Welcome
to billevanswebpages.com,,the
Web's most visited site for jazz pianist-composer BILL EVANS
0916
For
over FIFTEEN YEARS, this website has been dedicated to the life
and music of pianist and composer BILL EVANS (1929 -1980), one
of the most important and influential musicians in all of jazz
history. News, CD and DVD reviews, essays and articles, recording
catalog, interviews, sidemen info, sound samples, biography, etc.
. We try to update at least once every few
weeks, as circumstances warrant, so come by again soon.
-- Jan Stevens, pianist and website editor
This
site is on hiatus for the time being...
Due
to some personal projects and conflicts, and a total lack
of time due to other professional endeavors, I am compelled
to discontinue The Bill Evans Webpages for the
time being. I was going to remove the site altogether for
many reasons (none related to my ongoing love for Bill's
music), but was advised by a well-known jazz writer friend
to leave it up for for now for those who still may want
to access the scores of articles, reviews and other information
here. Apologies to all...
We may be back, time will tell...
In
the meantime, you can keep up with all things BILL from
our pal
Rob Rijneke in the Netherlands who
has some very extensive, great new material there on
his website. It's a very informative resource
done with love, and a beautifully laid out site!
Rob has a gorgeous site and all his new material just adds
to our knowledge and excitement about Bill Evans. Don't
miss out.
Thanks.
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Bill
Evans -The Complete Catalog/Chronology of Recordings
A
rich collection of data, arranged chronologically, of Bill Evans'
recording history. Dates, sidemen, tunes played and other personnel,
etc.
Harmony
of Bill Evans Vol. 1 re-released, now with CD!
Jack
Reilly's The Harmony of Bill Evans Vol. 1 has been released
in its second edition by Hal Leonard. Inc. The new version has
a CD now included with the examples of the porrtions explained
and notated in the text with a bonus: Jack has included, as track
26, an18- minute recording of himself playing Evans classics in
a wonderful medley:
I Should
Care, My Bells, Resurrection (by Jack Reilly) My Funny Valentine,
Time Remembered and Peri's Scope.
The tunes
were recorded in London at the Royal Academy of Music in 1990.
You can order at your local music outlet or visit amazon.com's
page.
See
more about Jack Reilly and his other work at
jackreillyjazz.com
Foreword
by Jan Stevens to the "Harmony of Bill Evans Vol.2"
book by Jack Reilly
Published
on the web for the first time, here is the Foreward to Jack
Reilly's book written by yours truly, Jan Stevens.
____________________________________________
“Though
everything else may appear shallow and repulsive, even the
smallest task in music is so absorbing, and carries us so
far away from town, country, earth, and all worldly things,
that it is truly a blessed gift of God.” -- Felix
Mendelssohn
The incomparable pianistic innovations of Bill Evans (1929
– 1980) continue to be celebrated by jazz fans, and
closely studied by serious musicians worldwide. During his
over twenty-five year recording career, he changed the approach
to the sound of the piano itself in jazz by his touch, and
his attention to pedaling, phrasing and dynamics. His remarkable
approach to the possibilities of interplay within the piano-bass-drums
trio is well-documented from the late 1950s on.
More...
______________________________________________
Hal
Leonard, Inc, (the world's largest music publisher) is doing
very well with the recent book "THE HARMONY OF BILL
EVANS VOL. 2" by master pianist -composer Jack Reilly
(with a Foreward by yours truly, Jan Stevens). Bill Evans
died in 1980 but the compositional legacy he left behind
is forever expanding. This expansive study shows how and
why.
In
Jack Reilly's second volume, he provides a deeper appreciation
and understanding of Evans' compositions. This book and
CD package (only $29.99 USD) includes two important theory
chapters (which stand out on their own merits, brilliantly)
, plus ten of Evans’ most passionate and melodically
gorgeous works. The voicing charts for all ten songs are
more complex than in volume one and pianistically more demanding,
yet always worth the effort. The subjects of modulation
and key relationships that are discussed in each chapter
will help the player memorize faster and improvise with
more facility; not an easy task when performing Evans' music.
The
"Lament for Bill" in chapter 13 is the author's
tribute to the genius of this great artist.
The
accompanying CD will add to the enjoyment, understanding,
and appreciation of the written examples. This a powerhouse
book that will a prove to be a deep and indispensible experience
for pianists of all stylistic persuasions as well as serious
Evans fans. There is much to learn and enjoy here!
Songs
include: Your Story • Laurie • For Nenette
• My Bells • Maxine • Song for Helen •
Turn Out the Stars • Very Early • Waltz for
Debby • and moreHal
Leonard, Inc, (the world's largest music publisher) is doing
very well with the recent book "THE HARMONY OF BILL
EVANS VOL. 2" by master pianist -composer Jack Reilly
(with a Foreward by yours truly, Jan Stevens). Bill Evans
died in 1980 but the compositional legacy he left behind
is forever expanding. This expansive study shows how and
why.
Buy
it at amazon.com |
Go
to www.jackreillyjazz.com
Order
through Hal Leonard online |
Bill
Evans Trio - New CD: "Momentum" -- worth every penny!
Bill
Evans: Momentum (Limetree Records, Germany).
We need to thank our friend Rob Rijneke, who lovingly helped
put this release together. He co-produced the tapes, got the
clearances, communicated with the Estate and the musicans, and
compiled a beautiful 2-CD package with great liner notes as
well. Win Hinkle, Bill's friends Brian Hennesey and Bill Zavatsky
as well as Dr. Rijneke all weigh in with comments.
Recorded
in February 1972, the recording was taped back then by pianist
Jan Warnjes in The Netherlands who later digitized them as well.
The sound is amazingly warm and authentic with great balance..
You feel like your in the 2nd row middle section in the audience.
We get a very intellectually curious, glowing Bill Evans --searching,
and finding. We get an enormously lyrical and sensitive Eddie
Gomez, smartly ingratiating himself inside the music like he
was Bill's "third hand". We hear a magnificent Marty
Morell, young and inventive and fresh. Everything just gels
beautifully. The trio had a great audience and obviously an
inspired night.
It's a warm and a giving offering, whether swinging or at lush
balladry. Standard early seventies repertoire is played, with
tasty versions of Bill's own "Sugar Plum", "Turn
Out the Stars" and Re:Person I Knew" as well as Elsa,
Quiet Now, My Romance and other winners. But there is magic
in these grooves that is either absent sometimes, or not as
prominent in the many other recordings of this particular trio.
This is an exception to all that.Here's what Downbeat magazine
said:
At
a concert in the Netherlands on Feb. 4, 1972, the trio drew
heavily on an established repertoire of tunes, such as “Emily,”
which they extend further than they had four years earlier.
Their Dutch set list also included four of Evans’ compositions,
including his lovely “Sugar Plum” and glorious “The
Two Lonely People.” It’s thrilling to hear this
trio get aggressive: Evans continues in his quiet determination
to challenge ideas of where the pulse should be, Gomez sounds
authoritatively forceful on “Emily” and Morell is
equally dynamic on “My Romance.” Pianist Jan Warntjes
recorded this concert, which sounds as vivid as if it were taped
last week.
This
album was nominated for the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik
(German Record Critics Award) November 2012:
After
lots of listening and very careful consideration, I'll take
the risk and announce that I believe this performance of the
Evans-Gomez-Morrell trio to be probably its finest recording
.I believe it's that good. Spend the money. It's all you hoped
for.
An
archival rarity: 1959 'Metronome' magazine article on Bill
Click
the image and read this great article.
...then just think about it: all this was written before
"Kind of Blue", before the Vanguard albums
with LaFaro, etc. Writer and jazz historian Jack McKinney
was certainly ahead of his time.
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