Carla Bley: United States
Musicians:
Carla Bley (piano),
leading an 18-piece band featuring Steve Swallow (electric bass) and Ashley Slater (bass trombone)
.Composed by Carla Bley
.Recorded: Ludwigsburg, Germany. October 29/30, 1990
Rating: 94/100 (learn more)
“Very big.” Now that is an understatement. Very big in size, sound, attitude and subtlety. Bley's composition seems to take on a life of its own with huge, unresolved chords, wide-ranging dynamics, and tension & release passages. From the quiet intimacy of the oboe or a piano/bass duet to the high-torque, full horn section blast, this music has serious reach. Carla Bley has written her share of pensive music (especially with husband Steve Swallow), yet “United States,” taken in total, is anything but. With a series of quite varied (and often very loud!) musical vignettes, Bley manages to create a sonic portrait that is as wide-ranging as the many subcultures to be found in the States.
Reviewer: Mark Saleski
Tags: big band
Comments are closed.