Paul Bley

Featuring: Paul Bley, Eugene Russell (p), Dave Pike Goodman (b), Lennie McBrowne, Reed Vaughan (d)

With the addition, in 1957, of vibist Dave Pike to what used to be a trio, the 24-year-old Canadian pianist, Paul Bley, formed the exciting quartet that recorded this excellent album, titled Solemn Meditation, for Gene Norman.
Pike had a passion and jazz feeling that fired the band, and the contrast with Bley’s angular, two-handed approach and time, more subtly pulsing than overtly driving, worked. Drummer McBrowne remained the guts of the group, driving his colleagues with intelligence and imagination, while Haden was a constantly growing bass player in close rapport with his teammate, and a reliable timekeeper. Although they lasted less than a year together, they played the kind of uncompromising jazz that graces this session. The quartet placed a premium on originality, evident not only in the material chosen, which emphasised original composition, but also in exploring new methods of improvisation. And in both areas they displayed an unyielding commitment to a basically swinging conception that allowed them to gel and breathe.

Recorded Hollywood, 1956 & 1957
Originaly recorded on G.N.P Records

Tracklisting:

1 Birk’s Works
2 O Plus One
3 Porgy
4 Solemn Meditation
5 I Remember Harlem
6 Drum Two
7 Everywhere
8 Beau Didley
9 Persian Village
10 Triangle
11 Valse Hot
12 Lullaby Of The Leaves
13 You Go To My Head
14 For The Love Of Pike
15 Goody Speaks
16 Polynesia
17 I’ll Remember April
18 Willow Weep For Me
19 Pike’s Peak