Paul Bley Trio Gary Peacock Paul Bley Gary Peacock/Tokyo,Japan 1976

A rare recording that has never been released online or among collectors is finally here! Paul Bley, a solitary pianist who is in some ways the polar opposite of Evans, came to Japan in 1976 with his trio, Gary Peacock and Barry Altschul. The performance at the Yamaha Music Festival held at Nemu-no-Sato Outdoor Hall on July 25th can be heard on the masterpiece “Japan Suit” released in 1977 by Bley’s own label, Improvising Artists, but only one song, the title number, was included on the album. Now, here, for the first time, the precious live performance by the trio, which took place in a secret studio in Tokyo on August 1st, 1976, has been released as a supreme item recorded on a super high-quality stereo soundboard directly from the 4-track open reel master! As with the official release, the performance begins with “Japan Suit,” which begins with Bley’s piano, reminiscent of the Japanese koto, complete with a certain tension and atmosphere. However, this performance is more compact and streamlined than the live performance at Nemu on the official release, and with Peacock on bass and Altschul on drums, it is an innovative performance that infinitely expands the piano trio playing that, like Evans, had a huge influence on subsequent pianists, and it instantly captures the hearts of listeners. The performance revolves around Blay, but the thrilling encounter between the three, while being conscious of each other and challenging each other with free ideas, is something that I, as a person like me, cannot possibly put into words… The next two songs are numbers that cannot be heard even on the official release, and in “Meeting,” you can hear a long solo that suggests all of Blay’s possibilities as a pianist, reminiscent of the masterpiece “Open to Love,” and Blay’s world full of sensual lyricism unfolds. In particular, the beautiful melody that seems out of this world from the middle part and the sound of the piano trembling in the silence are not to be missed by ECM fans! In the last song, “Kyoto Kicks,” the triangle formed by the interplay of the three is outstanding, and Blay, who waits until something comes down and does not play if nothing comes to mind, gets into the groove and evokes an incredibly beautiful melody. Peacock’s skill in stimulating and sometimes leading Blay, and Altschul’s support that transcends mere rhythm also shine! Live at Unknown Studio,Tokyo August.1.1976 1. Japan Suite 2. Meeting 3. Kyoto Kicks Paul Bley – Piano Gary Peacock – Bass Barry Altschul – Drums,Percussion