Difference between revisions of "Bill Evans"
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| − | '''Bill Evans''' was an American [[jazz]] pianist | + | '''Bill Evans''' was an American [[jazz]] pianist who did much to establish the vocabulary of modern jazz [[piano]]. |
| − | By his own admission, as a teenager "I couldn't play My Country Tis Of Thee without the notes". | + | By his own admission, as a teenager "I couldn't play 'My Country 'Tis Of Thee' without the notes". |
| − | However, he eventually learnt to improvise, and was not content to stop after he had achieved a basic level of competence - drawing inspiration from European composers such as [[Chopin]] and [[Debussy]], as well as from contemporary jazz pianists such as [[Horace Silver]] and [[Nat King Cole]], he steadily established a style that was sufficiently | + | However, he eventually learnt to improvise, and was not content to stop after he had achieved a basic level of competence - drawing inspiration from European composers such as [[Chopin]] and [[Debussy]], as well as from contemporary jazz pianists such as [[Horace Silver]] and [[Nat King Cole]], he steadily established a style that was sufficiently distinctive and beautiful to attract the attention of [[Miles Davis]]. |
| − | A brief period with the Davis band culminated with the recording of [[Kind of Blue]], a landmark jazz album that arguably could never have been what it was without Evans' diffident romanticism. | + | A brief period with the Davis band culminated with the recording of ''[[Kind of Blue]]'', a landmark jazz album that arguably could never have been what it was without Evans' diffident romanticism. |
| − | After leaving Miles Davis' band, he explored the possibilities of the jazz trio - his collaboration with [[Scott LaFaro]] and [[Paul Motian]] produced the landmark Sunday At The Village Vanguard, a recording of the highlights of five sessions recorded at the famous [[New York]] club. Tragically, LaFaro died in a car crash just 11 days later. | + | After leaving Miles Davis' band, he explored the possibilities of the jazz trio - his collaboration with [[Scott LaFaro]] and [[Paul Motian]] produced the landmark ''Sunday At The Village Vanguard'', a recording of the highlights of five sessions recorded at the famous [[New York]] club. Tragically, LaFaro died in a car crash just 11 days later. |
Evans' career continued until his death in 1981. | Evans' career continued until his death in 1981. | ||
Latest revision as of 03:41, October 12, 2009
Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist who did much to establish the vocabulary of modern jazz piano.
By his own admission, as a teenager "I couldn't play 'My Country 'Tis Of Thee' without the notes".
However, he eventually learnt to improvise, and was not content to stop after he had achieved a basic level of competence - drawing inspiration from European composers such as Chopin and Debussy, as well as from contemporary jazz pianists such as Horace Silver and Nat King Cole, he steadily established a style that was sufficiently distinctive and beautiful to attract the attention of Miles Davis.
A brief period with the Davis band culminated with the recording of Kind of Blue, a landmark jazz album that arguably could never have been what it was without Evans' diffident romanticism.
After leaving Miles Davis' band, he explored the possibilities of the jazz trio - his collaboration with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian produced the landmark Sunday At The Village Vanguard, a recording of the highlights of five sessions recorded at the famous New York club. Tragically, LaFaro died in a car crash just 11 days later.
Evans' career continued until his death in 1981.