Canadian pianist Paul Bley had already performed with Charlie Parker and Lester Young before moving to America in 1953 at the suggestion of Charles Mingus. Working in California with Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry and Charlie Haden, he moved into an experimental—yet still accessible—style that went on to define his career. A lyrical player with a questing improvisational spirit, Bley performed and recorded in a variety of settings, from solo piano to electric ensembles. He also collaborated frequently with his first wife Carla Bley and longtime romantic partner Annette Peacock.