Social Studies (Carla Bley album)

Social Studies
Studio album by Carla Bley
Released	1981
Recorded	September–December 1980
Studio	Grog Kill Studio, Willow, New York
Genre	Jazz
Length	41:16
Label	Watt/ECM
Producer	Carla Bley
Carla Bley chronology
Musique Mecanique (1978) Social Studies (1981) Live! (1981)

Social Studies is an album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Carla Bley, recorded in 1980 and released on the Watt/ECM label in 1981.^[1]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Alex Henderson stated: "Bley's risk-taking serves her quite well on Social Studies, an unorthodox and adventurous pearl that is as rewarding as it is cerebral".^[2] The Penguin Guide to Jazz awarded the album 3 stars, stating that "Social Studies shouldn't be missed: a bookish cover masks some wonderfully wry music".^[3]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Tom Hull	B+ ()[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[4]

Track listing

All compositions by Carla Bley except where noted.

1. "Reactionary Tango (In Three Parts)" (Carla Bley, Steve Swallow) - 12:54
2. "Copyright Royalties" - 6:45
3. "Útviklingssang" - 6:31
4. "Valse Sinistre" - 4:56
5. "Floater" - 5:56
6. "Walking Batteriewoman" - 4:24

Personnel

• Carla Bley - organ, piano
• Michael Mantler - trumpet
• Carlos Ward - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
• Tony Dagradi - tenor saxophone, clarinet
• Joe Daley - euphonium
• Gary Valente - trombone
• Earl McIntyre - tuba
• Steve Swallow - bass guitar
• D. Sharpe - drums

References

1. ECM/WATT discography accessed August 25, 2016
2. Henderson, A. AllMusic Review accessed August 3, 2010
3. 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.
4. Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 26. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
5. Hull, Tom (28 February 2018). "Streamnotes". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 9 July 2020.