Carla Bley Band - Live In Berlin 1979

Here is a very well recorded live of the Carla Bley Band in a period that is in my opinion one of the most interesting. There are some great studio recordings of the C.B.B like « European Tour » or « Musique Mecanique ». But the official live in her discography comes later and the music seems more static than on the preview years. Here we have the eccentric approach à la Mingus, some influences of what we can call « popular music » and a fantastic band. High musical quality and fun, here is what we have. Gary Windo who have been under recorded is particularly great here.

01. announcement by Michael Naura

02 Floater

03 Ida Lupino

04 Wrong Key Donkey

05 Dreams So Real

06 Walking Batterie Woman

07 I’m A Mineralist

08 Boo To You Too

09 Musique Mecanique

10 Song Sung Long

Carla Bley - Piano, Vocals, Organ / Gary Windo - Tenor Sax / Carlos Ward - Alto Sax / D. Sharpe - Drums, Vocals / Arturo O’ Farrell - Piano / Gary Valente - Trombone / Michael Mantler - Trumpet / Earl McIntyre - Tuba / Steve Swallow El Bass.

Recorded live in Berlin November 14, 1979

MICHAEL MANTLER & hr-BIGBAND: "JAZZ COMPOSER’S ORCHESTRA UPDATE" Jazzfestival Frankfurt 2015 mp2 (unedited)

Michael Mantler | comp, tp
Christoph Cech | cond
Peter Brötzmann | reeds
Tony Lakatos | reeds
Bjarne Roupé | g
David Helbock | p

radio.string.quartet.vienna
Bernie Mallinger | violin
Igmar Jenner | violin
Cynthia Liao | viola
Sophie Abraham | cello

Frank Wellert | tp
Martin Auer | tp
Thomas Sonnen | french horn
Maciej Baranowski | french horn
Christian Jaksjø | tb
Manfred Honetschläger | b-tb
Wolf Schenk | tuba
Stefan Karl Schmid | ss, fl
Oliver Leicht | ss, cl
Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn | as, fl
Benjamin Steil | as, cl, bcl
Steffen Weber | ts, fl
Rainer Heute | bs

Nina Hacker | b
Thomas Stabenow | b
Thomas Heidepriem | b
Jean Paul Höchstädter | dr 

NDR JAZZ WORKSHOP NO.41 - CARLA BLEY & JCOA (1965)

...upon request    :-)

Michael Mantler, trumpet
Steve Lacy, soprano saxophone
Prince Lasha, alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Hans Koller, tenor saxophone
Ronnie Ross, baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Attila Zoller, guitar
Carla Bley, piano
Paul Bley, piano
Kent Carter, bass
Barry Altschul, drums
Hans Gertberg, announcement


Disc 1

1. Touching (A. Peacock)                  05:36
Paul Bley, Carter, Altschul

2. Both (A. Peacock)                          05:29
Mantler, Lacy, Koller, Paul Bley, Carter, Altschul

3. Unknown Title (fragment)                  00:05

4. Isis (C. Bley)                          07:18
Mantler, Lacy, Koller, Paul Bley, Carter, Altschul

5. Cartoon (A. Peacock)                  08:59
Mantler, Lacy, Lasha, Koller, Ross, Paul Bley, Zoller, Carter, Altschul

6. Walking Battery Woman (C. Bley)          03:43
Mantler, Lacy, Carla Bley, Carter, Altschul

7. Communication No. 7 (M. Mantler)          06:30
Mantler, Lacy, Lasha, Koller, Ross, Paul Bley, Zoller, Carter, Altschul

8. Slow Dance (C. Bley)                  07:34
Mantler, Lacy, Lasha, Koller, Ross, Paul Bley, Zoller, Carter, Altschul

9. Closer (C. Bley)                          07:51
Mantler, Lacy, Zoller, Carla Bley, Carter, Altschul

10. Doctor (C. Bley)                          08:10
Mantler, Lacy, Zoller, Carla Bley, Carter, Altschul

Disc 2

1. Introduction (Hans Gertberg)          02:14

2. Floater (C. Bley)                          08:24
Mantler, Lacy, Lasha, Koller, Ross, Paul Bley, Zoller, Carter, Altschul

3. Communication No. 11 (M. Mantler)          11:57
Mantler, Lacy, Lasha, Koller, Ross, Carla Bley, Zoller, Carter, Altschul

4. Closer (C. Bley) (inc (fade out))          05:37
Mantler, Lacy, Zoller, Paul Bley, Carter, Altschul

TT ~ 90:00


Recorded at Studio 10, Grosser Sendesaal des NDR Funkhauses, Hamburg on October 29, 1965.
Produced by Hans Gertberg.

BADEN BADEN NEW JAZZ MEETING 1976

Upkerry already posted the live part from Mainz - here.
But I included it for this post as well. So it is complete (as far as I know).



Michael Mantler, trumpet
Albert Mangelsdorff, trombone
Roswell Rudd, trombone
Bob Stewart, tuba
Gary Windo , tenor saxophone
Urs Leimgruber, soprano & tenor saxophone
Carla Bley, piano
Wolfgang Dauner , piano, synthesizer
Christy Doran, guitar
Hugh Hopper, electric bass
Bo Stief, bass, electric bass
Aldo Romano, drums
Edward Vesala, drums, congas
Joachim-Ernst Berendt, announcement

Disc 1
01. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     3:34
02. Stand Fast (G. Windo)     4:09
    Baden-Baden New Jazz Orchestra

03. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:49
04. Nonett (B. Stewart)     7:16
    Mangelsdorff, Stewart, Dauner, Stief, Romano

05. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:51
06. A Love That Cannot Speak Its Name (W. Dauner)     10:21
    Mangelsdorff, Dauner, Stief, Vesala

07. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     3:39
08. Wrong Key, Donkey (C. Bley)     12:16
    Solos: Mantler, Windo, Leimgruber, Stewart, Dauner, Doran, Vesala (cga)

09. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:49
10. Song Sung Long (C. Bley)     13:55
    Solos: Mantler, Mangelsdorff, Rudd, Stewart, Windo, Leimgruber, Doran, Stief, Romano

11. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     2:25

Disc 2
01. You Think You Know Me, But You Don't Know Me (M. Feza) (Dedicated to Mongezi Feza)     7:56
    Baden-Baden New Jazz Orchestra, Windo (cond)

02. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:41
03. Andiri (U. Leimgruber)     12:05
    Mantler, Mangelsdorff, Stewart, Leimgruber, Windo, Doran, Dauner, Stief, Romano

04. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:27
05. Paddy (C. Doran)     7:07
    Leimgruber, Doran, Stief, Romano

06. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:31
07. Movie Music A (M. Mantler)     4:46
    Mantler, Windo, Doran, Bley, Hopper, Vesala

08. Movie Music B (M. Mantler)     6:55
    Mantler, Windo, Doran, Bley, Hopper, Vesala

09. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:07
10. Elibom (H. Hopper)     7:56
    Mangelsdorff (L), Rudd (R), Doran, Dauner, Hopper, Vesala

11. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:10

Disc 3
01.Maine Light and Power (R. Rudd)     8:56
   Rudd, Mangelsdorff, Stewart, Dauner, Vesala

02. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:02
03. Toto (A. Mangelsdorff)     11:53
    Mangelsdorff, Vesala

04. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:33
05. Good Old Circus (A. Mangelsdorff)     2:54
    Baden-Baden New Jazz Orchestra

Disc 4
01. Introduction     1:00
02. Good Old Circus (A. Mangelsdorff)     11:58
03. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:51
04. Stand Fast (G. Windo)     7:00
    Baden-Baden New Jazz Orchestra

05. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:32
06. Paddy (C. Doran)     10:36
    Leimgruber, Doran, Stief, Romano

07. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:44
08. Movie Music     11:37
    Mantler, Windo, Doran, Bley, Hopper, Vesala

09. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:33
10. Wrong Key, Donkey (C. Bley)     12:50
    Solos: Mantler, Windo, Leimgruber, Stewart, Dauner, Doran

11. Song Sung Long (C. Bley)     14:06
    Solos: Mangelsdorff, Leimgruber, Windo, Mantler, Stewart, Stief, Romano, Doran, Rudd

12. Closing announcement     0:19

Disc 5
01. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:12
02. You Think You Know Me, But You Don't Know Me (M. Feza) (Dedicated to Mongezi Feza)     7:59
    Baden-Baden New Jazz Orchestra, Windo (cond)

03. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:51
04. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (Traditional)     14:34
    Rudd, Stewart, Dauner, Stief, Romano

05. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:59
06. Toto (A. Mangelsdorff)     7:47
    Mangelsdorff, Vesala

07. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     0:36
08. A Love That Cannot Speak Its Name (W. Dauner)     8:39
    Mangelsdorff, Dauner, Stief, Vesala

09. Introduction (Joachim-Ernst Berendt)     1:24
10. Andiri (U. Leimgruber) (encore)     12:18
    Mantler, Mangelsdorff, Stewart, Leimgruber, Windo, Doran, Dauner, Stief, Romano

11. Announcement     1:09
12. Maine Light and Power (R. Rudd)     8:32
    Rudd, Mangelsdorff, Stewart, Dauner, Vesala


Recorded at Südwestfunk Studios, Baden-Baden in November 1976.

Discs 1-3 include music recorded during the Baden-Baden New Jazz Meeting in Südwestfunk Studios in Baden-Baden. The music on discs 4-5 was recorded at a public performance on November 25, 1976 at Kurfürstliches Schloss in Mainz.

Carla Bley Band - Live in Milan '80

"It doesn't matter what it is. I'm just a person who writes for what it is. It's written for jazz musicians. I don't consider myself a jazz musician at all. I'm not spontaneous. I take a lot of time thinking about everything and when I finally get an idea during a solo, the piece is over. So, I'm really slow. I'm not a jazz musician; I wish I were. I'm just writing for them, as opposed to writing for classical musicians, or as opposed to writing for cabaret or the other things you mentioned. Those are not the people I write for." Carla Bley

Rec. live at "Cineteatro Ciak", Milan, Italy, on November 3,
1980 (mics recording)

Carla Bley,conductor,organ,vocals
Steve Slagle,alto sax,clarinet,vocals
Gary Windo,tenor sax,vocals
Gary Valente,trombone,vocals
Earl McIntyre,bass trombone,vocals
Michael Mantler,trumpet,vocals
Joe Daley,tuba,vocals
Arturo O'Farrill,piano,vocals
Steve Swallow,electric bass,vocals
D.Sharpe,drums,vocals

1. Can't Get My Motor To Start (03:26)
2. 8 1/2 (11:09)
3. Murder (05:08)
4. Copyright Royalties (08:00)
5. 440 (07:48)
6. Unknown (03:56)
7. Very Very Simple [inc.] (06:27)
8. Hot River (08:00)
9. Walking Batterriewoman (06:59)

Total Time 1:00:59

All compositions by C.Bley except 2 [N.Rota]

Very Very Simple (inc.)

The Carla Bley Band - Live in Alassio '77

A concert that stuck in my mind, and now that i've digitized the tape, i hope you could enjoy it.
In my opinion this edition ("The European Tour 1977") remains among the best band Carla has ever led.

Dedicated to LYM

Rec. live in Alassio, Italy, on September 3rd, 1977

(mics recording)

Carla Bley,organ,piano,tenor saxophone,arranger,conductor
Michael Mantler,trumpet
Roswell Rudd,trombone
John Clark,French horn,electric guitar
Bob Stewart,tuba
Elton Dean,alto saxophone
Gary Windo,tenor saxophone
Terry Adams,piano
Hugh Hopper,electric bass
Andrew Cyrille,drums

1. Carla's Intro (02:37)
2. Drinking Music(07:30)
3. Song Sung Long ((09:44)
4. Dreams So Real (04:39)
5. Wrong Key Donkey (14:32)
6. Rose And Sad Song (10:00)
7. Spangled Banner Minor And Other Patriotic Songs (28:19)
8. A New Hymn (08:54)

Total Time 1:26:18

All compositions by Carla Bley