Pianist and composer Carla Bley's outstanding new album presents three suites, marking the 25th anniversary of her trio with Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow. The title track opens as a steadfast blues—initially melancholic, later hopeful. With "Life Goes On," Bley addresses numerous life experiences. Recorded in May 2019 at Lugano's Auditorio Stelio Molo Studio under the production of Manfred Eicher, the work also includes "Beautiful Telephones," a composition inspired by a remark made by an American president upon first entering the Oval Office, which reveals Bley's dark irony. The suite "Copycat," on the other hand, explores the concept of a call-and-response in a novel way, with the improvisers developing their ideas further. Swallow's expressive and elegant bass guitar and Sheppard's yearning saxophone sounds atmospherically surround Carla's unmistakable piano playing, which evokes Monk and Satie. This ensemble has developed a unique, unified sound – a musical masterpiece of exceptional quality, as The Telegraph recently confirmed.
