Ambitious Arrangements, Uneven Results
Bley's big band vision is interesting but doesn't quite land the way you'd hope it would.
Big Band Theory finds Carla Bley working at a larger scale than she typically does, and the album captures both the promise and the limitations of that ambition. The arrangements are genuinely inventive — Bley has always had a gift for writing that's both angular and playful, and here she's channeling that sensibility into orchestral space. The problem is that the execution doesn't always match the conception. The soloist roster is strong, but the record as a whole feels like it's reaching for something it can't quite grasp.
This isn't a debut, and it's not Bley at her most focused either. By this point in her career, she'd already proven herself across multiple projects and contexts. What Big Band Theory represents is something more specific: an experiment in scale that mostly works on the page but struggles in the actual playing. The arrangements are the draw here, not any particular soloist or groove that carries the session. AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow noted that while the set was enjoyable, it proved less memorable than one would expect from Bley, and there's truth in that assessment. The Penguin Guide to Jazz gave it three stars but observed that the album never quite fulfilled the promise of those arrangements and the roster of capable soloists on hand.
If you're already deep into Bley's catalog, this is worth hearing — it shows her working in territory she doesn't always inhabit, and that curiosity alone makes it worth your time. If you're new to her work, though, you'd be better served starting elsewhere. The album has its moments, but it's more interesting as a document of Bley trying something different than as a record you'll return to often.
Who's playing
Ashley Slaterbass trombone
Steve Swallowbass
Carla Bleypiano
Julian Argüellesbaritone saxophone
Pete Hurttenor saxophone
Andy Sheppardsaxophone
Guy Barkertrumpet
Claude Deppatrumpet
Lew Solofftrumpet
Steve Watermantrumpet
Richard Edwardstrombone
Gary Valentetrombone
Annie Whiteheadtrombone
Karen Mantlerorgan
Dennis Mackreldrums
Alexander Bălănescuviolin
Roger Janottawoodwind
Wolfgang Puschnigwoodwind
Where next?
More by Carla Bley
All 23 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
