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Paul Bley


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  • 18 years later...

Just came across this while doing research at Library and Archives Canada:

Paul Bley recordings and related records [multiple media]
Hierarchical level:    Series
Date:    [ca. 1953]-2000.
Reference:    R11915-5-7-E, MUS 297, MUS 297/E
Type of material:    Photographs, Moving images, Sound recordings, Textual material, Art
Found in:    Archives / Collections and Fonds
Item ID number:    210550
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=210550

Extent:    41 cm of textual records.
7 photographs : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller.
1 negative : b&w ; 3 x 24 cm.
1 montage : col. ; 42.5 x 28 cm.
524 audio reels (ca. 296 hrs).
19 audio cassettes (ca. 19 hrs 48 min.).
2 videocassettes (ca. 1 hr 52 min.).
Language of material:    English
Scope and content:    
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Finding aid:    
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(Electronic) Numerical list. The descriptions in this series generally include (where known) the performers, instrumentation, titles, the place and date of the recorded performance, and the generation or stage of the recording. In order to minimize repetition, the names of composers have generally been omitted from the descriptions. A comprehensive listing of the compositions in Bley's recorded repertoire, and their composers, is available in Henk Kluck's discography, Bley Play: The Paul Bley Recordings (Emmen, The Netherlands, 1996). (90: Open)

Scope and content:    
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Series containing, predominantly, sound and video recordings of live and studio performances by Paul Bley (solo and with other musicians), comprising both concerts and recording sessions that are also documented (in whole or in part) in issued recordings and those that are entirely unissued; also included are related textual and graphic records. Among the sound recordings are: masters, including edited and unedited unmixed masters; safety masters and sub-masters; trial and final assemblies, including assemblies of unmixed masters; master mixes; and unmixed, mixed, and other copies. In the case of sound recordings related to projects issued by IAI and other record labels, many steps of the process between performance and publication are documented (for example, the original recording process, evaluation, selection, editing, titling, composer credits, assembly, mixing, and arrangements for pressing). Many recordings concerning issued projects also contain additional music that was not issued. Bley often made significant annotations on audio reel boxes, such as: his comments on and assessment of the performance, the piano, and technical aspects of the recording; and his subsequent decisions concerning the selection of performances to be issued, editing, assembly, mixing, and titling. Among the related records are: take sheets, track sheets, and other listings of personnel, titles, and other contextual and technical information concerning recorded concerts and studio recording sessions; empty audio reel boxes, and fragments of boxes; notes; sketches of assemblies; correspondence; forms, such as purchase and work orders; photographs; promotional material, including concert posters and programmes; draft liner notes; transcriptions of Bley's recorded solos; and dubs of radio broadcasts featuring Bley recordings. In addition to performances by Bley, some recordings also contain performances by groups that do not include Bley.

524 audio reels (ca. 296 hrs) "comprising both concerts and recording sessions that are also documented (in whole or in part) in issued recordings and those that are entirely unissued"!!!

For any record producers who are interested... 🙂

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Wow, awesome disclosure / discovery.

I have no idea about the legal aspects of mining the audio reels. Starting with: Who is (are) the legal owner(s)? I'd expect Bley's heirs owned them for some time. But maybe Archives Canada owns them now? Mystery to me, but I'm sure the details can be worked out.

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More info from the listing just below.  I can't yet locate the detailed finding aid online; that might be on site only.  if anyone is in Ottawa...

Bley's daughter died a few years ago.

General note:
Dub copies of Bley recordings are not described in this series. While many dubs are simply direct copies of described recordings, the boxes for some (particularly audio reels) often contain additional information on the recording, including song titles (and changes thereto), composer credits, editing and mixing decisions, and commentaries on the performances and on technical aspects of the recording. The existence of dubs with significant textual information is noted in the relevant descriptions.
Arrangement note:
The series contains the following sub-series: MUS 297/E1 Live Recordings of Paul Bley and Related Records; MUS 297/E2 Studio Recordings of Paul Bley and Related Records; MUS 297/E3 Combined Studio and Live Recordings of Paul Bley and Related Records; MUS 297/E4 Other Records Concerning Paul Bley Recordings. In cases where the place of recording is not known, but there are no indications of a live audience, the recording has been described in MUS 297/E2. MUS 297/E3 contains: individual recordings that include both live and studio performances; and recordings, which while individually are either live or studio, are related to larger projects that combined both studio and live recordings. Related records found with a recording are described with that recording, and other related records are described in sub-series MUS 297/E4. The recordings in each sub-series are arranged according to the date of Bley's performance, which is generally (but not always) the same as the date of creation., Sound recordings pertaining to Sun Ra's St Louis Blues: Solo Piano, IAI 37.38.58, are described as part of MUS 297/E1 because of their integral connection with the unmixed masters and unmixed copies of the Bley-Sun Ra performances at Axis-in-Soho, July 1977, which are also described in MUS 297/E1.
 
The Rights info isn't the greatest.  if you click on the Access tab, you can see what there is.  Everything that is a sound recording is either Restricted, or Open for consultation but no copying. 
 
Sound recordings
[Consultation18 Restricted]
File MUS 297/E1,97 is subject to access restrictions.
Sound recording [T10W1] 109--146
[Consultation 95 Open, no copying]
 
One would have to ask them for more details,but the material would likely be considered under copyright and heirs would have to be consulted.
 
Bley-Sun Ra performances at Axis-in-Soho, July 1977???
7 minutes ago, ep1str0phy said:

Oof. There has to be content from the '60s in there, yes? Some iteration of the Barrage band?

the overall listing says that there is material from roughly 1953 to 2000, but details don't appear online.

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