Carla Bley | |
|---|---|
 Bley in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lovella May Borg |
| Born | May 11, 1936[1] Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Died | October 17, 2023 (aged 87) Willow, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, organ |
| Years active | 1960–2020 |
| Labels | WATT Records, ECM, Universal |
| Formerly of | Michael Mantler, Steve Swallow, Paul Bley, Nick Mason, Johnny Griffin, Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Art Farmer, Liberation Music Orchestra, Jack Bruce, Charlie Haden, Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Paul Haines |
Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936 – October 17, 2023) was an American jazz composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader.[2] An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she was perhaps best known for her jazz opera Escalator over the Hill (released as a triple LP set), as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other artists, including Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Art Farmer, Robert Wyatt, John Scofield, and her ex-husband Paul Bley. She was a pioneer in the development of independent artist-owned record labels, and recorded over two dozen albums between 1966 and 2019.[3]
- ^ Chinen, Nate (May 11, 2016). "Carla Bley, Still Improvising and Inspiring as She Turns 80". The New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 145/6. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
- ^ Henkin, Andrey (October 17, 2023). "Carla Bley, prolific and expansive jazz pianist, dies at 87". WNET. NPR.