Paul Bley

Paul Bley

Performer

1932–2016. Canadian pianist in the Free Jazz / Avant-Garde tradition.

Paul Bley was a pioneering avant-garde and free jazz pianist known for his sparse, introspective style. Closely associated with Carla Bley and Ornette Coleman.

  • Speechless

    Speechless

    SteepleChase Jun 1995
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • BLEY/NHØP
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    BLEY/NHØP

    SteepleChase Jan 1990
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Live Again

    Live Again

    SteepleChase Jan 1987
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Bley Nhop
    SteepleChasePre-order

    Bley Nhop

    Vinyl · 1 disc

    $45.00
    Artist
    Paul Bley, Niels-Henning, Orsted Pedersen
    Nils Winther had heard Bley in duo with NHØP at the Montmartre and wanted to capture the pairing on tape. When Bley passed through Copenhagen en route to Oslo in the summer of 1973, Winther seized the moment. The result was Bley's first of nineteen SteepleChase albums - and a document of two musicians meeting as equals. By then Bley had played with Art Blakey, Mingus, and Parker; led a quintet whose other members would form Ornette Coleman's first band; and spent pivotal years in the Jimmy Giuffre Trio. NHØP, the Danish bass phenomenon, had grown from a technically gifted teenager at the Montmartre into the label's house bassist on more than thirty sessions, his deep tone and rhythmic flexibility sought by visiting Americans from Bud Powell to Baker to Gordon. Specially for this 180g audiophile vinyl version Neil Tesser penned a perceptive and insightful liner notes which makes a great read. Remastered from the original tapes. Pressed on 180g vinyl. 'Another excellent album from the never less than stimulating Mr. Bley... ' (Melody Maker) '(NHØP) complements Bley's haunting chords perfectly... The piano is appropriately well recorded and the bass is well forward... ' (The Penguin Guide to Jazz)
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  • Bley Nhop
    Pre-order

    Bley Nhop

    SteepleChase Dec 2026
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $45.00
  • NOTHING TO DECLARE
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    NOTHING TO DECLARE

    JUSTIN TIME RECORDS Apr 2004
    1 disc
    CD
    $14.99
  • WHEN WILL THE BLUES LEAVE
    ECM RECORDS

    WHEN WILL THE BLUES LEAVE

    CD · 1 disc

    $17.99
    Artist
    BLEY, PAUL / PEACOCK, GARY / MOTIAN, PAUL
    Released
    Jun 07, 2019
    In 1999, a year after recording the splendid reunion album Not Two, Not One, Paul Bley's highly innovative trio with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian took to the road with concerts on both sides of the Atlantic. When Will The Blues Leave documents a terrific performance at the Aula Magna di Trevano in Switzerland. Included here, alongside the angular freebop Ornette Coleman title track, are Paul Bley's Mazatlan, brimming over with energy, Gary Peacock's evergreen Moor, Gershwin s tender 'I Loves You Porgy" and much more... All played with the subtlety of master improvisers, recasting the music in every moment.
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  • WHEN WILL THE BLUES LEAVE
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    WHEN WILL THE BLUES LEAVE

    ECM RECORDS Jun 2019
    1 disc
    CD
    $17.99
  • ABOUT TIME

    ABOUT TIME

    JUSTIN TIME RECORDS Jun 2008
    1 disc
    CD
    $14.99
  • DOUBLE TIME

    DOUBLE TIME

    JUSTIN TIME RECORDS Sep 1994
    1 disc
    CD
    $14.99
  • CLOSER
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    CLOSER

    ESP DISK LTD. Oct 2017
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $31.49
  • BARRAGE

    BARRAGE

    ESP DISK LTD. Nov 2008
    1 disc
    CD
    $13.49
  • OPEN TO LOVE (ECM LUMINESSENCE SERIES)
    ECM RECORDS

    OPEN TO LOVE (ECM LUMINESSENCE SERIES)

    Vinyl · 1 disc

    $41.49
    Artist
    BLEY, PAUL
    Released
    Mar 07, 2025
    Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Paul Bley is one of the most influential pianists in the history of jazz. His touch instantly recognizable. Bley's career, which now spans seven decades, has continued to be a reference for successive generations of musicians. This is unsurprising, given that the Canadian pianist has worked with "more first-rate, wide-ranging, original musical minds than anyone but Miles," as DownBeat put it. Bley's work has influenced many of the pianists on ECM, as well as countless musicians in the wider world. One of the most influential recordings in the history of jazz piano, Paul Bley's solo album thoughtfully explores the compositions of Carla Bley and Annette Peacock.
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  • OPEN TO LOVE (ECM LUMINESSENCE SERIES)
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    OPEN TO LOVE (ECM LUMINESSENCE SERIES)

    ECM RECORDS Mar 2025
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $41.49
  • RAMBLIN'
    BYG

    RAMBLIN'

    Vinyl · 1 disc

    $32.49
    Artist
    BLEY, PAUL
    Released
    Mar 28, 2025
    Definitive remastered audiophile edition, restored from the original tapes. Deluxe gatefold sleeve featuring faithfully reproduced original artwork. Comes with an insert featuring exclusive notes by author and jazz specialist Kevin Le Gendre Relive the timeless brilliance of Paul Bley's 1966 Rome session where bold improvisation, groundbreaking composition and heartfelt tribute redefined the art of jazz trio. BYG Records and Charly Records present the reissue of Ramblin', the seminal jazz album by pianist Paul Bley, originally released in 1969 as part of the iconic Actuel series on BYG Records. This definitive remastered edition invites listeners to experience the unparalleled artistry of Paul Bley's groundbreaking 1966 Rome session in unprecedented clarity. Recorded at Studio RCA in the Eternal City on July 1, 1966, Ramblin' captures Paul Bley alongside the rhythm section of double bassist Mark Levinson and drummer Barry Altschul. Together, the trio carved out a bold statement in the evolving world of jazz. With roots that include collaborations with luminaries such as Charlie Mingus, Art Blakey, Ornette Coleman, Jimmy Giuffre, and Albert Ayler, Paul Bley was a pioneer of improvisational interplay and unorthodox structures that continually pushed the boundaries of the genre. This session brims with vitality and innovation, featurioriginalng  compositions such as the introspective 'Touching' and 'Albert's Love Theme', a heartfelt tribute to Albert Ayler. Carla Bley's tender and evocative 'Ida Lupino', written in honour of the trailblazing filmmaker, resonates with even greater poignancy following her passing in October 2023. Meanwhile, the album's title track, Ornette Coleman's exuberant 'Ramblin' showcases a joyous yet rebellious spirit emblematic of this groundbreaking trio.
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  • RAMBLIN'

    RAMBLIN'

    BYG Mar 2025
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $32.49
  • RAMBLIN'
    BYG

    RAMBLIN'

    CD · 1 disc

    $14.49
    Artist
    BLEY, PAUL
    Released
    Mar 28, 2025
    CD edition presented in a deluxe digi-sleeve that echoes the original LP's aesthetics, complete with a 16-page booklet and an inner printed wallet. Includes exclusive notes by author and jazz specialist Kevin Le Gendre. Relive the timeless brilliance of Paul Bley's 1966 Rome session where bold improvisation, groundbreaking composition and heartfelt tribute redefined the art of jazz trio. BYG Records and Charly Records present the reissue of Ramblin', the seminal jazz album by pianist Paul Bley, originally released in 1969 as part of the iconic Actuel series on BYG Records. This definitive remastered edition invites listeners to experience the unparalleled artistry of Paul Bley's groundbreaking 1966 Rome session in unprecedented clarity. Recorded at Studio RCA in the Eternal City on July 1, 1966, Ramblin' captures Paul Bley alongside the rhythm section of double bassist Mark Levinson and drummer Barry Altschul. Together, the trio carved out a bold statement in the evolving world of jazz. With roots that include collaborations with luminaries such as Charlie Mingus, Art Blakey, Ornette Coleman, Jimmy Giuffre, and Albert Ayler, Paul Bley was a pioneer of improvisational interplay and unorthodox structures that continually pushed the boundaries of the genre. This session brims with vitality and innovation, featurioriginalng  compositions such as the introspective 'Touching' and 'Albert's Love Theme', a heartfelt tribute to Albert Ayler. Carla Bley's tender and evocative 'Ida Lupino', written in honour of the trailblazing filmmaker, resonates with even greater poignancy following her passing in October 2023. Meanwhile, the album's title track, Ornette Coleman's exuberant 'Ramblin' showcases a joyous yet rebellious spirit emblematic of this groundbreaking trio.
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  • RAMBLIN'

    RAMBLIN'

    BYG Mar 2025
    1 disc
    CD
    $14.49
  • Caravan Suite

    Caravan Suite

    SteepleChase Apr 1993
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Notes On Ornette
    SteepleChase

    Notes On Ornette

    Vinyl · 1 disc

    $45.99
    Composer
    Various
    Artist
    Paul Bley
    Released
    Jan 15, 2024
    This 1998 recording of Paul Bley is here as 180g audiophile LP for the first time. It wholly dedicated to the music of Ornette Coleman, with whom Paul was the major participant of that exciting musical experimentation some 60 years ago. “…here is an intriguing and most stimulating date that does full justice to the writing of Ornette while showcasing the vitality and virtuosity of the creative Paul Bley in full flow with two top notch companions with him all the way…” (Mark Gardner) “…anyone who has ever enjoyed the pianist should seek out Notes on Ornette. Bley still enjoys throwing seemingly unrelated bits of improvised melody together, but here he often goes to the other extreme, spinning out lines that seem endless in which a few simple ideas continually transmogrify.” (Baker, D. – JazzTimes) 180g Audiophile Vinyl
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  • Notes On Ornette

    Notes On Ornette

    SteepleChase Jan 2024
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $45.99
  • Paul Plays Carla
    SteepleChase

    Paul Plays Carla

    Vinyl · 1 disc

    $45.99
    Composer
    Various
    Artist
    Paul Bley
    Released
    May 15, 2023
    One of the most original musicians of our time pianist Paul Bley passed away in 2016 at the age of 83. He left immeasurable influence on the generations of piano players behind him. He was married to Swedish-American pianist/composer Carla Bley in the 50s. Carla’s compositions occupied larger part of his repertoire then. “ …(This CD) features ten pieces by Carla Bley, his former wife, that he has been playing for thirty years but he’s still finding new things in them. Some of these tunes are surprisingly frisky given Bley’s austere reputation…this is another 180g Audiophile Vinyl
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  • Paul Plays Carla

    Paul Plays Carla

    SteepleChase May 2023
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $45.99
  • PLAY BLUE: OSLO CONCERT
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    PLAY BLUE: OSLO CONCERT

    ECM RECORDS May 2014
    1 disc
    CD
    $17.99
  • Solo Piano

    Solo Piano

    SteepleChase Jan 1988
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Indian Summer
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    Indian Summer

    SteepleChase Jun 1991
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Questions

    Questions

    SteepleChase Jan 1987
    1 disc
    Vinyl
    $45.99
  • Live

    Live

    SteepleChase Jan 1989
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • My Standard

    My Standard

    SteepleChase Jan 1987
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Montmartre Live
    SteepleChase

    Montmartre Live

    CD · 2 discs

    $38.99
    Composer
    Various
    Artist
    Paul Bley
    Released
    Nov 15, 1995
    “ ...if you appreciate Bley’s quintessential lyricism and Lundgaard’s singing lines, this one and the other (Live Again SCCD 31230) are noteworthy albums...” (A.G., Compact, September 1989) “...The Rapport between Bley and Lundgaard is perfect...” (Birger Jørgensen, Aarhuus Stiftstidende) Previously issued on SCCD 31223 & SCCD 31230
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  • Montmartre Live

    Montmartre Live

    SteepleChase Nov 1995
    2 discs
    CD
    $38.99
  • Rejoicing

    Rejoicing

    SteepleChase Jan 1990
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Out Of Nowhere

    Out Of Nowhere

    SteepleChase Oct 1997
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Paul Plays Carla
    Sold Out

    Paul Plays Carla

    SteepleChase Apr 1992
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Reality Check

    Reality Check

    SteepleChase Jan 1996
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Questions

    Questions

    SteepleChase Jan 1987
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • At Copenhagen Jazzhouse

    At Copenhagen Jazzhouse

    SteepleChase Sep 1994
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99
  • Notes On Ornette

    Notes On Ornette

    SteepleChase Feb 1998
    1 disc
    CD
    $22.99