Carla Bley (née
Borg; born May 11, 1936) is an American
jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader. An important figure in the
free jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera
Escalator Over The Hill (released as a triple LP set), as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other artists, including
Gary Burton,
Jimmy Giuffre,
George Russell,
Art Farmer,
John Scofield and her ex-husband
Paul Bley.