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Carla Bley at Queen Elizabeth Hall

Jez Nelson presents a concert given by American pianist, bandleader and composer Carla Bley at the 2009 London Jazz Festival. She performs with her quartet The Lost Chords.

Jez Nelson presents a concert given by American pianist, bandleader and composer Carla Bley as part of the 2009 London Jazz Festival. Bringing her long-standing quartet The Lost Chords to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, she combines dexterous musicianship with humorous and original compositions. The group features renowned British saxophonist Andy Sheppard, with leading American jazz musicians Steve Swallow on bass and Billy Drummond on drums.

Bley's prolific career has spanned four decades and many eclectic projects including Escalator over the Hill, a jazz opera that cemented her reputation as a composer. Bley also pioneered the movement towards independent artist-owned record labels by releasing and distributing her own music in the 1970s. In 2003, The Lost Chords formed out of a longstanding duo project with Steve Swallow, combining four of the major names in contemporary creative improvisation.

For details of Radio 3's coverage of the London Jazz Festival go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/londonjazzfestival/2009/

Julian Siegel Trio recorded at Queen Elizabeth Hall on November 17, 2009.

Line Up:
Julian Siegel (reeds)
Greg Cohen (double bass)
Joey Baron (drums)

Set List:
Night at the Opera (Julian Siegel)
Sandpit (Julian Siegel)

Recommended further listening:
Artist: Julian Siegel Trio
Album Title: Live at the Vortex
Label: Basho Music
Released: 2008

Jez interviews Carla Bley and Steve Swallow in the Front Room of the Queen Elizabeth Hall

CD tracks included in the interview:

Artist: Carla Bley (piano) and Steve Swallow (bass)
Track Title: Major
Composer: Carla Bley
Album Title: Are we there yet?
Label: ECM
Released: 1998

Artist: Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet), Paul Bley (piano) and Steve Swallow (bass)
Track Title: Ictus
Composer: Carla Bley
Album Title: Carla Bley - Selected Recordings
Label: ECM
Released: 2004

Artist: Carla Bley (piano), Steve Swallow (bass) and the Partyka Brass Quintet -Tobias Weidinger (trumpet, flugelhorn, glockenspiel), Axel Schlosser (trumpet, flugelhorn) Christine Chapman (horn), Adrian Mears (trombone), Ed Partyka (bass trombone, tuba)
Track Title: Ring Christmas Bells
Composer: Mykola Leontovich, arr Carla Bley
Album Title: Carla's Christmas Carols
Label: Watt / ECM
Released: 2009

Carla Bley and The Lost Chords recorded at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on November 17, 2009.

Line Up:
Carla Bley (piano)
Andy Sheppard (saxophone)
Steve Swallow (bass)
Billy Drummond (drums)

Set List:
Valse Sinistre
O Holy Night
Sidewinders in Paradise
Awful Coffee
The Lost Chords (Parts One, Two and Three)
Utviklingssang.

1 hour, 45 minutes

Last on

Mon 23 Nov 2009 23:15

Broadcast

  • Mon 23 Nov 2009 23:15

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