Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow: Life Goes On
Richard Gehr on February 27, 2020
Depth, intimacy and sublime simplicity characterize Life Goes On (ECM), octogenarian composer-pianist Carla Bley, bass guitarist Steve Swallow and tenor and soprano saxophonist Andy Sheppard’s third album together since 2013. The trio equivalent of late Beethoven quartets, the ironically titled album contains three multipart Bley compositions. “Life Goes On” concludes solemnly with “And Then One Day;” “Beautiful Telephones” refers to the current president’s first impression of the Oval Office, and features quotes from patriotic American tunes; and “Copycat” offers a serious game of musical tag.
