tunes lend themselves to good ensemble playing (and arranging). I would be happy to answer more specific questions but since the disk is at home now, I cannot write short comments about the tunes to give more information on that.

[Clay Fink]

Picked it up and gave it one listen. It's a pretty typical Carla recording: wonderful soloists plus her unmistakable arraingments. The rythm section of Bley on piano plus Swallow and Billy Drummond on drums sounds great. This might not be her best, but is pretty good anyway. I kind of prefer the last one "4X4" and her Band of the late 70s/early 80s with Rudd, etc.. She always shows great skill, taste and humor in her music. The humor especially sets her apart from other current big band recordings I've heard (Brookmyer, Holland, etc.).

FWIW, she has played around with the national anthem before on "European Tour, 1977" with "Star Spangled Minor...".

[Tanager]

I also haven't heard much Carla, much like chucky, so I'd be curious if those of you more familiar with her work would recommend this is as a good place for further exploration for folks in my shoes.

[Clay Fink]

For her early writting I'd check out any of the Paul Bley trio sides on Savoy or ESP. As a group leader, "Europe 1977", "Tropic Apetites", "Social Studies", "Live", "4x4" and, of course, "Escalator Over the Hill". Her later big band dates and duets with Steve Swallow are also well worth hearing. She went through a "smooth" phase in the early 80's that most people dismiss, but it's still pleasent stuff. Gary Burton did recordings of her compositions for ECM in the 70s and RCA in the sixties. Both of those titles are great.

[Peterdubya]

I've always loved her arrangements and this CD did not disappoint me at all. It's quirky, with a pinch of humor thrown in.
gary valente is such a distinct voice on trombone and Swallow sounds great as always. The tenor player is Andy Sheppard and he has been a nice fit in her group.
Why Carla is not "Up There" like some other leaders is a little beyond me. I recommend this disk.

[Clay Fink]

Originally posted by Tanager
I also haven't heard much Carla, much like chucky, so I'd be curious if those of you more familiar with her work would recommend this is as a good place for further exploration for folks in my shoes.

I should add her work with Charlie HAden and the Liberation Music Orchestra. I like "Ballad of the Fallen" a lot.

She also did a 'rock' album with Nick Mason of Pink Floyd called "Ficticious Sports" with Robert Wyatt (!!!) on lead vocals. I love that one!!

[Nate Dorward]

The new one is all right (still absorbing it after receiving it this morning), but Bley's previous disc, ....Goes to Church, is considerably stronger, & isn't a bad place to start for latterday Bley.

The new one, incidentally has a 22-minute suite based on "The Star Spangled Banner" & a coda arrangement of "Old Macdonald Had a Farm". The disc has no liner notes by the way but presumably in reference to the title & the national-anthem suite nonetheless contains a disclaimer on the back: "The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the musicians in the band or the record company."

[Lois Gilbert]