Duets (Carla Bley & Steve Swallow album)

Duets is an album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Carla Bley with bassist Steve Swallow recorded and released on the Watt/ECM label in 1988.^[1][2]

Duets
Studio album by Carla Bley & Steve Swallow
Released	November 7, 1988
Recorded	Summer 1988
Genre	Jazz
Length	54:52
Label	Watt/ECM
Producer	Carla Bley, Steve Swallow
Carla Bley chronology
Sextet (1986) Duets (1988) Fleur Carnivore (1988)
Steve Swallow chronology
Carla (1987) Duets (1988) Swallow (1991)

Reception

The Allmusic review by David Nelson McCarthy awarded the album 4½ stars and stated that "their tremendous musical rapport and precise wit are really beautiful. It comes highly recommended".^[3] The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded it 3 stars, stating that it is "an entertaining album and an ideal primer on Bley's compositional and improvising techniques".^[4]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
Penguin Guide to Jazz	[4]

Track listing

All compositions by Carla Bley except where noted.

1. "Baby Baby" - 6:28
2. "Walking Batteriewoman" - 4:01
3. "Útviklingssang" - 4:42
4. "Ladies in Mercedes" (Steve Swallow) - 5:44
5. "Romantic Notions No. 3" - 7:02
6. "Remember" (Swallow) - 5:24
7. "Ups and Downs" - 6:16
8. "Reactionary Tango (In Three Parts)" (Bley, Swallow) - 8:44
9. "Soon I Will Be Done With the Troubles of This World" (Traditional) - 6:58

Recorded at Grog Kill Studio, Willow, New York in the Summer of 1988.^[5]

Personnel

• Carla Bley - piano
• Steve Swallow - bass guitar

References

1. Carla Bley discography Archived 2009-10-20 at the Wayback Machine accessed August 6, 2010
2. ECM/WATT discography Archived 2016-09-16 at the Wayback Machine accessed August 25, 2016
3. McCarthy, D. N. Allmusic Review accessed August 6, 2010
4. Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008) [1992]. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). New York: Penguin. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
5. "Carla Bley / Steve Swallow – Duets". discogs.com. Retrieved 27 February 2018.