Paul Bley: Play Blue

Canadian pianist Paul Bley has searched for new sounds since the 1950s. Along the way he has worked with pioneers such as Ornette Coleman and Charles Mingus, championed new instruments and new approaches, and generally never remained satisfied with the status quo. Bley has made a particularly distinguished contribution to the language of the trio, setting new standards of communication between musicians, but only rarely has he put his solo performances on record. Play Blue was recorded six years ago in the pristine but atmospheric Kulturkirken Jakob in Oslo by the poet-engineer of the piano, Jan Erik Konshaugh. Here is one of the great pianists of the modern era thinking aloud, letting his thoughts spill out onto the keyboard with a clarity that is transfixing in its lyrical embrace. improvart.com