Carla Bley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carla Bley
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Bley in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lovella May Borg |
| Born | May 11, 1936 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Died | October 17, 2023 (aged 87) Willow, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, composer |
| Instruments | Piano, organ |
| Years active | 1960–2020 |
| Labels | WATT, ECM, Universal |
| Associated acts | Michael Mantler, Steve Swallow, Paul Bley, Nick Mason, Johnny Griffin, Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Art Farmer, Liberation Music Orchestra, Jack Bruce, Charlie Haden, Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Paul Haines |
Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936 – October 17, 2023) was a famous American jazz musician. She was a talented composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader. Carla Bley was a key person in the free jazz movement of the 1960s.
She was well-known for her jazz opera called Escalator over the Hill. This was a very long musical work released as three records. Many other artists also played her compositions. These included musicians like Gary Burton, Jimmy Giuffre, and George Russell.
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Early Life of Carla Bley
Carla Bley was born in Oakland, California, in 1936. Her father, Emil Borg, taught piano and led a church choir. He encouraged her to sing and play the piano from a young age. Her mother, Arline Anderson, passed away when Carla was eight years old.
When she was fourteen, Carla stopped going to church. She became very interested in roller skating. At seventeen, she moved to New York. There, she worked as a cigarette girl at a famous jazz club called Birdland.
At Birdland, she met jazz pianist Paul Bley. She toured with him for a while. In 1957, she changed her name to Carla Borg. She then married Paul Bley and took his last name. He encouraged her to start writing music. Even after they divorced in 1967, she continued to use his last name for her music career.
Carla Bley's Music Career
Many musicians began to record Carla Bley's songs. For example, George Russell recorded her song "Bent Eagle" in 1960. Jimmy Giuffre also recorded her piece "Ictus." Paul Bley's album Barrage was made up entirely of her compositions. Carla Bley always saw herself as a writer first. She said she was "99 percent composer and one percent pianist."
In 1964, she helped create the Jazz Composers Guild. This group brought together the most creative jazz musicians in New York. Later, she worked closely with Michael Mantler. They co-led the Jazz Composers' Orchestra. They also started their own record label, JCOA. This label released important recordings by artists like Don Cherry.
One of her biggest works, Escalator Over The Hill, was released on the JCOA label. Carla Bley and Michael Mantler were pioneers. They were among the first artists to create their own record labels. They also started the New Music Distribution Service. This service helped small, independent labels share their unique music.
Carla Bley also wrote and arranged music for other famous artists. She worked with bassist Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra. She also wrote A Genuine Tong Funeral for vibraphonist Gary Burton. Bley worked with many other musicians, including Jack Bruce and Robert Wyatt. She even collaborated with Nick Mason, the drummer for the rock band Pink Floyd. Carla Bley wrote all the music for Mason's solo album, Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports. Many of her own band members played on it. Because of this, some people consider it almost a Carla Bley album.
Later Life and Passing
Carla Bley continued to record music often. She had her own big band, which included famous musicians like Lew Soloff. She also performed with smaller groups, such as the Lost Chords.
After her work with Michael Mantler, she began a relationship with bassist Steve Swallow.
In 2005, she arranged music and performed on Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra tour. This resulted in the album Not in Our Name. Her final album, Life Goes On, was released in 2020.
Carla Bley passed away from brain cancer at her home in Willow, New York. She was 87 years old when she died on October 17, 2023.
Awards and Recognition
Carla Bley received many honors for her musical talent.
- In 1972, she was given a Guggenheim Fellowship for music composition. This is a special award for artists and scholars.
- In 2009, she won the German Jazz Trophy, called "A Life for Jazz."
- Bley received the prestigious NEA Jazz Masters Award in 2015. This is the highest honor for jazz musicians in the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Carla Bley para niños
