THE AAU WORKS ay IDGWhen Michael Mantler and Carla Bley started WATT in 1974 as an outlet for their own music, they couldn't have imagined that this effort, which began as an impulsive, radical solution to the music industry's lack of interest in young composers, would not only remain necessary 15 years later, but that it would still work. More than just a record label, WATT WORKS has grown to be a complete support system dedicated to the independent production of their music without compromise, which Mantler and Bley ensure by managing their own recording studio, publishing companies, tours and promotional activities. This catalog looks back at the remarkable early grandiose feats of nerve, through the middle developmental period, where sheer survival was constantly at stake, to the recent expansion of the label to include other, closely related music.WwaTTi22 VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘THE WATT WORKS FAMILY ALBUM Fleur Camivore from WATT/21 Bost Of Friends XtraWATTI Walking Batteriewoman WATT/20 ALA WATT/N9 Crab Alley XtraWATT/2 When | Run WATT/I8 Cant Stand XtraWATT/ Alien (Part 2) WATTS Talking Hearts, WaATT/14 Twenty WaT, | Hate To Sing WaTT/12' Movie Si WaTT/? ‘Ad Infinitum WATT/6 he Doubtful Guest WwaTT/4 ‘unnybird Song WATT Now the truth can be told. The WATT recording label is not the idealistic, uncompromising, visionary creation of two young Fevolutionaries. No, Michael Mantler and Carla Bley started WATT, almost 20 years ago, to make money Like all musicians, they assumed that once the world got to hear their unique individual styles, fame and riches would follow. So they slaved over each new release, always sure that the latest one would sell millions Carla went through many phases. After realizing that no one was interested in hearing her zany capricious fantastic amazingly intricate concoctions for large assortments of weird and wonderful musicians, she tried to write simple little songs for small, bor ing groups of anonymous hacks. Mike, on the other hand, stuck firmly to his grandiose style, turning out gaunt tragic forlorn bleak emotionally distraught masterpieces, certain that someday his music would pay off. Finally giving up all thoughts of ever cashing in on their own efforts, they formed an auxiliary company, XtraWATT, and started looking’ for young talent to exploit. The first sucker that they stumbled upon was Steve Weisberg. He was definitely young, and ready to work for nothing. It wasn't difficult to recruit 20 other desperate musicians to play on his album, | CAN'T STAND ANOTHER NIGHT ALONE (IN BED WITH YOU), by promising to pay them lots of money when it came out Next to fall for the XtraWATT scam was young veteran jazz bassist Steve Swallow, who, desirous of getting his collection of overkeening faux-negre soul ballads recorded, handed over his life savings to Mantler to cover “expenses”, and even agreed to call the album CARLA But word of the racket got out, and no one else could be found who was willing to record for xtrawATT. In desparation, Mantler and Bley forced their own child, Karen, to learn a few chords and simple melodies. They even tried to train their cat to sing the result ing ditties. (Most of those efforts had to be replaced by unsuspecting teenaged humans, but the album was still called MY CAT ARNOLD, to avoid paying royalties.) In spite of Mantler's greedy misdoings (word has it that Bley is dust a pawn in his game), his victims still adore him, having nothing to compare their music business experiences to. Even Weisberg, who has confessed that he has ambitions of someday graduating into the clutches of a big-time criminal at a real record company, 1s embarrassingly grateful. Naturally, the entire WATT/xtrawATT family was honored to go along with bis latest plot. Hopefully, some nice journalist or salesperson will notice how interesting and valuable the music is, and persuade the public to finally fork over those dol lar:CARLA GETS HER BAND Bul ve wien allthis great ‘Shut up and make a duets album” But | made the Duets eto: ‘ut snot af big ba Ihe yeu figure cut row to doi vwthout sing money Sx months ater, at New York's JFK ‘ampase Cala ley waking net hors Boer eave tase guys nthe dln ate ls rama scoot ‘Sea Gun actualy not realy, te waTTi21 CARLA BLEY FLEUR CARNIVORE The BIG C Lew Solof a Bley Ban Steve Swallow - Bass / Buddy Williams -orded live, Fall 1988, Copenhagen ‘weve nous ater, at th ut Mike, | sid needed ten orn, You ey cau me 8mm seton Son way wee pking he hers (Ft rehearsal, somewhere in Germany ing lean tis weoks unt we can ply wel nd ust play the music. Wel tak about "Okay. het wating fr you ater the rehearsal (atthe Began bore “Dont worry Frank th Spain was one of Wal hat ou. Drum: Stan playing dsconant chords and ‘ann Heb make Darel oko his earplugs 4? from my washing mac {nye tear nuonng down os Bowns. Dont wory Wulf this song Jens Winther - Trumpets / Frank Lacy - French Horn, Fluegelhorn/ Gary Valente - Trombone / Bob Stewart- Tuba / Daniel Beaussier - Oboe, Flute/\ Puschnig - Alto Saxophone, Flute / Andy Sheppard - Tenor Saxophone, Christof Lauer- Tenor & Soprano Saxophone / Roberto Ottin- Baritone & Soprano Saxophone / Karen Mantler - Harmonica, Organ, Vibes, Chimes / Carla Bley -Piano/ Don Alias Percussion oring sessions “Tank you Were nappy tobe back inroguee yout the band From ‘usta we nave WotePusehngg Baus applause, rom tay, Ropero Ot (apolats) hom Germany, Chat! Lauer appiause), trom Engiana nay Sheppara (applause) ana rom, un, Derwar? No ee is ts guy tom? AN From Denmark Jena Winther! pplaus) And we ied out the band wath a bunch of guys tom New Yor Bsn Stewart! Frank Lacy Gay, Valerie! Lew Salt! Oon Ala say wars! Karen Mane! Ang Stove Swallow” Quge applause)XtrawATT/3 KAREN MANTLER MY CAT ARNOLD Karen Mantler - Vocals, Harmonica, Organ, Piano / Bernstein - Trumpet / Pablo Calogero - Baritone Sax: Steve Weisberg - Synthesizers / Jonathan Sanborn ic Mingus - Vocals Steven hone / Marc Muller - Guitar Bass / Ethan Winagrand ring 1988 NT Recorde MGPULSESPNE G250,2 1,00 voice, ane cans ie stelle eo goad, tte bai octets, 2 te 2.2009 coun so tearn net es es ne, caltes'ay tat g8@ wan about co fora ANd 6m belssplnyite Wis SoShehte fuzisiane tn ber band. ene nag Scalaen lea" tnenoca"este'duand ? hed tend tyeeth™ house RAINE down the roads steve SorsgeeyeFiend). Pablo Titres ataae Beth? tigre tree tele ates, Rey, Couple cegller Luckily, he wasnse stners] Te only new face how's Army, UGStH'S band yeile across ene hboGh4,che drumaes’| warra0 CARLA BLEY / STEVE SWALLOW Duets Cara Bey - Plano / ded Sumer 1968 Stove Swallow - Bass MINTER IN wooostock, by CARLA BLeY HY DESK" ANYMORE. I'D WRITE A\FEM BARS, THEN, PACE AROUND. TOLD HIN. "MUSIC. TS GIVING ME GANGRENE. MIGHT AS WELL (CaN BE PHYSICAL, AST MELL AS MENTAL: TM ALWAYS” INA LATHER SCET ne 'see' Youn Wanbs" We "SA1O. 1 HELD THEM OUT. THEY STICK ARMS! I SAN THE DISGUST IN HIS EYES AS HE MARCHED NE!OVER TO THE. PLANO ANO ORDERED ME TO. LOOK. THROUGH. THE REAL BOOK WHILE HE Gor HIS BASS OUT. "PAGE 33” HE YELLED, EVERYONE KNOWS AUTUMN LEAVES.” HE COUNTED. IT OFF AND 1 Dav" STEVE PACKED UP HiS INSTRUMENT AND DISAPPEARED. BACK’HAE MARTER warts EWN Peco MANY HAVE NO SPE MICHAEL MANTLER: eee MANY HAVE NO SPEECH Jack Bruce, Marianne Faithfull, Robert Wyalt - Voices / Michael Mantier - Trumpet Rick Fenn - Guitar / The Danish Radio Concert Orchestra / Peder Kragerup Words by Samuel Beckett, Ernst Meister, Philippe Soupault Recorded Spring 1987 ICHAEL MANTLER ~ ANY HAVE NO SPEECH cuaTT/19) Have MO Sueech hat been comisted tosertt SAIMEL BECKETT, Irtah, born in 1906, 1 1911, died in 1973, Recognizes sSifiee Bettie Bat oui", Sede Elan Bue thetfreniaet tee, ate crm btle FO Mee oe uvaTT, Ear eter a aoe rg iGo By thor tire nis ert foe Teste cian on trear um, and also participetes init Srehostra’tn Slpeneagyo”orenseatt oy tne Burlay eat teaeremantal meRt young conductors, “Peder Kragerup, one oF Den=ABOUT "MANY HAVE NO SPEECH" AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL MANTLER Why are you writing music with words? Why Hterary texte? After having written only instrumental music for a period of about tan years, it was actually the desire to work with voices again which started this project. Obviously this required a search for appropriate texts | don’t feel qualified to write words myself and | also know of no writers who | wanted to specifically write for me. So I turned to a wide range of existing con temporary poetry which might represent something that could identify with. After rejecting a lot of ta unsuitable, | finally arrived at the choice of writers and texts represented on this album Why several authors and languages? | had not intended to write an album based purely on fone writer's work, but to somehow find a variety of songs, blended together coherently, both in their musical treatment, as well as in their range of expression. | also found no particular reason to stay with one language. Although | originally began looking for poetry in English, | eventually came across much that was in French, & very beautiful language to be sung, and then also continued to find a lot in German, which is my native tongue, and therefore a natural Choice forme. Some of the poems existed only in the original, although | used some translations, where they were available, in order to maintain a balance between the usage of the three languages why do you find these texts particularly suitable for Besides having the thought content | want represented, they all exhibit a sparseness, precision, and economy of language that | especially Tike, and that | found very easy to combine with my music. It ts also very iimpartant for me that the words are abstractions of thoughts and feelings, rather than literal expressions of someone's everyday experiences. | feel very strongly about incorporating a certain kind of ambiguity in order to give the listener as much latitude of inter pretation as possible. and | think that the poetry of Beckett, Meister and Soupault exhibits these qualities, perfectly How did you choose the singers and fs there a relation- ship betwean the types of voices you use and the poetic land musical content? The voices | like all have a certain dramatic quality, which | think is absolutely necessary to express th intentions of the words and therefore the music. | want them to have character and to be naturally rough, come~ what unpolished, maybe even broken, with an expressive edge, yet musical. The singers | am using all have those qualities, in varying degrees, yet they are quite dif- ferent from each other, and i find they provide intarest= ing contrasts in the musical and poetic sequence of the album. Voices like these usually come from jazz or popular music, and the only problem is to tind someone. sophisti- cated enough to sing difficult music and identity with the equally difficult words. Therefore | consider. myself Very lucky to have been involved with vack Bruce, Robert Wyatt, and Marianne Faithfull, singers who ! have all admired for years. They had the vocal and musical quali= ties | needed, and they were not only interested, but also able to sing the music. And each in the own, dis tinet, and wonderful way. Does improvisation have a place in your music? Yes, to a certain extent, but not in the traditional sense of jazz, where improvisation Usually dominates as the expression of a player. There is freedom in the interpretation of some melodies, as well as elaboration fon them. And there are also some totally improvised sections, which are, however, very specifically based on compositional elements in order to become an integral Part of the whole work What is the role of the trumpet and guitar on this album? They act as additional voices in contrast to the orchestra land they accompany and answer the singers. They carry most of the instrumental melodic material and develop all the improvisation and embellishment. As a trumpat layer | am assuming the role of sparsely supplying & sound that is not really a solo voice, but one that blends in with the composition as a whole. | have always very much liked the sound of an electric rock= type guitar in combination with my trumpet, and Rick Fenn’s playing is used in a’ similar mannerHow do you see your development from the early work with the Jazz Composer's Orchestra to the current ‘compositions? Harmonically | think the music remains basically the same, there has probably been more of a development: melodically. it has become much stricter rhythmeaiiy, at times having incorporated a more specific time fost, n to the point of using rock drumming, something’ | have, however, moved away from again, The major change would be the return to a quite conventional notation, Siving the orchestra less freedom, primarily with the ‘aim of being able to have the music played by ust about anyone, rather than only by a specific group of jazz musicians. The more recent compositions are ales ‘much more organized formally, with improvisation playing less of a role After the purely electronic orchestral sound of “Alien”, what made you return to the conventional acoustic orchestra’ So far, almost all of my music has been orchestral in Scope, even ff an orchestra wasn't used as such In (alion™, that sound was intentionally created elos- Wrontcally, although the idea was definitely not to imttate the sound of an acoustic orchestra, but rather te create a broad spectrum of sounds not necessarily available from a real orchestra, using today's synthe Ssizers and studio technology as much as possible | was very happy with the outcome, but | generally fee! the need to continue with other and different methods ‘once a project is finished. Therefore i was a fairly obvious step for me to explore the possibilities of ‘conventional orchestra Is a large orchestral project such as this an anachronism in contemporary music? A large orchestra in today's society is an economic anachronism, but not a musical one. It's, without ‘question financially almost completely unfeasible to attempt to work with large orchestras. They can support iat best the conventional classical repertore, and that usually only combined with big name soloists and conductors. Almost all contemporary new music has to be funded and can not be supported through the box-office, If performances are difficult, recordings are even ‘more impossible, especially for a small, independent label such as WATT, which has no capital for projects like this. And, unfortunately, due to the nature of the music and its fimited audience, ‘t can not hope to achieve sales commensurate with the cost of such @ Production. | was therefore fortunate that part of this, music was originally commissioned by the Danish Radio for one of their productions, and also that | was able to come to an agreement with them to use the recorded musie for this album. Does the problem of eventual realization of a project play any role in the creative process? After early excesses on my parts, such as, for instance, writing compositions for 100-piece orchestras, | quickly learned my lesson, and never again even started a compo- sition or album project without first solving the problem of eventual production as much as possible. I simply don’t ‘te for pure self-expression anymore. | must have a easonably secure outlet as an intiative to produce music Do you have an audience in mind when writing or producing your music? | do not think of an audience during that process at all. But, as | have already said, since | only want to create something that can eventually be realized in some way, | obviously expect tt to have an audience. I'am not trying to appeal to anyone in particular, I just want people to be moved and touched by the music, that’s what is important to me. if it doesn’t do that to the Hstener, then | wouldn't consider i successful, at least not on my terms. | very much dislike the intellectuatizing and an lyzing that a certain kind of audience does, | much prefer {0 reach ‘someone on an emotional level. Do you need the contact with a live audience? The experience of a live audience, # it is an enthust- astic one anyway, is very nica, but not absolutely necessary for me. I'am not very comfortable as a per former, and | do prefer the role of @ composer, However, that is! very limited situation, and in order to be part of the realization of one's’ music it ie often also for economic reasons, desirable to participate in ‘8 public event. | am therefore not actually shunning tt. You seem to exhibit a strong tendency towards darkness fn your music. why? { can't really explain why. | don't deliberately write “dark” music, it's simply there. | have no particular: desire to write “light” music, and | would ‘ndeed find # very difficut to do so. 1 don’t think that life and the human existence in general are such positive events, so | don’t feel especially challenged to express the opposite:XtraWwATT/2 ‘STEVE SWALLOW CARLA Carla Bley - Organ/Steve Swallow -Bass, Keyboards /Hiram Bullock- Guitar Larry Wilis- Pano / Victor Lewis - Drums / Don Alias - Percussion | Ida Kavafian - Violin Ik-Hwan Bae - Viola / Fred Sherry - Cello Recorded Winter 1986/87 ok and tired of red of © after anotn accidently cra IngXtraWATT/1 STEVE WEISBERG ICAN'T STAND ANOTHER NIGHT ALONE (IN BED WITH YOU) Lew Soloft, Baikida Carroll - Trumpets / Gary Valente - Trombone / John Clark French Hom / Wolfgang Puschnig - Alto Saxophone, Flute / Howard Johnson - Baritone Saxophone, Contrabassclarinet, Tuba / Hiram Bullock - Guitar / Steve Weisberg - Keyboards / Karen Mantler - Organ / Steve Swallow - Bass / Victor Lewis, (or Anton Fier) - Drums / Eric Goldberg - Accordion | and others Recorded Fall 1985 HOW STEVE WEISBERG BECAME AN XtraWATT ARTIST One dark night, in an isclated cabin deep in the woods, ‘There, at the top, was a musical wonderland. Through fa young composer sat slumped over a deck, sweat the glass he could see a magnificently appointed Gripping from his furrowed brow. "Just three more bar recording studio, with thousands of blinking lights and he cried aloud, "andl have enough music for a whole Gancing VU meters. In an adypining room was a large albun". He picked up his pen and aquinted at the group of musicians, playing every imaginable instrument, stained and smudged score through the wavering light He pressed his face against the window, hardly able to provided by the stub of his last candle. As he racked believe his eyes! He recognized many of his favorite his brain for a glorious final chord, he became avare Players. What were they doing here, all under one root? ofa faint, annoying sound in the distance. Fighting Gust then, the music rose to a frenzied climax, helé a distraction, he it an old cigarette butt and bent over final, impossibly beautiful chord, and abruptly stopped. his work again, reaching deep into his soul for the ‘Transtixed, he stayed pressed to the glace for a moment, last dregs of inspiration. Suddenly he realized that the his mouth wide open in wonder and disbelief, then col” sound that was ruining his concentration was some lapsed to the ground, unconscious. kind of music. How was that possible? He was miles from civilization. we tested his legs, pulled hinself upright, hobbled to the door and opened it. Driting through’ the pines were the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard - gorgeous strings, ting woodwinds, Piercing brass, sensuous drums - a composer's dvean! He ran back to his desk, stutted his score into an old sack, drank the last sip'of his cold coffee, and headed for the door, Better bring an umbrella, he thought. you an never tell when it's going to rain. And indeed ust as he had closed the door behind Aim, a streait of lightning pierced the sky, and the first large dro of a summer thunderstorm began to fall When he woke up he was on a big leather couch in the studio, and musicians were standing around, watching him with concern. "where am 17", he asked. “This is Crog Rill", said one of the musicians. "A family of ork here, turning out music for us to play. Eke ‘Tin Pan Alley", said another. ‘Then a large motherly woman cane over to the couch, and in a voice full of authority,"said "tin Pan Kill is uhat 7 eall it. And who ey said the young composer, "I'm Stave Weisberg. t just finished writing a whole albun's worth of music. It's here in this sack." "Well, take it out son, and let's have a look at it”, said a fatherly type man standing next to the woman. "Oh, boy!" said The music seemed to be coming from the North, where a Weisberg, and he sat up and tock out his dripping muste range of high mountains cut by raging streams made a The band crowded around the scores, murmuring approval wild and almost impenetrable terrain. As he fought his and humming various passages, "It's good stuff alright”, vay through the thick undergrowth, his path lt by Said the woran, "Too bad you're not family. We'd record violent flashes of lightning, the strange sounds grew for you right now,” Weishe ly fora louder, obscured only by increasingly more deafening moment, then asked, "Do you have a daughter?” "Why yes claps of thunder. ‘The rain now fell in sheets, and the we-do", said the man, "She's over there at the desk. leari~ wind and whipping branches soon tore his puny umbrella ing the business. ‘Bu she's cold as ice, and evil tenpered to shreds. He bent his body forward to protect his too." Weisberg's eyes followed the man's sad gaze across the Precious scores, stumbling over roots and rocks az he room, and his heart did a flip flop when he saw the beautiful forced his way up the side of the rountain. Finally daughter. She looked up with disdain from the part she was exhausted and drenched, he reached an impassable gopving and gave him a haughty look he exclaimed, torrential stream, and sank to the ground under a huge “r'could definitely work on that!™ tree. When he lifted his face he saw before hin a large house, high on a cliff, rising up from the opposite And he did. And they recorded his music bank. Light streamed from ite many windows and glass doors, and music soared above the sound of the racing waters. Rising again and holding his sack of scores high over his head, he waded into the raging stream with renewed energy, bracing his body against the force of the water. Towards the middle, fearing that he would soon lose his footing, he threw his sack to the far bank, where it fell to safety. ‘The next surge of water threw hin off balance, and the young composer was suept avay. Hurtling downstream, after being smashed against many boulders and nearly drowned, he became wedged between two large rocks. When he had caught his breath hhe managed to work himself to shove, and lay there for 8 monent before crawling back upstream to retrieve his muddy and sodden sack. The weather began to calm, and the music was clear and loud now. With a fina! surge of Purpose, he clawed his way up the side of the cliftWATT/18 MICHAEL MANTLER Live Jack Bruce -V ‘Synthesizers / John Recorded live, als / Michael Mantler - Trumpet / Rick Fent reaves - Bass, Pi ter 1987, Frankfurt Nick Ma Guitar / Don PrestonWaTTI17 Re dW DOWNBEAT October 1987 SEXTET—Wort17: Moat Beas; Houses ANO Prone; THe Gint Wno Caigo CHAMPAGNE: Broonirn Briooe; Lawns; Heaunc Power Personnel: Bey, organ, synthesizer boss (€u"2); Hiram Bullock, guitar, electric boss (4); Larry Wills, piono; Steve Swollow, elec boss; Vie tor Lewis, drums; Don Ales, percussion. * 'Ne've come to expect a ceriain bite ana barb rom Bley, but this album is all melioweo-o background music. This trend, incipient in her iast few albums, can be interpreted in twe jays commercial compromise of a lapse ir reatve direction, Theres nothing wrong with a ge in direction, but for Bley 10 go from a il Stugtes to this is a drag On the surface. its a pleasant melodic tunes (all by Bley), tlaw flawlessly played, lyrical solos (witha fashion- able bit of grit and distortion in Bullocks ap- proach), Swallow, who is featured a lot, plays with his customary restraint and warm melodic conception—a most identifiable sound, bu: ‘one better set off by contrast than the grand ll here. Bley organ is soap opera-ish The performances leac nowhere. They're like inocuctions waiting for something tohap- pen. Should we consider this minimalism? It 50. where's the climax? This artistic trend of background-as-foreground, style-as-sub- stance, is the story of much more than this record. For someone voted number one com poser in the recent dewn beat international Ertics Poll to join this parace of superficiality instead of fighting it smacks of 'oss of prin. ple Pemnaps we shouldn't be so harsh; ater all i's oniy a record. Buti this were the only Carla Bley record Id heard, | wouldn't be impressed —owen cordle s chars CARLA BLEY SEXTET Carla Bley - Organ / Hiram Bullock - Guitar / Larry Wilis - Piano / Steve Swallow Bass / Victor Lewis - Drums / Don Alias - Percussion inter 1986/87WATTI6 CARLA BLEY NIGHT-GLO Steve Swallow-Bass [Carl Piano / Hiram Bullock -Gutta ley - Organ, Synthesizers /Larry Wills -Piano, Electric Vietor Lewis - Drums / Manolo Badrena - Percussion aul McCandless - Oboe, English Horn, Saxophones, Bass Clarinet / Randy Brecker - Trumpet, Fluegelhorn / John C Horn / Tom Malone Trombone / David Taylor - Bass Trombone Recorded Summer 1985 ‘What question have you always wanted to be asked during an interview but have never een asked? That's reat! There's so much... (pause) Choose mare than on if you like (base) ... The question Ihave always most wanted to be asked i ‘What have you learned about sex during your lifetime?” What have you leamed about sex during Lip INTO : Yyour lifetime? ‘SOMETHING COMFORTABLE 1 didn’t say 17 answor it... just wanted to be asked make YOURSELF ‘A COOL DRINK» TURN DOuN THE LIGHTS» ano PUT ON NrGHT-GLO."Dern Matas) WATT15 MICHAEL MANTLER ALIEN Michael Mantler -T ded Spring 12%"what can you do when a streak of romanticism hits you in mid-career?”WATTS MICHAEL MANTLER, SOMETHING THERE Michael Mantler - Trumpet / Mike Stern - Guitar / Carla Bley - Piano / Steve Swallow Bass / Nick Mason - Drums / The Strings of the London Symphony Orchestra / Michael Gibbs - Conductor Recorded Spring 1982 ‘AROUT MICHAEL MANTLER'S SOMETHING THERE (AN INTERVIEW) How did you choose the musicfans on your new album, and why these particular ones? First of all, they are ay friends, and I prefer to vork with friends Carla has produced and played on every one of my records. I consider her indispensable to ny music, Steve Swallow has also been Savolved in almost all of ay projects. oth of thes are crucial to the first stage of recording, vhere they shape and transform the baste original scores I present them vith T've worked with Nick Mason, who 4s Pink Floyd's drumer, on an earlier albus (The Hapless Child), for which he did sone engineering. We met at the tine through Hobert Wyatt, the main soloist on that albus. Later on ve worked together on a more involved project, Nick's ovn solo album (Fictitious Sports), for which Carla had written the music. I had always Liked Pink Floyd and his drumming, and I thought it vould be interesting to use him {n another context Bdida'e actually weet Mike Stern until the sessions, but he had been recoanended by a lot of people, also in particular by Carla, who had heard nim with Miles Davis" nev band. He's a wonderful musician, end I's ex- trenely pleased with what he contributed, both to the basic tracks as ell Michael Gibbs has Seen a friend for twenty years. We vas practically the first person I met vhen T arrived in the United States, but this 1s the first time that ve have ever worked together. ‘Moy did you use strings, and why the London Syephony Orchestra? My muste fg basically meant to be orchestral, although, for econosic reasons, I've recently hed to sore or less discontinue writing orchestrally T also thought that my sual group writing had been explored enough in Movies and More Movies, and T'was tired of using that format again. since I don't particularly 1ske to perform, I don't have to keep in sind the feasibility of a live performance, and so T decided to just go ahead nd return to a larger texture, Ihave alvaye Liked strings, but have never used them as a separate body. Nevertheless, I didn't feel equipped enough technically to write for and conduct the strings, and neither did Carla, #0 T enlisted Michael Gibbs, who is a masterful orchestrator Once he was involved, he suggested using the best string section available, and so, after borroving & great deal of money, I hired the London Syaphony Orchestra. As Jt turned out, they weren't any more expensive than an Anerican studio string section, and T'was able to ‘use Pink Floyd's Britannia Row studio, which was fortunate, because things were becoming quite conplex technically. When and how was the album recorded? The music vas ali written quite a vhile ago, most of it during late '80 and early ‘81, but for various reasons, euch as everyone's schedule: the recording didi't begin until February "82Licer on, PERE f ¥etk at our studio in Willow recording the basse tracks: Eracha wece rgd, LOnHeY petod of tine, addtional garetts Uae trumpet for erchentrey sete, Occasionally T used up senna eeteat a Crumpet tracks spene re aaj ee feces “Im June, Michael choos ates Orie, fondon and of tracks on oor SeSCraine the strings. By chen ue haar £o,cO0eee out syncieengoy SE STIBinAL lé-erack master” atding eeeati cf Using two oto done, nay a ETack sachives. Then, ack fa the Sreeeet Uae recording Quite coaplinar sare EtckSs Ove guitar and erunper nate’? BOF Te te got wich evergeniattds s0uetiacs none of the original ‘Neate rasom renained co London ening having eventually been replaced rr eieay TAS ‘and T went Gectetene, tha ge gerttaneia Row vith their sarvetoss eget Nick sescers scree f0%6 15 responsible for the Creal ccs meine® album. The Meters were mixed dow t0 4" stereo, at J0iper withons sais aoe tion my 4a the album entitled Something There? seleler Mir"ep! Q06,oF the pieces on the alban, in fact, the only one with creat adcais, Be cthers tuve tamihere co tdenriry itef Aanitteddy not a feotan Tieeean gly htvels€ come up with a bettar nar yemseted hate to receding people Tisnitls, £0 RY compesteions. “T prettt Letty ambiguous Wetting People Listen without preconceived aperiie Tite 4 Poem by Samuel Beckett, which T found Witten With the vords to be song fe aeee Wace, but then T Reena to Cruoper® Sum Anstrumencal throughout, and Wyakeg ONE fhe ody aysel! on cramer Movies, opine {1ONB ene through « couple of name change + from No More Movies vorarnt {ttle throushout the recording ees oe r EREE,OE # follow-up to the last UATE sinest cB Tin personen mers ff YOU can call fe thats sents adn’ Tovah T'm personaty sciit quite fond‘of ite eat! the tasiseh “EPELcance of he cover picture and the Photograph on the inside? me fron a different dtsearded Dead title Tod Papanesee tone of AY very favorive photograph by an old frtend, GnivereattoTEe» tho {5 the head of the phonon eeae department at Yale me tough # Bat picture of destrucciog een at, strong al elesent to fe Links feehings underlying ay mistc, and to get yin compositions--1 prefer to identity tee Like the Beckett poem and Hew 49es the music on this albus differ from your previous work? Thyehetesfith AE does, in easence. Just in comme of texture, and maybe hae basses; gE think that over the Tase Fectnenee! E22 rhythmic element oF areeeee CUgeTer and much stapier, fatantiiae ie! through the ‘choice Of Gramere, as vell as through the’ tapur of See, forthe Fiteess NntCaNY ny susic has reasined pretty much the sane for about the denekeares with & continuing and conscioce mete tam melodies and seemingly eran ofthe fiver materials by the piaseee oe despite the which they are raceiWe AE TUctural ‘environment have a agit jeeePEe freedon, which they are encouraged to use an mich se peavbve! aod ail slut S11 you have to do as a composer ts to find a great player, cr works 2yobleRS are over! T feet Tucky co howe tye EE Privilege of working vith people of such unique eatnee wy tase anes Feally. Somehow T have alvays though of ent album as being OF any Kind: gisVe,eorked as hard on ft en Teowias crete of any kind, musical or econonte, & jomething that could standup, if te res! be the last thing T had ever done. something aaeerenely painfut to actoaliy aft deonlang Sbi0e Th ‘susie, thoughe abet 2e0Re absolutely tapossible right noon Teac really nor ht MOOUE LE too auch. But T suppose T'It tare’ to ght” day.” Or aybe— WATT/12"2. CARLA BLEY THATE TO SING ‘The Carla Bley Band Michael Mantler - Trumpet / Steve Slagle - Alto & Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet Tony Dagradi - Tenor Saxaphone / Gary Valente - Trombone / Vincent Chancey French Hom / Ear Mcintyre - Tuba, Bass Trombone, Voice (or Bob Stewart - Tuba), Catla Bley - Organ, Piano, Glockenspiel, Voice / Arturo O'Farrill - Piano, Voice, Organ / Steve Swallow - Bass, Drums /D. Sharpe - Drums, Voice Recorded live, Summer 1981, San Francisco trinl transcript defendant - CARLA BLBY erime - I HATE 70 SING (wolding up an albun eover and frowning) I have evidence before me that you have just released fan album ealled I HATE 70 SING, (wineing) Yes, your honor. Way? That's what I keep asking myself. It was a series of evente thet finally just overwhelmed ay better Judgement, Then start from the beginning. Yeo, sir, It'a true that I recorded the material in question with ay bend. But leter, having wisely decided that these pieces were unfit for release, I put then in fe big box with a akull and erosabones painted on it, and stored then ina dark corner of the studio in my basement, I couldn't bring myself to throw then out. I must confess that aometines I even used to aneak downstaire and play You enjoyed listening to that kind of material? Well, I guess a part of me did, I've always had thet in- elination, although I've successfully fought it for many years. It's no erize, It is if you inflict it on other people. I know, I'm sorry. But thet box wae just sitting there, vibrating hideously every time I looked at it. I wanted to get rid of it, So when Polydor in Japan asked me it hhad/any unreleased materiel that they could distribute, thought that would be the perfect solution. It would exist, but in a very Limited edition, in a country 15,000 miles away, Now I realize that I was already beginning to exhibit signs of irresponsibility, They took the tapes without hearing then iret. They trusted What waa their reaction? T don't know, I never heard from them agai Didn't you think that was unusual? I didn't think about 1t anyzore, I was totally absorbed in my new project. I'm writing & record for Steve Swallow. I've already finished 4 pieces. They're all written for bass. The bess plays the melodies, the bass taken the solos, everything ie centered -I'm afraid that's beside the point, You sold the tapes to Japan, But it didn't stop there, a you planned, did it? CARLA: No, I'm afraid it didn't, Mike - ey husband Michael Mant- ler - had sent a cassette copy to BOM, just to let then know that we were releasing @ record in Japan, explain ing thet we didn't think it was the type of music that would suit the BOL image. Then, a few days later, T got @ phone call... x + (Looking around the courtroom) I don't know if it would be right to reveal the detaile of thet conversation... JUDGE: Who was on the phone, and what did that pergon say? CARLA: It wae..-uh.,.an important BOM person, and he aid... something Like SUDGE: Go ahead... CARLA: "Iunge? Schminaget" (laughter im the courtroom) You mean they. ‘They Liked it. Even worse, they wanted itt You could have said no. +I did at first, But you know how it is when you've been complimented on what you think ie your worat feature, It sort of lowers your defenses. I told then I'd call then back, and for 24 hours I fought with my conscience, Maybe the record wasn't ae bad ae I thought. Maybe there were people out there who would really like to hear its., a@ @ eurionity, of course. JUDGE: You hoped to appeal to peopled baser instinct? CARLA: That's strange. I vas in court on thet oharge regarding my last record, HRAVY HEARD. That was different. 1 Tt sure waa, CARLA BLEY'S LOONEY TUNES Justa few centuries ago, maverick composer Carla Bley might have Been burt a the stake for her wildly imeverent inventions, Such a will perversion of musical norms wouldhave sent het up the river on a diabolical possession rap; in stead, she's taken an important place in Ameri ‘can musi. Now she can pen songs like “T'm a Minerals about licking ust off of old cas, or ‘write apiece imitating a scratched, repeating re cord, of lead a punk band called Penny Cilin and the Bumming Sensation Hate To Sing, Bley's newest record, revels in carefully composed chaos. The first side features her all-male, essentially brass, band bounced around on a cushion of organ, piano, bass, and drums—and three extravagantly droll songs: one narrated by Bley as an impending mutderee; one called “Very, Very Simple,” ‘composed for her pianist who, she maintains, needs itsimple because he cant sing; third that tweaks dour European eabaret harmonies by shoving them next to sunny California-super market music. “The Piano Lesson" stars the vo- cab:ess second side with the simplest of musical ‘lements, the major scale, msplayed: Bley then {ums it ino the main motive ofthe composition, balancing it over a huffing R&B background. ts typical Bley—wickedly intelligent, vituos: ‘ie, and beautifully daft. —PETER WATROUS 0 ones + So you agres Burope by ECX? CARLA: Unfortunately, yee, As @ last attempt to discourage th I warned then about the cover, and about the sound effects on the second side. They weren't at all fazed. JUDGE: Ie the United States, at least, going to be apared? CARLA: I hoped so, For # moment I thought it would be, Luckily, Warner Broo, hasn't found out about it yet, I want to fave them for worthier projects. And FSI, an importer who was approached to handle it in the States, tured it dows, Fightfully 90, with disgust. But MDS - the New Muese Distribution Service, practically snlivated when it was described to thea. They have very atrange taste, and manage to sell all Kinds of bizarre music to unsuspecting Stores and mail-order customers, I'11 be in good hande to let I HATE 70 SING be distributed in there. JUDGE: (sternly) Do T detect « lack of remorse beginning to etir? CARLA: mortified, Put me away fore couple of years, It'll take that long to repair the damage I've done to my reputation anyway. Maybe when I get out, I can settle down and write normal music again. JUDGE: I certainly hope you've learned your lesson this time. But I've decided not to sentence you to music jail. I think you've chosen your own punishuent by allowing the record to be released into the world, People are going to laugh when they hear it. CARLA: (wringing her hands) I know, I know, I laugh every tine I hear it too. JUDGE: Case dieniased. Or rather, the case will now be Judged by a higher court - the people themselves. Heavens, not IWaTTi12 CARLA BLEY Liver The Carla Bley Band Michael Mantler - Tr adi- Tenor Saxoph Earl Mcintyre - Tuba, Piano / Arturo O'Farill- Pianc Recorded live, Summer 198 that [am really prow If “Live!” ie your fa ‘you would like to spend more If I could keep the same q band right now, I'd like toi Last I hear Oh, da just discos their own music. The down there In all the world all hall. I'd have to say The Hall in San Fran and we played there again last summer ce again, it was perfect hall for us bec ceiling over the right b ¥s Trombone Steve Flute /Tony wnt Chancey - French ackenspielWATT CARLA BLEY SOCIAL STUDIES fard - Soprano 8 Alto Saxophone Tony Dagradi Gary Valente - Trombone / Joe Daley - Euphonium Carla Bley - Organ, Piano / Steve Swallow DSharpe Pras a Peau LayMICHAEL MANTLER MOVIES LARRY CORYELL CARLA BLEY| | STEVE SWALLOW TONY WILLIAMS MICHAEL MANTLER MORE MOVIES: People have General ke mosis oP in them Yor far od 50 on 8 imbers The Hopes ch seller, ‘ond the frst Popular “Thy ove ob ira those record 9 something WATT MICHAEL MANTLER MOVIES Larry Coryell - Guitar / Carta Bley - Pia Bass WaTTi10 MICHAEL MANTLER MORE MOVIES Philip Catherine - Guitar Nindo - Tenor Saxt warpe - Drums Re © lo thon od "This record is a real dog. 1 was lying under the console when they recorded it (I work at Grog Kill Studio in Woodstock, killing mice) Complaining loudly, tut they couldn't hear me. Then I Jurped up ard sat by the raster foder, trying to work it down with my paw. That's when T was thrown cut, Just as well. t play better piano than Carla Aley just by walking on the keys. Ard Nantler"e trumpet playing should be covered wae Poor D. Sharpe afd Gary Kindo tried their best, but Swallow (thae's & nice nane) sounded 2ike he sas chasing his tail. Too mich prombly. Philip Catherine (another nice nae) 1s & very mousy T Liked hin'a lot. But still T give the record omy 1 lick (wil1 Tbe fired for this review?) guitarist ‘Thy a Litter bie harder, Mr. Movies.WATT CARLA BLEY MUSIQUE MECANIQUE The Carla Bley Band Michael Mantler - Trumpet / Alan Braulman - Alto one, Clarinet, Flute jor | ino Carl xophone, Bassclarinet / John C fewart- Tubal Bass / D Sharpe d Bley - Organ, 7 tatlie Haden - Acoustic Bass/ There was a in the old Clift H ‘asting impression Other than musi, what is your favorite art Wel, I can’t say cooking. ! don’ like any art particularly, I like sc if only Thada better brain, I'd quit music in a second and just ty to cure cancer or something. I sub seribe to Science News and I all the sciences from astronomy to 20 That blows my next question. It wi Einstein, I don’t know all their names. They have so many names ey never get famous, Most of them seem to work together in teams, s0 I don't know. They are nameless people, but they are doing so much more than artists f ually ike music. Anod Minsky, He's at M1LT. and hi ficial intelligence. He wrote an article New York Times he was having with socalled robots were musi and humor. I thought that was great because although I've done pretty well at music, [still have never written a joke. 'd like to write a joke someday, but there was to it than that. What really hit me is that it must mean that music and jokes are totally human, Everything else can be dupli cated and programmed, but not music ofPee weet eon Paes pen ea Band, er eter d ar ed Meri Por ero rar aig sage Ata aise ioe nn Fe WaTT8 CARLA BLEY EUROPEAN TOUR 1977 a Bley Band Mantler - Trumpet / Elton Dean one / John Clark - French Hom, Guitar Tuba /Terry Adams - Piano /Carla Bley - Hopper - Bass / Andrew Cyrille - Drums. fed Fall 1977 tives Pras ed ane pee) Peete 7 rr ett pean ee see erat were PA irre accra er eric f a Spent Set chal aii eet pie pes ms pes Reese ou NR acnerie tistsThey take offthetr socks, ston the furniture, run around Screaming, eat without pats, leave the door unlocked, ‘lcule the hort use all the hot water and play al night BEY. Well you know, 1 usually the ones ‘Most interests Let me think for a: Europe in enut8 £9 Me right now 18 260%. The Site dey an ha sy SESE. meant peas be Jzz12: You BLEY: YeahWATTI6 CARLA BLEY DINNER MUSICmeal you've ever had? it was in France, by the sea, I don’t even remember the name of the town. I'd gone down to the hotel dining room didn’t have time to scout for a restaurant. ‘On tour, we usually look in the Michelin guide every day; the band sits there on the tus, saying ‘well, this one’s got two forks and a rosette but it's ten miles off the high ‘way,’ and like that ... I've trained ther to tat seal well and also to visit cathedrals and things, no, cut that ... anyway, on this par ticular day, I didn’t have time to look in the (guide, so I just went downstairs at the hotel, ft was the only possible choice. Well. The plate had a beautiful pice of fish with some kind of light sauce, and was ringed with string beans so the sauce didn't extend beyond the little fence made by the beans. 1 thought it was so beautiful just to look at, Teouldn’t believe it. And all the other things wore just as wonderful, and afterwards, T ‘eked to see the chef. He came out and it fumed out that he had every record I've ever made ont? res, he was a musical cook. It was an dent, too. He didn't know I was there. He didn't know who he was cooking for. No. He cooks that good for everybody: I was knocked out. What a beautiful memory .. I signed all his albums, that was fast summer. But meals like that are becom ing more frequent now, because I search out all the great cooks.WATTS MICHAEL MANTLER SILENCE Robert Wyatt - Voice, Percussion /Kevin Coyne - Voice / Carla Bley - Voice, Piano, Organ / Chis Spedding - Guitar | Ron Mi Words by Ha Recorded Spring 1976 id Pinter compositions are dificult ‘only one Ron been vniverslly What went wrong with Silence? Inwot mostly the English who started, going ‘ona rompage about somebody messing with Horold Pinter, they took t very personally. | would think that something lite No Answer would be a tougher record to listen to, but Silence was an extremely welLhatea record (oughMICHAEL MANTLER_ THE HAPLESS CHILD andother inscrutable stores EDWARD GOREY The guitar player's the ‘conscience ad soul, Now bok here comes amstarons camps With quat eges ond amid compasure He odlects fx sors and moans 5%, fe be Hn aie ee ek Cea part Jere ‘had yet can tap year ft) wartia MICHAEL MANTLER, ‘THE HAPLESS CHILD Vocals / Terie Rypdal er | Steve Swallow - Ba ward Gorey Recorded Summer 1975 itar | Carla Bley - Piano, Clavinet, DeJohnette - Drums : 1 a es eto porogtenerttes qe vee: Sie ots ae smecettinne: SMeaes ome dearer sa Sted sete ao enw 3g etn Sgro alae lige en Eoin. ocke mae Sones ee muusie mites can. swell the mind. when YOu get hame, surprise!) oe ou aae e Onna nat what one quite syste le ae wiht ie mphigargy scaled 2p [ust ees inte ck it costs much less. (GP Puunam's dans Tin ling fellows) ¥ ~ ‘The bocks ae poplar vathet any Bat thet doesnt hake the muse, area! Bust nk of it as something extra, Abuiherto umnoused,adiitional tach (Chat brute of a araner ents guitar Soxps for junc)waTTi3 MICHAEL MANTLER / CARLA BLEY 13.8314 13: Orchestra 1 (3 Flutes / 12 Saxophones / 9 Bras Orchestra 2 (4 Flutes / 10 Woodwinds / 14 Brass / 42 Stings) Catla Bley - Piano / Michael Mantler 3/4: Orchestra (4 Woodwinds / 4 Brass / 14 S la Bley - Piano, Conductor Recorded Summer 1975 / Harp / Piano / Percussion)watt CARLA BLEY ‘TROPIC APPETITES rd Johnson - Voice, Julie Tippetis - Voice / Gato Barbieri - Tenor Saxophone / How Clarinets, Saxophones, Tuba / Michael Mantler - Trumpet, Valve Trombone / Toni Marcus - Violin, Viola David Holland - Bass, Cello /Carla Bley -Piano, Organ, Voice, Recorders, Perc ul Motian - Drums, Percussion / Karen Mantier- Voice Words by Paul Haines Recorded Fall 1973, TROPIC APPETITES is a continuation of (although Paul Haine: that it precedes) ESCALATOR VER THE HILL, Set in the 3u (Indonesia? Brazil?), it is inhabited by various birds, gods, and hunans, all singing and playing together, and the music leaves 1 to the’ imagination. This is the first major appearance Julie Tippetts has made since she left it all behind (along vith her old name ~ Julie oll), and her vocal presence on this record is nouth-watering. Another first ig the incredible double basso profundo singing of Howard (the Lowest) Johnson, known to the world for his tuba playing, who plays the role of the shake. An "Unidentified Cat", who mst re~ hain naneless because he's so fanous, adds his unmistakeable felinity and ferocity to the landscape, making the young birds thrill with terror, and the other inhabitants catch and weave the nuances of the jungle’ into an absorbing, continuing chronotransdu MICHAEL MANTLER oe MICHAEL MANTLER NO ANSWER, Jack Bi Trumpet Voices, Bass / Carla Bley - Piano, Clavinet, Organs / Don Cherry - Jack BRUCE CARLA BLEY, DON CHERRY rds by Samuel Beckett Recorded 1973 Jack Bruce at his most, Don Cherry undiluted, Carla Bley in many layers, WATT"s second fecord, MO ANSWER, is the darker side of the Geepest end. Michael Mantler worked on the music and the concepe for six years before recording it, and the results are extreme and unusual. Tt can, in no way, be described. Listen.em PGS ESCO) si CARLA BLEY ESCALATOR OVER THE HILL lack Bruce, Linda Ronstadt, Viva, J slJones, Carla Bley, Don Preston, Sheila Jordan, and others / Gato Barbieri - Tenor Saxophone / John ‘McLaughlin - Guitar /Don Cherry - Trumpet / Roswell Rudd - Trombone / The Jazz Composer's Orchestra Words by Paul Haines ind many others CARLA BLEU Pose st O cy Voic Recorded Fall 1968 to Summer 1971 one of ene canes, Mat ag venents of the 0900 2.7 contains sone of th SEC hgg, eng nsevenents Of e a n “ome lng (and sigtOS) nea gor heard oy Mak sc pFepcae importance more Sen sohes £05 (and 3100 reat events 1m f9°% fo 2 enony MAKER Snysical BrOPOF srorm is a master co poe st miadlyes fe mm ror ecensve ona acini ES y be 2 e seterpiece, £0 put i ise 28 Sage vonnen” ~ OMT opera is a" vas of carla Bley"# $00 tions and extensic care stunning realize etme performances ‘ Any way oe suggest® infinites © cl fer esonmh morta} Ste eadete $” RO Gpuarneonss ore © irre got eam Or ouzrne STONE oF de Jaze and Rock: fo of bot FEF seneise and ng in ten aeyissese pane wee attempted. «+ -Seunn# piesour extended WOrk 9 enay bo ene ost ames Conpuenity peon and sasn'ts” ~ ‘cunrst SUPERSTAR shoul spverything JESS SARGEMIT of gives one 15 (aack Bruce ° "he ten ors enous? wien petenr performer’ 9°" eh ey of SAXGEME PEPER Ache eines te 20nE pa ene musical A04801°4 Soeract 1ibret00 OT pone OUT amaging Oe nie LE): 8 Soe che peace suaseuloes” che gal eusie bare bo =e osic vorid has 9 fet nrc oF toianorat pean taught rset ening that te Oo rca Nag ROLL ne of roaring Mariety desperat Nasirncron PO cary toave 15stenert eo t0 mesh vauce a enosoughly MOTHS ope, ie ys to produce * “ipgeract in the © mg pew FORK TIMES ne oid." = HFJa22 oven + hana and must be the hare ales uecead Loan ceo! the ming TASS Marching by P00 bean, so05"tr Jets you gee stare) You said earlier that looking back a decade, you're pretty satisfied with “Escalator Over the Hill." Have you liked it all the -way through, or did you have times when you liked it more or less than at other times? No. I've only listened to it about twice in the past ten years, and both times I thought it was pretty good.THE JCoA/1001/2 MICHAEL MANTLER JAZZ COMPOSER'S ‘THE JAZZ COMPOSER'S ORCHESTRA ORCHESTRA Soloists Don Cherry - Comet / Gato Barbieri - Tenor Saxophon Neo Roswell Rudd - Trombone / Pharoah Sanders - Tenor er Reh e car Gear) The Jazz Comp AIPA AS =a pane « LARRY CORYELL 7 Saxophones ( ', Frank Wess, Lew Tabackin, Charles, Davis, and other er, Bob Northern, Julius Watkins, Jimmy ry Knepper, Howard Johnson, and others) / Piano (Carla Bley) / 5 Basses (Steve wallow, Charlie Haden, Reggie Workman, Eddie Gomez, Ron Carter, and others) Drums (Andrew Cyrile, Beaver Harris Darr al Recorded Spring 1968 he Sixties. Not artistic ack nut it proved that the Placed within a franework 1y impressive na brief three minutes of almost pathological frtext for freodom....the band is more than together. Balance and presence are superb. This is where modern ‘If oniy for the Taylor section this record ia indispensible to all new wave jazz followers.” ~ JAZZ JOURNAL stnis fe a particularly important release, not just for the misical content, which is cer highest order, but also because of the organisation which ie responsible for its production (JC0A) To anyone genuinely interested in the very best of contemporary music, I vould consider be indis= Densibie.* = PIBcES OF Azz involved in trying to free the creati Jazz Fool, His COMMNICATIONS 10.11 ib setting f gy of Cecil iano, and for ne vas the high pot ace vorce stlonal struct agent, manager . the effort to get the ‘wnat struck me, a5.a Listener, so much is that everybody seanad to imposed upon vhatever the orchestra is playing.’ “GRAND PRIX DU ACADEMY CHARLES CROS* (France)CARLA BLEY THE BIOGRAPHIES Gerla Bley was born in Oakland, California in 1938. Her parents were both musicians who had et at’the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Tas, “her early years were saturated wich both music and religion. She played plino at church, beginning at the age of 4, sang in the choir and Played Grgan at weddings ac finsrale at soon aa che vas tall enaugh. Noteable appearances during the period: Youth for Christ Napa State Paychiacric Hospital Havenscoure Colental Church ‘Ac the age of 12 she became interested in roller skating and spent the ext’ three yeara practicing vo becone a competitive skater. At the sane Time, she had an after-school job accompanying a dance class. Ar 15 she quit’ school and “went to work asa clerk in a gusic store. Then she accompanied folk singer for a few years and began playing sole piano in bars. Noteable appearances during the period: Califomia State Roller Skating Gmpetition (placed 7th in free scyie) Int Rape Onion ‘The Black Orenid She became interested in Jaze, and went to New York when she vas 19. She Supported, herself by wotking ara cigarette girl at Sicdland and Sasin Screet. he pet pianist Paul’ Bley” and began Gravelling around the comery with him. fe eoouraged her to write ausic for his band. Though She worked occasionally as a pianist in coffee houses and bars, her main interest became compesition. she carried Paul Bley in California, and shay. lived’ in Los Aageles for a couple of years befoce retuming £0 Naw Yorh Noteable appearances during the period: none Aftar working as an usherette at aovie theaters for about a year she got a Job. as a coat check girl at che Jaze Galery and once again had the ‘Opportunity ‘to hear all the best players in New York. She kepe writing, ahd eventually a lot of musicians, notably Paul Bley, George Russell Samy" Giuffre” and Art Farmer, began recording her pisces. She also had an ongoing gig at a coffee house in che Village, where many misicians Gao fo sit in, and briafly played in a band ied ty Charles Hottest Featuring Pharoah’ Sanders. Neceable appearances during the perlat: evry weekend for a year at She mot Michael Mantler in 1964 vhen they vere both active in the Jaze Composers" Gulld. Together they” starved "an orchestra made up of the Galia's ‘anders, incluling Rowell Rudd, “Archie Shepp and Milford Graves, hen the “Guild beoke up they continued ‘They made a record of Mantler's gusic and then comiasianed and recorded new works. by other composers. During this time she left Paul Bley and arried Michael Mantier. They had a child named Karen in 1966. Noteable appearances during the period: The Newport Jazz Festival ‘The Mise of Modern Are ‘The Public Theater then JODA zan out of resources, Mantler and Bley ynsuccessfully tried to peta big record label interested in their activicies. They soon Fealized that. they would have £0 fend for themselves. ‘Then Bley ad a oey break. Steve Swallow told Gary Burton, vio was always looking for interesting msic. £0. play, that Bley had written an altum's worth of sic. but couldn't sell ir to snyont, Auton expressed interest, and ‘Sith sone additional writing to” inciwle the Gary Burton Quartet, A Genuine “Tong Funwcal, “Feacuring Larry Coryell and Caco Barbier!, as Feleased on KA, Sooh after, she was clomiseioned by Charlie Hades, an old friend from the California days, co arrange and contribute pieces £0 ‘is altue, Linevation Music Orchests working "on an opera, Escalator Over The Hill Haines, hich vas finally completed in 1972 and released on JGA's om label as a Srecord-set. Anong the large cast of singers and Players ‘were Jack Brice, Linda “Ronscade, John veLaughlin, Viva, Don Gnerzy, Roswell uid, Gato Barbieri, Jeanne Lee, Howard Jonson, Karen Mantier and Charlie Haden. Tc was never perfomed’ Live sure nd grance during the period: Gage Fellowhip National Endowent for the Arts Creative Arciaee Program ServiceIn 1973 Mancler and Bley formed Wett Works and began records, starting with Bley's Tropic Agpetives, another with Pal Haines, “They also. began distributing ocher reduced records through the New Music Distribution Service, a division SE-JO0A. In 1974 she was commissioned by The Ensenble to write a chamber sie piece, 3/4" featured Keith Jarrett and vas conducted by Dennis ‘aseel!'Devies. TE was also performed by Ursula Oppens with Speculum Masicee, by keith Jarrett with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and others,” 121975 Bley joined The Jack Bruce Sand, featuring Mick Taylor, ae for 6 months erperienced a different kind of Life and gusic. When the group broke up she decided to form her om band appearances during the period: Alice Tully Hall Pink Pop Festsy ‘The Old Grey Whuatle Test (B80) used Richard Tee and the Stuff chythm section on an album soured Romvell id and Carlos Ward ing for 10 piece band (6 homs) and began touring and Tnscrumaeation regelariy. Anong her bard! oembers were Gary Valente, Tony Dageadi, Michael Mantler, Sob Stewart, Steve Slagle, b, ‘Sharpe’ and Steve Seallow, Over the next eix years the band appeared. in “utope, Japan and the V.S., and made five altume for the Tete “Tanel’ suropead Tour 1977, Musique Mocmnie, Soctal ES tnd I ste “To Sing. She also’ produced several Vichael Yineler alts. ed a some crack slim co the Claude Miller film Yortelle Thad written the music, During this period she “lary special projects. Nick Mason, the drumer vith Pink Floyd vod an Wiben of ber gongs entitled Fictitious Spores which featvred Robert Wyatt and Chris Spedding; she wrote music for a large group for in Nonway, she did’ an arrargenent of the gusic co Fellini's fal album, and she arranged aw wrote saterial for ‘Liberation Music Orchestra altun called Ballad of carnegie Hall Hollywood Bowl The Olyapia Theater (Paris) Berlin Jaze Festival Montreux daze Festival Daring 1983 she wrote a piece for the Creative Iaprovisors' Orchestra sheluded Lao Snith and Ray Anderson, ote music to the Lyrics of Mahal, wrote ‘2 pou by Malcoim Lowy. shich wae presented in Cologne German TV featiring Jack Bruce and Steve Swallow, recorded alled Heavy Heart with Hiran Bullock, Kenny Kerkland and aanbers Ther regular Sand, and did an arrangenen: ‘of the Thelonius Monk piece gerioss, featuring Jommy Griffin, ‘peoorial albus wr The Composers and Inprovisers Orchestra in mettle (10 horns) 1985 she began to focus on smaller ensecbles aed started writing for and touring with « sextet (oo hom). She still diawith larger bands. For Willner's Kurt Weill album the wrote an ‘Serangoon of Lost in the Stare featuring Pal Woods, Tan ahe woke an eanuring 5s player, Steve Seallov, called Nighe~glo. Using her existing 10-hom material a a starting point, she aed encigh new material to. doa European tour with a ls-plece band. A TV feature, Called La Paloma, was created arotnd her and that band in Hamburg. A bBinisoperatle vertion of for Under the Volcano, the Malcolm Lowry pisce She had premiered in Cologne, was staged a the Mark Taper Forum in Loe Jogeles a5 part of the New Music america Festival, with Jack Bruce, Steve Swallow and Don Preston Notable awards during the period: Deutscher Schallplattengreis ‘The Carla Bley Sextet, with H Victor Levis ard Don Alias, coured in 1986, aade a record called Sextet. ranch TV extravaganza. Stave Swallow wrote on albus ‘organ soloist, called Ca produced, vith Seallow, several other’albums for the jacoln Center Chanber Music Sociecy comissicned ‘Goppertone, featuring Fred Sherry, Paula fcbiscn and Ark Kavafian, She once again felt compelled to ‘reduce the anount of musicians in her band. She began playing duets with Swalloe, first as Fecresticnal/edscational pleasure "at hope and then,” sommbat Notable appearances during the period: The Zenith (Faris) Alice Tully Hall concinued touring “with Steve Swallow and they re ‘called Duets. ‘hen she decided Fecording entitled ease instrimereation. She vas comiseioned bo write. a piace for the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchest 5 Bose, aoe s,_prasiered in berlin in 1985. 'She wnt to Sicily and worked with the wchestra Jazz” Sicilima’ di Palermo. Then she wrvce an arrangesent of Goodye, Fore Fie Hat for a Charles Mingus omorial album. Notable appearances during the period: Montreal Jaze Festival Theatre du Grand fex (Paris) Yn fitortim (lel Aviv) DISCOGRAPHY a leader: with others: leur Carnivore, WATT/21 Steve Swallow, Car Duote, WATT/20 Various Artiste, Lost In the Stars, Sextet, WATT/17 ‘The Music of Kurt Weill, ASM Night=Glo, WATT/16 Various Artiste, That's The May I Reel Now, Heavy Heart, WATT/14 ‘A Tribute to Thelonive Monk, AB! Lllate To Sing, WATT/12-1/2 Various Artiste, Amarcord Nino Hannibal ive, WATI/12 Gary Burton, A Genuine Tong Funeral, RCA Mortelle Randonnee, Phonogram Nick Mason, Fictitious Sports, CBS Social Studies, WATT/11 Charlie Haden, Ballad of the Fallen, ECM Yusique Mecaniaue, VATT/9 Charlie Haden, Liberation Music Orchestra, Impulse Esropean Tour 1977, wArT/8 Michael Mantler, Sonething There, WATT/13 Pinner tusic, WATT/6 Michael Mantler, More Movies, WATT/10 3/4, WATT/3 Michael Mantler, Hovies, WATT/7 Tropic Appetites, WATT/1 Michael Mantler, Silence, WATT/5 Hacalator Over The Hill, JOOA Michael Mantler, The Hapless Child, WATT/4 Michael Mantler, No Answer, WATT/2 Michael Mantler, The Jazz Composer's Orchestra, JCOA Michael Mentler, Jazz Realities, Fontana Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Comminication, PontanaMICHAEL MANTLER Born in 1943 in Vienna, Austria, where he studied trumpet and msi- cology at the Acadeay of Music and Vienna University. In. 1962 he vent to the U.S, to continue his studier at the Berkiee School of Munic in Boston. He moved to New York in 1964 and started playing trumpet with Ceci Taylor. During that period he was also involved in the formation of struggling for better working conditions and opportunities to. pre~” he formed « lerge jaz! orchestra to perform new compositions by ite After the Guild discontinued its activities, he toured Europe twice during 1965/66 with the "Jazz Realition” Quintet, featuring Steve lacy and Carle Bley. He chen established the Jaz Compo chests Association, # non-profit organization to. comm form, and record new compositions for jaz orchestra ie recorded double albun of hie music during 1968 with the Jazz Composer's Orcheatra snd soloists Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Pharoah Sanders, Larey Coryell, and Gato Barbieri, Some of Elecerie Cireue in 1963. Me appeared as trumpet player on Carla Bley's & Genuine Tone Puner= fal, recorded by Gary Burton, apd also on Charlie Haden's Liberation ‘zshestza album (1969/70). Me then corordinated the Jazz Composer's Orchestra's next recording project, Carla Bley's Escalator Over The Hill (1970/71) ‘The problems of distributing a small, independent record Labeled ‘him £o form the ew Music Distribution Service ss « divieion of the In 1973/76 he started WATT WORKS, & new record label and company devoted to the presentation of his and Carla Bley's misie ‘exclusively. Me played trumpet on the firet WATT release, Caria Bley"s Tropic Aupetites, end recorded his own album No Auuwer, fea turing Jack Bruce, for which he wrote music to the mords of Samal Becuete (1976) tro ascape the pressures of comercial recording studioe. He receiv fed composition grants from the Creative Artists Program Service land che National Endowest for the Arts, and with the eid of & ferent from the Pord Foundation he was able to undertake the recor ing of hia 13 for two orchestras and piano (1973), He wrote and recorded sveral more albune for WATT: The Haplese Child, with words by Eivard Gorey, featuring Robert watt (1976), Silence” based on the Harold Pinter play, again with Robert Myatt (1379), wovisa, with Larey Coryell and Tony Williaus (1978), and cherine (1980). During that pericd he wes (Ke hone) aed Nick Mason In 1982 he recorded Sosathing There with Mike Stern, Nick Mason, land the strings of the London Symphony Orchestra, arranged and Conducted by Michael Gibbe- Later that year he participated in a Buropean cour and « recording (Balled of the Fallen) with a new by the Orchestra of the Mest German Radio in 1986, end in 1985 he composed and recorded Alien, featuring Don Preston: wely throughout Burope, the USA, and Japen, #8 weil Orchestra of the Opera de Lille in France during March 1986, and the Danish Radio Concert Orchestra commissioned a new sork from him Nick Mason, Jack Bruce, Rick Penn, Don Preston, and John Greaves Material from this concert mas subsequently released on his Live ‘bun. The following Sumer he briefly toured Europe with « similar band featuring Jeck Bruce and Anton Pier: in Boal ah, dina orosect, Wane Hata Ma Saaach), on situn of son performed at « concert produced by U fd during April. 1989,STEVE SWALLOW Steve Swallow was born in New York City in 1940, and spent hie childhood in Pair Lam, New Jersey. Before deciding to play the acoustic base at age 14, he studied piano and trumpet. During his years at Yale University he studied composition with Donald Martino and played Dixieland with many notables, including Pee Wee Russell, Buck Clayton and Vie Dickenson. In 1960 he left Yale, moved to New York City, and began to play with Paul Bley, the Jimmy Giuffre Trio and George Russell's Sextet, which featured Bric Dolphy and Thad Jones. He also performed with Joao Gilberto and bands Led by Bonny Goodman, Marian MePartland, Al Cohn and Zoot Sime, Clark Terry and Bob Brookmeyer, and Chick Corea. In 1964 he joined the Art Farmer Quartet featuring Jim Hall, and began writing music. Many of his songs have been recorded by notable artists, including Bill Bvans, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Gary Burton, Art Farmer, Phil Woods and Jack DeJohnette. He toured from late 1965 through 1967 with the Stan Getz Quartet, which also included Gary Burton and Roy Haynes. In 1968 he left Getz to join Gary Burton's Quartet, an association he maintained, with occasional interruption, for 20 yei In 1970 he awitched from acoustic to electric bass and moved to Bolinas, California where he wrote music for Hotel Hello, a duet album for ECM with Gary Burton. Returning to the Bast Coast in 1974, he taught for 2 years at the Berklee College of Music. In 1976’he was awarded a National Endowent for the Arts grant to set poems by Robert Creeley to misic, which resulted in another ECM album, Home. He also performed with such diverse soloists as Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Michael Brecker, George Benson, Hubert Laws and Herbie Hancock, and appeared on albums by Michael Mantler, Kip Hanrahan and Hal Willner. In 1978 he joined the Carla Bley Band. He continues to perform and record with her in various contexts. He played with John Scofield from 1980 to 1984, and has since produced several of his recordings. He eleo co-produced albums with Carla Bley, including Night-Glo (WaTT/16), which she wrote to feature him, and Carla (KtraWATT/2), a collection of his recent songs featuring her. Since 1988 he and Carla Bley have performed duet concerts in Europe, the United States, and Japan. Duets (WATT/20), an album of their Songs arranged for piano and bass, was released later that Pall. For the past several years he has placed first (electric bass) in ‘the Downbeat International Critics and Readers Polls. DISCOGRAPHY ae a leader: Duets, WATT/20 Garla, XcraWAaTt/2 Home, "BCH 1160 Hotel Helle, BOM 1055 featured with others: carla Bley, Night-Glo, WATT/16 Carla Bley, Sextet, WATT/17 John Scofield, Shinola, ENJA 4006 John Scofield, Out Like A Light, ENJA 4038STEVE WEISBERG Born April 23, 1963 in Norfolk, Virginia, STEVE WEISBERG began formal piano training at age 7. He continued classical piano lessons, and at age 15 ne was exposed to modern Jazz. While in Virginia he led a series of {aprovisatory Concerts under such guises as “Phlege Music", "Penguin Music’ and “Hood Music’. By age 17 Ketsberg found himself among a select few pianists in Norfolk who could read and improvise jazz standards. fy the tine he graduates high school and went on to Berklee College in Boston, Metsberg nad a solid Knowledge of classical and Jazz theory. Metsberg adds, "Berklee was a great experience for me. I'd always been into composition and knew of some of the teachers there = one in particular was Nike Gibbs. After a class one day, I asked hin {f ne would teach privately. I learned 2 lot from him, mostly about focusing in on getting exactly what I wanted out of my writing; it was really more like therapy than technique sometimes." Gibbs Introduced Wefsberg to Carla Bley after one of her concerts 1n Boston Wetsberg states, "It was a big thrill for ge at the time. Carla and Michael Mantler Introduced me to their daughter Karen and told me she was interested in going to Berklee...Sure enough, the following year I ran into Karen; we tunediately hit {t off and have deen close friends ever since." Eventually, Carta Bley near some of Wetsberg's music. According to Kei sberg “She liked the tape. A few years later she, along with Steve Swallow, offered to produce an album of my music at her studio...What an honor! She helped we get the best players in New York to play on it; {t was a dream cone true.” That session surfaces as I Can't Stand Another Night Alone (In Bed With You) Wetsberg's music has also attracted the attention of producer Hal WiTIner Wetsberg contributed 2 short piece for Lost In The Stars: The Music Of Kurt Weill (ABH) and, more recently, was asked by Willner to work on "Pink Elephants On Parade” for the Disney tribute Stay Avake (aTso on AMM) Weisberg has also written the score for a musical entitled “Scott Joplin: A Guest Of Honor” by playwright Howard Pflanzer. Currently Weisberg leads The Steve Weisberg Orchestra, plays keyboards in Karen Mantler's band, and {s featured on her XtrakATT/ECM release My Cat ArnoléARNOLD 1 wasn't around at the very beginning of the WATT/xtraMATT empire It was during the recording of WATT/4 that | showed up at Mike and doorstep. They took me in immediately, gave me milk, and pointed me Studio Cat. | fit in perfectly from that first. moment, although at the beginning | was just a house pet, lying on the console as they mixed their records, catching mice (ugh) and Generally being available to hold and pet. Later, as 1 insinuated my way into their lives, they began to Fealize that | had many useful talents. They put me to work review ing recods (1 invented the Lick method of criticism) for the New Music Distribution Service newsletter. Then they put me in charge of XtraATT promot ion (1 sent provocative posteards to industry. types and purrsonally answered their phone calla). And now | pract{- cally run the whole place (while Hike catches the mice and Carla Ties on the console during mixes). Soon | plan to make an albu jabel called XtracarT, (Sorry, due to overwhelming response | have been forced ‘¢0 get an unlisted phone number!)LIMITED EDITION i (available onty to Carta's chosest sriends) Like to add that since this record came out my gather hasn't spoken to me. He didn't Like the ‘pop’ packaging.”WATT NOW IN PREPARATION: XtrawATT/4 - Having received an offer they couldn't refu: WATT WORKS Family has agreed to release an album of Carla's music recorded by The Orchestra Jazz Siciliana di Palermo. XtrawATT/S - Karen is working on her next album. she'll be using the same lineup, and the songs will still be about silly, childish concerns and complaints, furry animals and dumb holidays. XtrawATT/6 - Tired of servicing the other WATT/XtraWATT artists, Steve Swallow is in the process of writing music for an extremely selfish album featuring himself XtrawATT/T - Steve Weisberg has been leading his own orchestra in New York for the past year and is anxious to record his latest work. However, since he is poor, unknown, and not very well connected, he has to take a place at the back of the production Vins WATT/23 - Carla has taken it into her head to write a collection of utterly conservative, standard big band compositions which will secure her place in jazz history. It will be recorded next Fall.NU Uc eee ioe eee ee ea ere Pee Neu ene On ea ae Piel cane To en eta Sean Availabilty of albums is subject to local distribution. Ce eee ero] Sey