Die Jazz-Komponistin Carla Bley
Kurzbiographie, Werkanalyse, Würdigung
In what significant proportions Jazz improvisation and composition work together is obvious in the work of Carla Bley (horn 1938), especially on the most recent record releases. On the international scene, the American is on the same level with Gil Evans, Claus Ogerman, Mike Gibbs or Alexander von Schlippenbach; and she is recognized as one of the most important Jazz composers. At the beginning of her career, she concentrated mainly on avantgarde themes – either abstract free or of a modal nature. Her first husband, pianist Paul Bley, accompanied her on many of these earlier recording sessions. Since then, her music covers larger dimensions, and recently her record suites were recognized with international prizes. On these recordings, ensembles including more important Jazz avant-garde players cooperated. In the past 15 years, Carla Bley's music has certainly changed and developed. Her work and also the ensembles have become more extensive, but the substance of the compositions has largely remained the same: lyrical ballads, bizarre constructions with dominating chromaticism and an inventive treatment of modality, continuously stand in the centre of her work. Carla Bley plays on her own records and frequently sits in at the piano on other recordings. As a composer, she is by far a more dominating individual than as an instrumentalist. In the article "The Jazz Composer Carla Bley", her artistic biography is traced, themes of the composer are analysed via musical examples and the record suites discussed. Influences and relationships from and to other musicians – especially Eisler, Weill and Satie are presented, as well as an inclusive article with Carla Bley herself.