Paul Bley was a Canadian jazz pianist born on November 10, 1932. Bley is known for his contributions to the free jazz movement of the 1960s as well as for his innovations and influence on trio playing and his use of synthesizers in jazz music. His music has been described as “deeply original and aesthetically aggressive.” Bley's prolific output includes influential recordings from the 1950s through the 2000s.

After playing professionally during his high school years in Montreal, Bley attended Julliard and on summer break 1951 helped to organize the Montreal Jazz Workshop. Two years later Bley invited Charlie Parker to take part in the workshop, and while there Bley performed and recorded with Parker. After returning to New York City, Bley also gigged with Jackie McLean, Lester Young and Ben Webster.

Bley formed a trio that toured the United States in 1956. The tour culminated with an invitation to play a 1956 New Year's Eve gig at the Palm Springs home of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. During the evening, Bley collapsed on the bandstand with a bleeding ulcer and Lucille immediately took him to the Palm Springs Hospital and then proceeded to pay for all of his medical care. Bley, who had met Karen Borg while she was working as a cigarette girl at Birdland, married her after she came out to meet him in Los Angeles. Thereafter she was known as Carla Bley.

In the 1960s Paul Bley became very involved in the free jazz movement and played with some of its luminaries. In 1964 he was an important part of the formation of the Jazz Composers Guild bringing together musicians such as Roswell Rudd, Cecil Taylor and Archie Shepp. In the following decade, Bley became an important part of the ECM Records stable of talent and recorded several important albums.

Bley continued to tour in Europe, Japan, South America and North America recording prolifically as a soloist and with a wide range of ensembles up until the time of his passing on January 3, 2016 at the age of 83.

Here is a link to a 1973 video of Paul Bley playing solo piano:

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