Bley/Mantler - Escalator Over The Hill

[Late]

On 6/27/2018 at 1:29 PM, B. Clugston said:

Here's a fascinating look at the making of, written by Carla Bley: Accomplishing Escalator Over The Hill.

Finally read this in its entirety. Fascinating indeed—thanks for sharing that. 

[Rooster_Ties]

I know there were one or more later (much later) live performances of EOTH in full (or I presume damn near the whole thing)… …at least once or twice in the 90’s (iirc) — and maybe even later than that too (or any before the 90’s?).  Anyway, I’ve only seen or heard snippets online, here and there, over the years — but I know there’s footage I’ve seen of at least one ‘new’ production.

Have there been any other recordings released of any of these remountings of the whole shebang?? Or any long-form streaming sources out there? (Video, or even just audio). I presume some cdr’s probably have floated about too.

Anyway, what’s out there?

[JSngry]

Are you sure about that live performance thing, like in concert? I only know of one (and no in America), but I might have old info.

I do know that some guy filmed so of the rehearsals and that's been out there, at least some of it.

Anyway, details welcome!

[Rooster_Ties]

There’s this live performance of EOTH from 1997, which I’ve never heard…

https://www.discogs.com/release/14874566-Carla-Bley-Escalator-Over-The-Hill

And here’s some footage of one from 2006…

And this seems to be one from 1998 (perhaps the same ‘production’ as the one from 1997?)…

Part two of the same 1998 thing…

The general Wikipedia entry for EOTH seems to reference these same exact years…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalator_over_the_Hill

>> In 1997, a live version of Escalator over the Hill, re-orchestrated by Jeff Friedman, was performed for the first time in Cologne, Germany. In 1998, "Escalator" toured Europe. Another live performance took place in May 2006 in Essen, Germany.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Rooster_Ties

[JSngry]

Ok, I'm going by the 2011 Amy C. Beal book, which says:

...the 1997 summer performance of Escalator over the Hill marked the first occasion that this monumental work had been performed live in the nearly thirty years since it's inception...premiered for four nights in Cologne, it then travelled to Munich and to other festivals in Austria, Italy, and France, where it was videotaped for French television ..it has still never been performed live in the United States...

Maybe that 2006 performance wasn't deemed worthy of inclusion...and maybe there's been even more performances?