ENDEIT
Carla Bley
Photo: Nomo michael hoefner http://www.zwo5.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pianists · 1936–2023

Carla Bley

American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader (1936–2023)

Born
11 May 1936
Oakland
Died
17 October 2023
Willow
Country
United States
Active
1960–2023
Record labels
ECM Records
Discography
25 albums

Biography

Carla Bley was a jazz musician who played piano and Hammond organ. Carla Bley was born on 11 May 1936 in Oakland and died on 17 October 2023 in Willow. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: ECM Records. The discography here lists 25 albums, from “Jazz Realities” (1966) to “Joyful Noise (Live In Hamburg 1984)” (2026). Honours include Guggenheim Fellowship (1972), honorary doctor of the University of Toulouse-II (2012) and NEA Jazz Masters.

Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936 – October 17, 2023) was an American jazz composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she gained acclaim for her jazz opera Escalator over the Hill (released as a triple LP set), as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other artists, including Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Art Farmer, Robert Wyatt, John Scofield, and her ex-husband Paul Bley. She was a pioneer in the development of independent artist-owned record labels, and recorded over two dozen albums between 1966 and 2019.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Jazz Realities 1966
Escalator Over the Hill 1971
Tropic Appetites 1974
Dinner Music 1977
Social Studies 1981
Live! 1982 · Live
Mortelle randonnée 1983
Heavy Heart 1984
Night-glo 1985
Sextet 1987
Duets 1988
Fleur Carnivore 1989 · Live
Big Band Theory 1993
Go Together 1993
Fancy Chamber Music 1998
Are We There Yet? 1999 · Live
4x4 2000
The Lost Chords 2004 · Live
The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu 2007
Carla’s Christmas Carols 2009
Trios 2013
Andando el tiempo 2016
Life Goes On 2020
Joyful Noise (Live In Hamburg 1984) 2026 · Live
1980-03-12, Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA · Live

Awards

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Carla Bley play?

Carla Bley is known for playing piano and Hammond organ.

When and where was Carla Bley born?

Carla Bley was born 11 May 1936 in Oakland.

What are Carla Bley's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Jazz Realities (1966), Escalator Over the Hill (1971), Tropic Appetites (1974), Dinner Music (1977) and Social Studies (1981).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.