If the recorded evidence is to be believed, Paul Motian’s drumming style developed the most rapidly between 1960 and 1964. Two especially critical recordings during this period are Bill Evans “Trio ’64” (1963, Verve) and Paul Bley “Turns” (1964, Savoy). These two albums, both featuring bassist Gary Peacock and recorded only a few months apart, are instructive for showing the evolutionary leap that took place when Paul left Bill Evans to work with Paul Bley. (Note that “Turns” is long out-of-print and may require some Internet detective work to find. It features John Gilmore and includes much of the same material as was issued in Bley’s album “Turning Point.” Although I’m wary of including recordings along with these transcriptions because it’s out-of-print I’m making available an excerpt of this. The transcription starts just before the beginning of the piano solo.)
