BLEY SCHOOL

Performance Starts at 7.30pm

 

The remarkable trio Bley School return to The Bristol Music Club to promote the release of their second album 'Where' on the New York record label 577 Records.

Back in 2017 the internationally renowned pianist PAT THOMAS teamed up with his close friends and collaborators, the bassist DOMINIC LASH and drummer TONY ORRELL to form a Trio to explore the music and influence of the great Canadian pianist PAUL BLEY. They played a well received gig at the Vortex in London and then in February 2018 recorded an album using the Steinway piano at the Victoria Rooms here in Bristol. Then something very unusual but also very fortuitous happened - an American Record Label heard a sample of the recording and contacted Pat to say they wanted to release the album. 'Bley School' was released to critical acclaim on the New York based label 577 Records in the summer of 2019. Following the success of the album the label were keen to record more and following the pandemic two further sessions have been recorded, the first of which, Bley School 'Where' recorded live at London’s Cafe Oto, has just been released on Vinyl and Digital.

BLEY SCHOOL pays homage to Paul Bley, drawing on both his tunes and improvisational approach. Bley's music encompassed latin-inspired grooves, deceptively simple and catchy melodies, as well as freer improvisations with drummers such as Paul Motian and Tony Oxley. Bley's willingness to collaborate openly with European improvisers as well as being part of the American tradition seemed like an attractive template for the trio to follow. Their music might well be free improvisation but like Bley the trio are open to all the opportunities afforded by playing with timeless tunes, de- and re- constructing them at will. On the Bley School album you can hear shout-outs to Carla Bley, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman and Duke Ellington.