Carla Bley Discography:

This listing brings together the recorded discography of Carla Bley along with other selected material in other media. I have included the earliest recordings of Bley's songs by others, even though she does not perform. I felt it was important to place her early compositional work in a timeline with her later work as composer and band leader. My research has suggested that there are likely to be many recordings of her concert broadcasts in Europe from the 1980-90's. Some are included here, but I have yet to make an effort to research this area of Bley's discography.

Dates listed as "session dates" were taken from Tom Lord's CD: The Jazz Discography 3.3. Other dates are taken from the liner notes of the recordings, or specified as needed.

This listing was compiled initially from those recordings listed on the ECM Records web site and a database search of the holdings of the Institute for Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ. Ebay searches provided much information and often physical copies of the recordings. Special thanks to David J. McNally and his father for providing me with a copy of For Taylor Storer.

Thanks are also due to Michael Fitzgerald for providing me with a copy of the late Steven Miner's Carla Bley discography. Although my work was substantially complete by the time I received it, Miner's tremendous effort provided me with a few important citations.

(I'm currently not working on this information and don't have plans to update it.)

Paul Bley Quartet: Solemn Meditation
Spring 1958, Gene Norman LP gnp31
As Carla Borg, likely her first recorded jazz composition, "O Plus One" is performed by Paul Bley's quartet. The composition in published by Neil Music, Inc. and is on file at the Library of Congress, dated January 27, 1959. The liner notes and cover photograph are also by Carla Borg. Date is session date.

Ornette Coleman: Coleman Classics, volume 1
Oct-Nov 1958, Improvising Artists LP IAI 373852
Carla Bley was reportedly hiding under the piano running the mixing board for this early live recording from the Hillcrest Club in Los Angeles.

George Russell Sextet: Sextet at the Five Spot
20 September 1960, Decca LP DL 9220
Features Bley compositions "Dance Class" and "Beast Blues." (These are registered in Bley's name at BMI, but unpublished by ALRAC. No copyright listing at L.O.C.) Date is session date.

George Russell Sexet: Stratusphunk
18 October 1960, Riverside LP RLP 9341
Features the Bley composition "Bent Eagle." (This is registered in Bley's name at BMI, but unpublished by ALRAC. No copyright listing at L.O.C.) Date is session date.

George Russell Sextet: George Russell Sextet in K. C.
23 February 1961, Decca LP DL 74183
The Bley composition, "Rhymes" is featured on this album. (This is registered in Bley's name at BMI, but unpublished by ALRAC. No copyright listing at L.O.C.) Date is session date.

Jimmy Giuffre 3: Fusion
3 March 1961, Verve LP MGV8397
Features the Carla Bley compositions "Jesus Maria" and "In the Morning Out There." Date is session date.

Jimmy Giuffre 3: Thesis
4 August 1961, Verve LP MGV8402
Features the Carla Bley composition "Ictus." Date is session date.

Jimmy Giuffre 3: Emphasis
11 November 1961, hat Art CD 6072
Features the Carla Bley composition "Jesus Maria," recorded live in Stuttgart, Germany. Date is from liner notes.

Jimmy Giuffre 3: Flight
23 November 1961, hat Art CD 6071
Features the Carla Bley composition "Postures," recorded live in Bremen, Germany. Composition is registered by BMI, but unpublished by ALRAC Music. Date is from liner notes.

Don Ellis: Essence
15-17 July 1962, Pacific Jazz LP PJ-55
Features the Bley composition "Donkey." Bley claims this is her first composition. Composition published by ALRAC Music. Date is session date.

Paul Bley Trio: Floater
17 August 1962, Savoy LP MG 12182
Features the Carla Bley compositions "Floater," "Around Again," "Syndrome," "King Korn," and "Vashkar." These compositions are published by ALRAC Music, BMI. The issue of these recordings is not clearly confirmed by the later Savoy re-releases, Lord's database, or Paul Bley's memoir. Likely this also includes a session date of September 12, 1963. Dates are session dates.

George Russell Sexet: The Outer View
27 August 1962, Riverside LP RM 440
Features the Bley composition "Zig Zag." This is registered in Bley's name at BMI, but unpublished by ALRAC. No copyright listing at L.O.C. Date is session date.

Paul Bley Quartet: Turning Point
3 March 1964, Improvising Artists LP 373841
Features the Carla Bley compositions "Calls," "King Korn," "Ictus," and "Ida Lupino." Date is session date. This material was not released until 1975.

Paul Bley Quintet: Barrage
October 1964, ESP-Disk LP ESP-1008
All compositions by Carla Bley. The "tape assemblage" on "Barrage" is credited to Carla Bley on the CD re-release. Recorded October, 1964

Jazz Composer's Orchestra: Communication
29 December 1964, Fontana LP 881011
Features a live recording of Bley's composition: "Roast," performed at Judson Hall, NYC. Bley does not perform. Date is performance date

Attila Zoller Quartet: The Horizon Beyond
15 March 1965, Mercury LP 138145
Features the Bley composition "Ictus." Date is from liner notes.

Art Farmer Quartet: Sing Me Softly of the Blues
16 March 1965, Atlantic LP 1442
Features the Bley compositions "Sing Me Softly of the Blues" and "Ad Inifintum." Both are published by ALRAC, BMI. Date is session date.

Paul Bley Trio: Closer
20 May 1965, ESP-Disk LP ESP-1021
Compositions by Carla Bley. Recorded May 20 and December 18, 1965, according to Paul Bley's memoir.

Jazz Realities: Jazz Realities
11 January 1966, Fontana LP 881010
Features Bley and Mantler compositions. Bley plays piano in possibly her first issued performance. Date is session date.

Gary Burton Quartet: Duster
20 April 1967, RCA Victor LP LSP3835
The Bley composition "Sing Me Softly of the Blues" is featured. Bley does not perform. Date is session date.

Gary Burton Quartet: Lofty Fake Anagram
15 August 1967, RCA Victor LP LSP3901
The Bley composition "Mother of the Dead Man" is featured. Bley does not perform. Date is session date.

Gary Burton Quartet: A Genuine Tong Funeral
21 November 1967, RCA Victor LP 07863 66748-2
A Bley concept/composition. Bley plays piano, organ and conducts. Session dates were November 21 & 22, 1967 and January 23, 1968

Owen, Betty and Mary McEwen, ed.s: A Wreath of Carols: Selections
1968, Scholastic LP CC 0603
For mixed voices with instrumental accompaniment; arranged, produced, and directed by Carla Bley. "A wreath of carols; 47 Christmas songs, selected and edited by Betty M. Owen and Mary E. MacEwen" See the bibliography for the companion book. Michael Mantler also contributes.

Jazz Composer's Orchestra: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
24 January 1968, JCOA LP 1001/1002
Bley plays piano on "Communications #8," "Communications #9" and "Communications #10." Session dates are January 24, 1968 and May 8, 1968.

NRBQ: NRBQ
January 1969, Columbia LP CS 9858
The song "Ida" is credited to Carla Bley and Terry Adams on NRBQ's debut album.

Charlie Haden: Liberation Music Orchestra
27 April 1969, Impulse CD IMPD-188
Features Bley compositions and arrangements. Bley also plays piano and tambourine. Recorded at Judson Hall, NYC, April 27, 28 and 29, 1969.

Atwood, David, director: A Genuine Tong Funeral (television production)
15 May 1969, "Mixed Bag," WGBH-TV, Boston, Massachusetts
David Atwood and Gary Burton produced a staged version of "A Genuine Tong Funeral" for WGBH-TV's, experimental weekly series, "Mixed Bag." Burton's revised quartet still featured Steve Swallow, and the orchestra was composed of Berklee music students. Carla Bley was not directly involved in the production. The date is the Down Beat review date. The performance has not been issued, but remains in WGBH's vaults.

Tony Williams Lifetime: Emergency! (volume one)
26 & 28 May 1969, Polydor LP 24-4017
The Bley composition "Vashkar" is featured. Bley does not perform.

Carla Bley & Paul Haines: Escalator Over the Hill
November 1970, JCOA Records 3LP-EOTH
"Adaptation and music" by Carla Bley. Bley performs as the Leader, Mutant and Voice, and performs on piano and organ. Recorded in November, 1968; November, 1970 through June, 1971; March, 1971 and June, 1971. The CD re-issue supposedly features a 27 minute version of "...and It's Again."

Steve Gebhardt, director: Escalator Over the Hill (documentary film)
1971, Musicus Media VHS tape
Documentary footage from the "Escalator Over the Hill" recording sessions. Completed and premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in 1999.

Don Cherry: Relativity Suite (NYU Premiere)
1 December 1972, WBAI-FM, New York, New York (Library of Congress holding)
Includes the first performance of Cherry's Relativity suite. Bley performs on piano. Donor's notes indicate the date to be either 12/01/72 or 12/01/73. This is an aircheck broadcast by WBAI FM, New York City, of a concert sponsored by the Jazz Composer's Orchestra Association. The recording is held at the Library of Congress.

Alejandro Jodorowsky, director: The Holy Mountain (soundtrack)
1973, Raro Video (Italy) DVD
Don Cherry composed the soundtrack to this feature film. Bley performs piano, solos on "Infinite Gentleness." Not sure how much was taken from the JCOA recording. Date is film release date.

Don Cherry: Relativity Suite
14 February 1973, JCOA LP 1006
Bleys plays piano. Bley is soloist on "Infinite Gentleness." Session date is February 14, 1973

Carla Bley: Tropic Appetites
March 1974, Watt Works Watt/1
"Music by Carla Bley." Bleys performs voice, recorders, piano, electric piano, clavinet, organ, marimba, celeste and percussion. Recorded September, 1973 through February, 1974. Mixed February and March, 1974.

Michael Mantler: No Answer
March 1974, Watt Works Watt/2
Bley plays piano, clavinet and organs. "Produced by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler." Recorded February, July and November, 1973. Mixed March, 1974.

Clifford Thornton and the Jazz Composer's Orchestra: The Gardens Of Harlem
4 April 1974, JCOA LP 1008
Bley plays piano. Date is session date from album liner notes.

Grachan Moncur III and the Jazz Composer's Orchestra: Echoes of a Prayer
11 April 1974, JCOA LP 1009
Bley plays piano. Date is session date from album liner notes.

Jack Bruce Band: The Weird of Hermiston
17 May 1975, Gold Standard CD 95005
Bley plays Hammond organ and synthesizer on this live recording from Gothenberg, Sweden.

Jack Bruce Band: The Jack Bruce Band Live '75
1 June, 1975, Polydor CD 065 607-2
Bley plays Hammond organ and synthesizer on this live recording from The Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England.

Jack Bruce Band: Live on the Old Grey Whistle Test
6 June 1975, BBC WHISCD 010
Bley plays Hammond organ and synthesizers on the five songs performed in 1975. (Was this recorded for BBC-TV?)

Carla Bley and Michael Mantler: 13 and 3/4
August 1975, Watt Works Watt/3
Features the Bley composition "3/4." Bley also conducts and plays piano. "Produced by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler." Recorded and mixed between August and September, 1975. Date is session date.

Jan Steele /John Cage: Voice and Instruments
1976, Antilles LP 7031
Bley is the featured voice on John Cage's "Forever and Sunsmell" (1940). Released in Britain on Brian Eno's Obscure label (OBS05). Date is copyright date.

Michael Mantler: The Hapless Child
January 1976, Watt Works Watt/4
Bley performs on piano, clavinet and string synthesizer. "Produced by Carla Bley." Recorded and mixed between July, 1975 and January, 1976

Michael Mantler: Silence
January 1976, Watt Works Watt/5
Bley is credited with voice, piano and organ. Recorded and mixed from January through November, 1976. "Produced by Carla Bley."

Central Park Sheiks: Honeysuckle Rose
28 June 1976, Flying Fish 026
Bley provides vocals on "Shipwrecked Man."

Carla Bley: Dinner Music
July 1976, Watt Works Watt/6
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays organ; piano introduction on "Sing Me Softly of the Blues"; vocal on "Dining Alone" and tenor saxophone on "Ida Lupino." "Produced by Carla Bley and George James. Executive producer Michael Mantler." Recorded July through September, 1976. Mixed October, 1976.

John Greaves, Peter Blegvad, Lisa Herman: Kew. Rhone.
October 1976, Voiceprint VP200CD
Bley is credited with vocals and tenor saxophone on "Good Evening" and "Footnote." Recorded October, 1976.

Carla Bley Band: European Tour 1977
September 1977, Watt Works Watt/8
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays tenor saxophone, and organ. Recorded live in Munich. "Produced by Carla Bley."

Michael Mantler, Movies
November 1977, Watt Works Watt/7
Bley performs on piano, synthesizers and tenor saxophone. Recorded and mixed between March and November, 1977. "Produced by Carla Bley." Date is session date.

Gary Windo: His Master's Bones
February 1978, Cuneiform Records 89 CD
Contains duets with Carla Bley (piano, synthesizer, tenor saxophone) from February, 1978. Album was released in 1996.

Carla Bley Band: Musique Mecanique
August 1978, Watt Works Watt/9
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley performs on organ, piano and toy piano. "produced by Carla Bley." Recorded August through December, 1978

Michael Zentner: Present Time
1979, Ozone Records OZ006-2
Carla Bley plays C melody saxophone on the improvisation "The Jonestown Shuffle." Recorded 1979 through 1980.

Penny Cillin and the Burning Sensations
circa 1979
Peter Apfelbaum is mentioned in the Grove Encyclopedia of Jazz as having played keyboards for this Punk band formed by Carla Bley. (Where are the recordings?)

Michael Mantler: More Movies
Aug, 1979, Watt Works Watt/10
Bley performs on piano and organ. Recorded August 1979 and March, 1980.

Carla Bley: Social Studies
September 1980, Watt Works Watt/11
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley performs on piano and organ. "Produced by Carla Bley." Recorded and mixed September, 1980 through January, 1981.

Kip Hanrahan: Coup de Tête
November 1980, American Clavé LP 1007
Bley is credited with piano and voice on "India Song."

Various Artists: Amarcord Nino Rota (I Remember Nino Rota)
1981, Hannibal LP HNBL 9301
Bley performs and conducts her arrangement of "8 1/2." Bley plays organ and glockenspiel. Date is copyright date.

Nick Mason: Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports
January 1981, Columbia Records FC 37307
"All words and music by Carla Bley. Produced by Nick Mason and Carla Bley." Bley plays keyboards. Date is copyright date.

Carla Bley Band: Live!
19 August 1981, Watt Works Watt/12
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays piano, organ and glockenspiel. Recorded at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, August 19-21, 1981. Portions of this concert later appear on I Hate To Sing (Watt/12-1/2).

Michael Mantler: Something There
February 1982, Watt Works Watt/13
Bley plays piano. Recorded February through July 1982.

Charlie Haden/Carla Bley: The Ballad Of The Fallen
November 1982, ECM 1248
Compositions and arrangements by Carla Bley, Bley plays piano and glockenspiel. Recorded in Ludwigsburg, Germany, November, 1982

Carla Bley: Mortelle Randonnée (original soundtrack)
28 December 1982, Mercury (F) 812097-1
Composed and arranged by Carla Bley. Performed by The Carla Bley Band. Bley plays organ and toy piano. Recorded December 28 & 30, 1982.

Jean-Pierre Igoux, director: La Derelitta (soundtrack)
1983
Bley composed the soundtrack for this film.

Carla Bley Band: I Hate To Sing
11 January 1983, Watt Works Watt/12-1/2
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays organ and glockenspiel. Vocals on "The Lone Arranger" and "Murder." Piano on "Very, Very Simple." Produced by Carla Bley. Recorded in San Francisco, August 19-21, 1981 and January 11-13, 1983.

Emil Borg: My Father's Record
23 June 1983, LP (private pressing)
A limited edition recording of Bley's father, Emil Borg playing church hymns and classical selections. "Available only to Carla's closest friends" Recorded in San Francisco and presumably produced by Bley. Date is listed on the recording. (See the appendix for cover art.)

Kip Hanrahan: Conjure
August 1983, American Clavé 1006
Bley conducts "The Wardrobe Master of Paradise," with music by Carla Bley and words by Ishmael Reed. Recorded August, September and October, 1983.

Carla Bley: Heavy Heart
September 1983, Watt Works Watt/14
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays organ and synthesizer. "Produced by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler." Recorded and mixed September through November, 1983

Various Artists: That's the Way I Feel Now, a Tribute to Thelonious Monk
1984, A&M Records SP-6600
Bley performs her arrangement of "Misterioso." Bley plays organ. Date is copyright date.

Various Artists: For Taylor Storer
3 March 1984, TS Records LP TS 01
Includes a performance recorded live by NDR in Hamburg Germany, March 3, 1984 of Bley's composition, "Ups and Downs," written for Taylor during his illness. Bley also plays organ. The album was released in 1988.

Various Artists: Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill
1985, A&M Records SP 9-5104
Bley conducts her arrangement of "Lost in the Stars." Date is copyright date.

Golden Palominos: Visions of Excess
1985, Movie Play Gold MPG 74050
Bley plays Hammond organ on "(Kind of) True" and "Buenos Aires." Originally on the Celluloid label.

Michael Mantler: Alien
March 1985, Watt Works Watt/15
"Third Ear: Carla Bley."

Carla Bley With Steve Swallow: Night-Glo
June 1985, Watt Works Watt/16
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays organ and synthesizer. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow." Recorded and mixed June to August, 1985

Golden Palominos: Blast of Silence
1986, Celluloid CEL N.Y. 6127 D
Bley plays piano on "Strong Simple Silences." Date is copyright date.

Carla Bley: Sextet
December 1986, Watt Works Watt/17
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays organ. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow." Recorded December, 1986 and January, 1987.

Steve Swallow: Carla
December 1986, xtraWatt xtraWatt/2
Bley plays organ. Recorded late 1986, early 1987.

Victoria Williams: Happy Come Home
1987, Geffen LP GHS 24140
Bley is listed as one of the musicians on this album.

Carla Bley Sextet: Camden Jazz Festival (radio broadcast)
7 April 1987, BBC Radio 3
Radio broadcast from the Shaw Theatre in London, England. Date is recording date. Broadcast February 13, 1988.

Wolfgang Puschnig: Pieces of the Dream
17 January 1988, Amadeo (Austria) 837322-1
Bley plays piano on her arrangement of "In Another Time." Recorded at Grog Kill Studio.

Karen Mantler: My Cat Arnold
Spring, 1988, xtraWatt xtraWatt/3
"Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow." Recorded Spring, 1988.

Various Artists: Nattjazzens 20 Års Jubileumsalbum
25 May 1988, Grappa CD GRCD 103
Bley conducts The Scandinavian Jazz Ensemble in a rendition of her "Funnybird Song." There may be some confusion with the date.

Carla Bley / Steve Swallow: Duets
June 1988, Watt Works Watt/20
Compositions by Carla Bley. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow." Recorded Summer, 1988.

Carla Bley: Fleur Carnivore
14 November 1988, Watt Works Watt/21
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays piano. Recorded live at The Montmartre, Copenhagen, November 14-16, 1988. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow."

Various Artists: Darn It!
May 1989, American Clavé CD 1014/1018
John Oswald arranges and constructs the Bley composition "Funnybird Song" for music box. Recorded May, 1989

Orchestra Jazz Siciliana: Orchestra Jazz Siciliana Plays the Music of Carla Bley
11 May 1989, xtraWatt xtraWatt/4
"Composed, arranged and conducted by Carla Bley." Recorded in Sicily, May 11-16, 1989. (On her birthday!)

Various Artists: The Watt Works Family Album
1990, Watt Works Watt/22
Contains selections from previous Watt/xtraWatt releases. Date is copyright date.

Charlie Haden and the Liberation Music Orchestra: Dream Keeper
4 April 1990, Blue Note CD CDP 95474 2
All arrangements by Carla Bley except "Rabo de nube," by Karen Mantler. Bley is credited as conductor. Recorded April 4-5, 1990 at Clinton Studios, New York City.

Karen Mantler: Karen Mantler And Her Cat Arnold Get The Flu
Summer 1990, xtraWatt xtraWatt/5
Bley plays C melody saxophone on "Mean to Me." "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow."

Carla Bley: The Very Big Carla Bley Band
29 October 1990, Watt Works Watt/23
All compositions by Carla Bley. Bley performs on piano. Recorded in Ludwigsburg, October 29 & 30, 1990

Golden Palominos: Drunk with Passion
1991, Nation Records 91745-2
Bley plays Hammond organ on "Alive and Living Now" and "When the Kingdom Calls." Date is copyright date.

Steve Swallow: Swallow
September 1991, xtraWatt xtraWatt/6
Bley plays organ. Recorded September through November, 1991

Carla Bley / Steve Swallow: Go Together
Summer 1992, Watt Works Watt/24
Compositions by Carla Bley. Bley plays piano. Recorded Summer, 1992. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow."

Carla Bley: Big Band Theory
2 July 1993, Watt Works Watt/25
Composed and arranged by Carla Bley, except "Goodbye Porkpie Hat." Bley plays piano. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow." Recorded July 2 & 3, 1993

Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow: Songs With Legs
May 1994, Watt Works Watt/26
Compositions by Carla Bley except "Misterioso." Bley plays piano. Recorded live on tour in France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Turkey and England. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow."

Various Artists: Jazz to the World
1995, Blue Note CD CDP 7243 8 32127 2 9
Bley plays piano on Michael Frank's version of "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Produced by Artie Traum. Date is copyright date.

Carla Bley/Steve Swallow: very very simple (video)
16 March 1995, V.I.E.W. Inc. (VHS) View Video 1344
Bley and Swallow duets of "Opening," "Soon I Will Be Done with the Troubles of the World," "Lawns," and "Very Very Simple."

Michael Franks: Abandoned Garden
6 September 1995, Warner Brothers 9 45998-2
Bley contributes rhythm arrangement and plays piano on "In the Yellow House." Date is copyright date.

Carla Bley Big Band: Goes To Church
July 1996, Watt Works Watt/27
Composed and arranged by Carla Bley, except "Exaltation," by Carl Ruggles. Bley plays piano. Recorded July 19-21, 1996. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow."

Carlo Bevilacqua, director: Robert Wyatt: Little Red Riding Hood
1998
Carla Bley appears as herself in this film.

Carla Bley: Fancy Chamber Music
15 December 1998, Watt Works Watt/28
Compositions by Carla Bley.

Carla Bley: 4 x 4
July 1999, Watt Works Watt/30
All compositions by Bley. Recorded in Oslo, Norway. "Produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow."

Glen Moore: Nude Bass Ascending...
1999, Intuition Records CD INT 3192 2
Bley plays Hammond organ. Date is release date.

Various Artists: Jazz e dintorni (television series)
2000, Italian television
Carla Bley appears as herself in this 30 minute, 10 episode film or TV series. With Steve Swalllow and Goran Bregovic.

Carla Bley / Steve Swallow: Are We There Yet?
27 June 2000, Watt Works Watt/29

Various Artists: NPR: a Jazz Piano Christmas
16 October 2000, NPR Classics CD ASIN: B000053VY4
Bley contributes a version of "Jingle Bells." Date is release date from Amazon.