Carla Bley

An irrepressibly original composer, arranger and pianist, Carla Bley is responsible for more than 60 years of wily provocations in and around jazz. She once attributed her originality as a composer – she is self-taught – to blissful ignorance of “right” and “wrong” ways to write a song. Working as a cigarette girl at Birdland in the 1950s, her role models included Red Garland, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis – all achieved much with few notes. But Bley’s work also included maximalist explorations and many spirited pieces for big band. Famed critic Nat Hentoff wrote, “her scores for jazz big bands are matched only by those of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus for yearning lyricism, explosive exultation and other expressions of the human condition.”

The “Jazz Profiles” shows – nearly 200 of them – are part of the Tim Owens Jazz & Broadcast Collection at the University of North Texas Music Library. In a partnership with Tim and UNTML, we’ve picked a handful of noteworthy shows to share with you. You can find more “Jazz Profiles” shows at the UNT Music Library’s Jazz Syndicate (www.library.unt.edu/jazzsyndicate), and learn more about 32 Bar Blues' clothing collection and commitment to the arts at 32barblues.com