Paul Bley - Ramblin' (Vinyl LP) PRE-ORDER

Expected Release Date: 30-October-2026 - This Pre-order will be shipped on or just before this date. Release dates are subject to alteration.

Remastered reissue of pianist Paul Bley's 1969 trio album Ramblin'.

1966, the year in which Ramblin' was recorded, now finally available and restored to its former glory and putting an end to fans' anxieties about getting their hands on a copy, marked a major turning point for the American pianist Paul Bley (1932 - 2016). For the first time, Bley included three of the six tracks composed by his new wife Annette Peacock, 'Both,' 'Albert's Love? Theme,' and 'Touching,' and just one by his now ex-wife Carla Bley.

It is not so much the tabloid style story that is of interest, but rather Paul Bley's embrace of a new aesthetic. Whilst Carla is known for the formal rigour of her writing, even when inclined to deconstruct it into free jazz, Annette's inspiration is often devoid of tonal centres and focused on the juxtaposition of fragments tied to the here and now of improvisation.

The trio Bley chose to record with is one that has made history: Mark Levinson on double bass and Barry Altschul on drums, who remain one of the most intuitive and imaginative rhythm sections open to experimentation. What makes Ramblin' so valuable, however, is not merely the quality of its performers, but the living proof of how important it was for Paul Bley to utilise the openings of deconstructed musical spaces, whilst equally avoiding 'freedom that leads nowhere'.

Available as a deluxe CD with extensive booklet and 180g vinyl edition, with individually numbered gatefold sleeve and LP-size booklet.

Paul Bley: piano
Mark Levinson: bass
Barry Altschul: drums
Recorded 1st of July 1966 at Studio RCA, Rome.

Tracklisting
Disc 1
Side 1
1. Both
2. Albert's Love Theme
3. Ida Lupino
Side 2
1. Ramblin'
2. Touching Annette Peacock
3. Mazatlan