International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Carla Bley

Carla Bley was born in 1938. Her father, a church musician, gave her the first lessons of music. At the early age of 17, Carla went to New York where she worked as a pianist and composer. She married Paul Bley for whom she created compositions, too. Later, in 1964, Carla formed the Jazz Composers Guild Orchestra, together with her second husband Michael Mantler.

Her first recording to achieve a wider recognition was "A Genuine Tong Funeral" with the Gary Burton Quartet (1967). She continued her compositional works with arrangements for Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra (1969) and the composition "Escalator over the Hill" (1971), which led her on the road to success.

In the 70's and 80's, Carla had her own groups of six and ten musicians with whom she toured through the USA and Europe. Carla died in 2023.

contact:
homepage:	www.wattxtrawatt.com

Discography

Jazz Realities Fontana 881 010 ZY released 1966 recorded January 1966 in Baarn/The Netherlands	Carla Bley, piano, organ Steve Lacy, soprano sax Mike Mantler, trumpet Kent Carter, bass Aldo Romano, drums
A Genuine Tong Funeral RCA Victor LSP-3988 released 1968 recorded July 1967 in New York City/USA	Gary Burton, vibes Carla Bley, organ, piano, conductor Larry Coryell, guitar Steve Swallow, bass Lonesome Dragon, drums Steve Lacy, soprano sax Mike Mantler, trumpet Leandro 'Gato' Barbieri, tenor sax Jimmy Knepper, trombone, bass trombone Howard Johnson, tuba, baritone sax
Escalator Over The Hill JCOA-3LP-EOTH released 1971 recorded November 1968, November 1970, March 1971, June 1971 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organs, piano, celeste, chimes, composition Roswell Rudd, trombone Perry Robinson, clarinet Gato Barbieri, tenor sax Charlie Haden, bass Michael Mantler, ring modulated piano, percussion Don Preston, synthesizer John McLaughlin, guitar Jack Bruce, bass Paul Motian, drums The Carla Bley Orchestra
Tropic Appetites Watt/1 released 1974 recorded September 1973/February 1974 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, voice, recorders, piano, clavinet, organ, marimba, celeste, percussion Julie Tippetts, voice Gato Barbieri, tenor sax, percussion Howard Johnson, voice, clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano sax, baritone sax, bass sax, tubas Dave Holland, cello, basses Michael Mantler, trumpet, valve trombone Toni Marcus, violin, viola Paul Motian, drums, percussion
No Answer Watt/2 released 1974 recorded February/July 1973 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, piano, clavinet, organs Jack Bruce, voices, guitar Don Cherry, trumpet music by Michael Mantler words by Samuel Beckett
Silence Watt/5 released 1977 recorded January 1976 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, piano, voice, organ Robert Wyatt, voice, percussion Kevon Coyne, voice Chris Spedding, guitar Ron McClure, basses Clare Maher, cello music by Michael Mantler
Dinner Music Watt/6 released 1977 recorded January 1976 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, piano, vocal, organ, tenor sax Roswell Rudd, trombone Carlos Ward, alto sax, tenor sax, flute Michael Mantler, trumpet Bob Stewart, tuba Richard Tee, piano Eric Gale, guitar Cornell Dupree, guitar Gordon Edwards, bass guitar Steve Gadd, drums
Movies Watt/7 released 1978 recorded November 1977 in New York/USA	Michael Mantler, trumpet Larry Coryell, guitar Carla Bley, piano, synthesizer, tenor sax Steve Swallow, bass Tony Williams, drums
European Tour 1977 Watt/8 released 1978 recorded September 1977 in München/Germany	Carla Bley, organ, tenor sax Michael Mantler, trumpet Elton Dean, alto sax Gary Windo, tenor sax John Clark, French horn, guitar Roswell Rudd, trombone Bob Stewart, tuba Terry Adams, piano Hugh Hopper, bass guitar Andrew Cyrilee, drums
Musique Mecanique Watt/9 released 1979 recorded August/November 1978 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ, piano Michael Mantler, trumpet Alan Braufman, alto sax, clarinet, flute Gary Windo, tenor sax, bass clarinet John Clark, French horn Roswell Rudd, trombone Bob Stewart, tuba Terry Adams, piano, electric pump organ Steve Swallow, bass D. Sharpe, drums Charlie Haden, bass Eugene Chadbourne, guitars Karen Mantler, glockenspiel
More Movies Watt/10 released 1980 recorded August 1979/March 1980 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ, piano Michael Mantler, trumpet Philip Catherine, guitar Gary Windo, tenor sax Steve Swallow, bass D. Sharpe, drums
Social Studies Watt/11 released 1981 recorded September/December 1980 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ, piano Michael Mantler, trumpet Carlos Ward, soprano sax, alto sax Tony Dagradi, tenor sax, clarinet Gary Valente, trombone Joe Daley, euphonium Earl McIntyre, tuba Steve Swallow, bass D. Sharpe, drums
Live! Watt/12 released 1982 recorded August 1981 in San Francisco/USA	Carla Bley, organ, glockenspiel, piano Michael Mantler, trumpet Steve Slagle, alto sax, soprano sax, flute Tony Dagradi, tenor sax Gary Valente, trombone Vincent Chancey, French horn Earl McIntyre, tuba, bass trombone Arturo O'Farrill, piano, organ Steve Swallow, bass D. Sharpe, drums
I Hate To Sing Watt/12½ released 1984 recorded January 1983 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ, glockenspiel Michael Mantler, trumpet Steve Slagle, soprano sax, alto sax, clarinet Tony Dagradi, tenor sax Gary Valente, trombone Vincent Chancey, French horn Bob Stewart, tuba Earl McIntyre, tuba Arturo O'Farrill, piano Steve Swallow, bass D. Sharpe, drums
Heavy Heart Watt/14 released 1984 recorded September/October 1983 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ, sythesizer Steve Slagle, flute, alto sax, baritone sax Hiram Bullock, guitar Gary Valente, trombone Kenny Kirkland, piano Steve Swallow, bass Victor Lewis, drums Manolo Badrena, percussion Michael Mantler, trumpet Earl McIntyre, tuba
Night-glo Watt/16 released 1985 recorded June/August 1985 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ, synthesizers Steve Swallow, bass Larry Willis, piano Hiram Bullock, guitar Victor Lewis, drums Manolo Badrena, percussion Paul McCandless, oboe, English horn, soprano sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet Randy Brecker, trumpet, flugelhorn John Clark, French horn Tom Malone, trombone David Taylor, bass trombone
Visions Of Excess Celluloid Cell 6118 released 1985 recorded in New York City/USA	Michael Hampton, guitar Jody Harris, guitar Henry Kaiser, guitar Arto Lindsay, guitar, vocals Nicky Skopelitis, guitar Chris Stamey, guitar, piano Richard Thompson, guitar Carla Bley, Hammond organ Bernie Worrell, Hammond organ Jack Bruce, harp, vocals Bill Laswell, bass Anton Fier, drums, percussion John Lydon, vocals Michael Stipe, vocals
Carla Bley Sextet Watt/17 released 1987 recorded December 1986 and January 1987 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ Hiram Bullock, uitar Larry Willis, piano Steve Swallow, bass Victor Lewis, drums Don Alias, percussion
Carla XtraWatt/2 released 1987 recorded winter 1986/87 in New York/USA	Carla Bley, organ Hiram Bullock, uitar Larry Willis, piano Steve Swallow, bass Victor Lewis, drums Don Alias, percussion
Drunk With Passion Charisma 91745-2 released 1991	Bob Kidney, guitar, vocals Bob Mould, guitar, vocals Nicky Skopelitits, guitar Richard Thompson, guitar Carla Bley, Hammond organ Amanda Kramer, keyboards, vocals Bill Laswell, bass Anton Fier, drums Aïyb Dieng, percussion Michael Stipe, vocals
Swallow XtraWatt/6 released 1992 recorded September/November 1991 in New York/USA	Steve Swallow, bass Steve Kuhn, piano Carla Bley, organ Karen Mantler, sythesizer, harmonica Hiram Bullock, guitar Robby Amen, drums Don Alias, percussion Gary Burton, vibes John Scofield, guitar
Songs With Legs Watt/26 recorded live May 1994 on tour in France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Turkey and Great Britain	Carla Bley, piano, organ Andy Sheppard, soprano sax, tenor sax Steve Swallow, bass
Live On The Old Grey Whistle Test Strange Fruit WHIS CD 010	Jack Bruce, piano, bass, vocals Dave "Clem" Clempson, guitar, bass, vocals David Sancious, guitar, keyboards Mick Taylor, guitar Carla Bley, Hammond organ, synthesizer Ronnie Leahy, piano, synthesizer Billy Cobham, drums Bruce Gary, drums
Nude Bass Ascending... Intuition Records INT 3192-2 recorded May 1996 through April 1997	Glen Moore, piano, bass Rabih Abou Khalil, oud Carla Bley, Hammond organ Steve Swallow, bass Arto Tunçboyaciyan, percussion, vocals
Birds Of Paradise supplement to the magazine "Musica Jazz" Magazine (Italy) no. 5/2000	Carla Bley, organ no further details known
Live '75 Polydor 065 607-2 recorded live 01 June 1975 at The Free Trade Hall in Manchester/Great Britain	Jack Bruce, guitar, piano, vocals Mick Taylor, guitar Carla Bley, organ, piano, clavinet, mellotron Ronnie Leahy, piano, synthesizer Bruce Gary, drums Pete Brown, words
Selected Recordings ECM Records :rarum XV compilation, recordings 1961 - 1999	Carla Bley, piano, organ Steve Swallow, bass various artists

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