CARLA BLEY: LIFE GOES ON

Life Goes On, On, And On, And Then One Day, Beautiful Teleohones, Copy cat, After You, Follow The Leader, Copycat
A surprising new album by pianist / composer Carla Bley, whose trio with Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow is now in its 25th year. His collaboration with Swallow is even earlier. Steve recorded his first record with the pianist in 1961, so when Bley says "Life goes on" it's a lot of life lived. The album created in the studio of the Stelio Molo Auditorium in Lugano in May 2019, with the production of Manfred Eicher, takes the form of three suites. The title track begins as a stoic blues, melancholy at first and then hopeful. "Beautiful Téléphones" inspired by the first observation of a president as he enters the oval room, has many dark tones of Bley. Copycat explores the notion of call-and-response in a new way as improvisers do with their thoughts. Carla's distinctive piano sound, with her hints of Monk and Satie, is beautifully interspersed with Swallow's eloquent and elegant bass and Sheppard's saxes. This trio has a unique collective sound, reflecting - as recently noted by The Telegraph - 'musical mastery of a rare order'.

Tracklist
 1) Life Goes On: Life Goes On (06:00) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
2) Life Goes On: On (04:46) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
3) Life Goes On: And On (04:10) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
4) Life Goes On: And Then One Day (09:03) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
5) Beautiful Telephones (Pt. 1) (04:36) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
6) Beautiful Telephones (Pt. 2) (06:13) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
7) Beautiful Telephones (Pt. 3) (06:16) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
8) Copycat: After You (05:28) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve
9) Copycat: Follow The Leader (00:16) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve

10) Copycat: Copycat (09:52) - Bley, Carla / Sheppard, Andy / Swallow, Steve