Bley, Paul
Ramblin'
1966, the year in which Ramblin' was recorded now finally available and 'restored to its former glory', putting an end to fans' anxieties about getting their hands on a copy marked a major turning point for the American pianist: for the first time, he included three of the six tracks composed by his new wife Annette Peacock (Both, Albert's Love Them and Touching) and just one by his now exwife Carla Bley. It is not so much the tabloidstyle story that is of interest, but rather Paul Bley's embrace of a new aesthetic: whilst Carla is known for the formal rigour of her writing, even when inclined to deconstruct it into free jazz (Ida Lupino, featured here, is a shining example), Annette's inspiration is often devoid of tonal centres and focused on the juxtaposition of fragments tied to the here and now of improvisation.