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Carla Bley's bands are always a mix of strong musical personalities, distinguished by what they bring to the music beyond just their chops. This octet, recorded in Oslo during a 1999 European tour, is more than just a scaled-down version of her recent big band, retaining crucial soloists like altoist Wolfgang Puschnig and trombonist Gary Valente, as well as gaining the looseness of a smaller ensemble. Bley is both a Romantic and an ironist, capable of wit broad and sly and music serene and turbulent. "Blues in 12 Bars" covers many shades of funk, including aCharles Mingusparaphrase and some playfully disparaging gospel, all propelled along byVictor Lewis's backbeat. "Sidewinders in Paradise" has a lounge-Latin quality that includes trumpeterLew Soloff's direct reference to "Strangers in Paradise," while "Baseball" brings out the ballpark side ofLarry Goldings's organ and stadium-scale bluster from Valente.The centerpiece is the three-part suite "Les Trois Lagons." Inspired by three of Henri Matisse's paper cutouts from the bookJazz, it's knit together by Bley'sMonk-like piano. The middle section has all the harmonic richness of aStrayhornballad and some moving solo work by electric bassistSteve Swallowand tenor saxophonistAndy Sheppard. The same pair work more magic on the luminously beautiful "Utviklingssang."--Stuart Broomer