Paul Bley (album)

Paul Bley
Studio album by Paul Bley
Released	1955
Recorded	February 3 and August 26 & 30, 1954 Fine Sound Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Length	41:11
Label	EmArcy MG 36092
Paul Bley chronology
Introducing Paul Bley (1953) Paul Bley (1954) Solemn Meditation (1958)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[2]

Paul Bley is the second album by Canadian jazz pianist Paul Bley featuring tracks recorded in 1954 and released on the EmArcy label.^[3][4]

Reception

Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars stating "Pick a personality trait of the Paul Bley style and chances are it won't be found anywhere here, as lovely a piano trio jazz record as this is... For the most part the tone of the pianist remains almost frigid in its consistency; volume level rarely varies and the direction of the improvisations is solidly mainstream... The obvious problem with someone like Bley or Jimi Hendrix is that once they developed their totally unique musical personality, their earlier work starts to sound a little boring".^[1] The Penguin Guide to Jazz said "At this stage of his career, he's a very orthodox bopper, aware of the blues but certainly not restricted by them, possibly exploring aspects of Tristano's evolution as well, and certainly listening to classical pianists for technique and harmonic ideas".^[2]

Track listing

All compositions by Paul Bley except as indicated

1. "Topsy" (Edgar Battle, Eddie Durham) - 2:46
2. "My Heart" - 2:43
3. "That Old Feeling" (Lew Brown, Sammy Fain) - 2:41
4. "There Will Never Be Another You" (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) - 5:50
5. "Autumn Breeze" (Milt Jackson) - 3:13
6. "I Want to Be Happy" (Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans) - 2:22
7. "My Old Flame" (Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston) - 3:30
8. "Time on My Hands" (Harold Adamson, Gordon, Youmans) - 3:34
9. "Drum One" - 2:24
10. "This Can't Be Love" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 3:12
11. "My One and Only (What Am I Gonna Do)" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 6:47
12. "52nd Street Theme" (Thelonious Monk) - 2:49

• Recorded at Fine Sound Studios in New York City on February 3 (tracks 5 & 9), August 26 (tracks 1-4 & 7) and August 20 (tracks 6, 8 & 10-12), 1954

Personnel

• Paul Bley - piano
• Percy Heath (tracks 5 & 9), Peter Ind (tracks 1-4, 6-8 & 10-12) - bass
• Alan Levitt - drums

References

1. Chadbourne, E. Allmusic Review accessed October 2, 2012
2. Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (8th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 132. ISBN 0141023279.
3. EmArcy Records discography accessed October 2, 2012
4. Paul Bley catalog, accessed June 18, 2014