What influenced Bill Evans style of music?
Music and style. Bill Evans is seen as the main reformer of the harmonic language of jazz piano. Evans's harmonic language was influenced by impressionist composers such as Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel . His versions of jazz standards, as well as his own compositions, often featured thorough reharmonisations.
Why is Bill Evans so important?
The jazz pianist Bernard Maury, founder of The Bill Evans Piano Academy in Paris: “Bill Evans was one of the most important jazz pianists of the second half of the century, up there with Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. Modern jazz musicians owe him an enormous debt.
Who was Bob Evans'greatest influence?
In an interview given in 1964, Evans described Bud Powell as his single greatest influence. Evans's career began just before the rock explosion in the 1960s. During this decade, jazz was swept into a corner, and most new talents had few opportunities to gain recognition, especially in America.
What did Evans study to improve his technique?
After the album's release, Evans spent much time studying J. S. Bach 's music to improve his technique. In 1957, Russell was one of six composers (three jazz, three classical) Brandeis University commissioned to write a piece for its Festival of the Creative Arts in the context of the first experiments in third stream jazz.
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Who is Bill Evans favorite classical composer?
Bill Evans talking about modern twentieth century composers: “All the great masters like Bach, Brahms, Debussy, Beethoven, Bartok and Strawinsky are my favorite composers.
Which composer and pianist worked with Bill Evans?
In 1966, he met bassist Eddie Gómez, with whom he worked for the next 11 years. During the mid-1970s Bill Evans collaborated with the singer Tony Bennett on two critically acclaimed albums: The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975) and Together Again (1977)....Bill EvansEducationSoutheastern Louisiana University13 more rows
How did Bill Evans learn piano?
Bill Evans was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. He received his first musical training at his mother's church. Evans' mother was an amateur pianist with an interest in modern classical composers, and Evans began classical piano lessons at age six. He also became a proficient flautist by age 13 and could play the violin.
What made Bill Evans great?
Widely considered to be one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Evans' use of harmony and his inventive and impressionistic interpretation of the jazz repertoire has few peers.
Who invented modal jazz?
bandleader George RussellModal jazz dates back to the mid-twentieth century. Here is a brief overview of the style: 1. Beginnings: The history of modal jazz essentially begins with the 1953 publication of Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, a book by composer, arranger, and bandleader George Russell.
How do you play like Bill Evans?
10:0015:40Play Jazz Piano Like Bill Evans - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo it's the same chords that we played in the first verse but the key thing to remember here is thatMoreSo it's the same chords that we played in the first verse but the key thing to remember here is that he's only playing two notes generally speaking for the chords.
How many hours a day did Bill Evans practice?
7 This led to Evans taking his own piano lessons and practicing as much as three hours each day. Around seven, Evans also began to play the violin.
What style is Bill Evans?
Bill Evans continued to perform and record up until his death in 1980. More than 25 years after his death, Bill Evans remains one of the most important pianists in modern jazz. His introspective lyricism and subtle Western classical flourishes have echoes in a legion of fellow keyboard players.
What scales did Bill Evans use?
Regardless of whether you prefer to think of the tune in B♭ Major or G minor, the parent scale that Bill Evans uses for much of his solo is B♭ Major. The corresponding Minor Blues Scales is B♭Minor Blues, which Bill uses sparingly to add additional interest to his lines, especially the ♭3.
Who was the greatest jazz pianist of all time?
The Best Jazz Pianists of All TimeCount Basie. ... Duke Ellington. ... Keith Jarrett. ... Dave Brubeck. ... Bill Evans. ... Oscar Peterson. ... Art Tatum. ... Thelonious Monk.More items...•
Is Bill Evans an impressionist?
Bill Evans: Jazz Impressionist.
What defines modal jazz?
Modal jazz is jazz that makes use of musical modes often modulating among them to accompany the chords instead of relying on one tonal center used across the piece.
Who did Bill Evans play with?
Evans (born February 8, 1958) is an American jazz saxophonist, who was a member of the Miles Davis group in the 1980s and has since led several of his own bands, including Push and Soulgrass. Evans plays tenor and soprano saxophones. He has recorded over 17 solo albums and received two Grammy Award nominations.
Which is the piano player that played on Kind of Blue?
Kind of Blue brought together seven now-legendary musicians in the prime of their careers: tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Jimmy Cobb and, of course, trumpeter Miles Davis.
Which pianist pioneered the use of block chords?
Locked hands style is a technique of chord voicing for the piano. Popularized by the jazz pianist George Shearing, it is a way to implement the "block chord" method of harmony on a keyboard instrument. The locked hands technique requires the pianist to play the melody using both hands in unison.
Are Gil Evans and Bill Evans related?
No; Bill Evans and Gil Evans are two different people (and both collaborated with Miles.)
Who is Bill Evans?
Pianist Bill Evans was one of the most profound harmonic minds in jazz, says Don Glanden, Head of Jazz Studies at University of the Arts.
What allowed Evans to have expressive freedom?
DLH: Evans’ mastery of both languages allowed him expressive freedom.
Who is the most profound harmonic mind in jazz?
Don Glanden: One of the most profound harmonic minds in jazz. A lot of that came from analyzing and studying classical music.
Jack Clark
Who are the pianists whose playing you feel has been most strongly influenced by Bill Evans.
Marcus Johnson
It would probably be easier to list the pianists who weren't influenced by him. Even post-Bill players with very strong musical personalities (McCoy, Chick, Herbie, etc) show strong ties to Bill on early recordings. There are some early Keith Jarrett trio sides that are clearly in Bill's mode.
SanDiegoHarry Inactive Supporting Member
Exactly. If you play jazz piano, you are influenced by Evans, much as if you play AND R&B, you were influenced by JJ.
Marcus Johnson
I could probably mention Seattle's Jerry Gray. He wrote some good books that help to dissect what makes Bill tick (among other things)... http://www.worldjazzscene.com/jeromegray.html I have this material, it's fun to mess around with. Mike Buono told me; "When I play that book, I instantly sound hip".
Jazz Ad Mi la ré sol
Yeah unfortunately most jazz pianists these days sound like either Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett playing like Bill Evans.
Marcus Johnson
Yeah unfortunately most jazz pianists these days sound like either Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett playing like Bill Evans.
Marcus Johnson
I did a couple of jazz festivals with Keiko. I didn't hear a whole lot of Bill's influence on those occasions. Nice person.
Early Life
Bill Evans was born in New Jersey’s North Plainfield and his father Harry Evans was a Welshman who ran a golf course. His mother Mary Evans came from a family of coal miners. Bill’s early piano lessons were in Somerville where his mother stayed with her sister due to the destructive character of Bill’s father.
Musical Journey
In September of 1946, on the back of a flute scholarship, Bill got an admission to the Southeastern Louisiana University where he thoroughly studied the interpretations of classical piano with musicians like John Venettozzi and Louis P. Kohnop.
Last Years of Bill Evans
The tragedy in this legend’s life was quite resounding. He had hepatitis, an addiction to heroin, along with peptic ulcer and cirrhosis. His brother’s suicide, LaFaro’s death, and his marriage created quite an emotional turmoil and Bill’s close associates often found him saying that he knew he was about to die very shortly.
A Quiet Legend Who Creates the Effect of Melodious Continuity
Bill Evans was the creator of a jazz style that was more than just melody and harmony – it was exquisite and enthralling. His music was distinct, delicate, and resonating at the same time. His notes were like that of crystal clear water falling down a sparkling waterfall, where it made the most melodious impact.
Who influenced Evans' voicings?
Various observers have noted the apparent influence of certain classical composers in Evans’ voicings, particularly Ravel, Debussy and Chopin. Was the influence absorbed directly and deliberately? “No more than from jazz,” he said. “It’s whatever I’ve liked the sound of. I’ve built it by my own study, never consciously looking at a voicing in a score and saying, ‘Gee, this would be nice to use'” ( Gene Lees, Down Beat, November 1962)
What is Bill Evans' classical background?
An example of his solid classical background is recalled by George Shearing during a visit at Shearings music library in the fifties. Shearing put on a record of a Schumann string quintet where the piano part was missing. Stunningly Bill played the piano part as if he has played the music for years. “People are perpetually astonished at record dates at how perfectly he can read and simultaneously interpret music he has never seen before. Paradoxically, Evans has always had an aversion to formal practise. He infuriated teachers at Southeastern Louisiana College by his inability to play the scales and arpeggios assigned for him to study. Unfortunately for academic theory, he could play flawlessly full compositions containing those same scales and arpeggios.” (Gene Lees)
What is the difference between Bach and Evans?
When making a comparison between Bill Evans and Bach one can make reference to the tension in the music of Bach between linear autonomy and harmony. In the early music of Bill Evans as in Bach, that tension was alive, rich and productive. In the later approach of Evans, a more worked out harmonic activity restricts the linear melodic independence. His approach to the instrument reflects a firm commitment to the heritage of Western keyboard music that began with Bach and reached its final splendor in the impressionistic era. The improvisations of Bill Evans are then mostly harmonic, the significance of almost every note of the top line dependent on its attached harmony.
What is impressionist music?
The impressionistic tonal way of music is characterised by tone paintings based on this whole tone scales, chord transitions, elimination of functional harmony and a preference for modality with use of major and ninth chords. These features were consistently used, for instance, in the impressionistic piano works of classical composers like Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. These impressionistic structures have also been applied to jazz since halfway the twentieth century. Corresponding to the predominating tonal stage of development, tonal impressionistic style approaches were used in almost all the style periods of jazz. Especially by musicians like Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, Red Norvo, Pete Rugulo, Lennie Tristano and Paul Bley, but particularly in connection with the modal style of playing of George Russell, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Bill Evans, John Coltrane and Lalo Schifrin. Generally speaking modern jazz harmonies from the nineteen forties of the last century onwards represents a fusion of impressionistic chords and European functional harmony with specific tonal expressions of African-american music.
What is Bill Evans's major musical genre?
Classical. The training and repertoire of Bill Evans from the age of six to thirteen was strictly classical. He studies Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel, Gershwin, Villa-Lobos, Milhaud. At his senior recital in 1950 at the Southeastern Louisiana University he started with Bach, Brahms and Chopin.
Which composers improvised cadenzas?
During the classical period, Mozart and Beethoven sometimes improvised the cadenzas to their piano concertos but they also provided written cadenzas for use by other soloists. Bill Evans discussed this issue in an interview on the DVD the Universal Mind of Bill Evans:
Did Bill Evans play classical music?
Bill Evans did not consider the book of classical music closed after his student years to only live on his roots as a jazz pianist. Nenette Evans: “When he played at home it was primarily classical. Several times he and Warren Bernhardt played 4 handed pieces.
Overview
Music and style
Bill Evans is credited with influencing the harmonic language of jazz piano. Evans's harmony was itself influenced by impressionist composers such as Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. His versions of jazz standards, as well as his own compositions, often featured thorough reharmonisations. Musical features included added tone chords, modal inflections, unconventional substitutions, a…
Biography
Evans grew up in North Plainfield, New Jersey, the son of Harry and Mary Evans (née Soroka). His father was of Welsh descent and ran a golf course; his mother was of Ukrainian ancestry and descended from a family of coal miners. The marriage was stormy because of his father's heavy drinking, gambling, and abuse. Bill had a brother, Harry (Harold), two years his senior, with whom he w…
Personal life
Bill Evans was an avid reader, in particular philosophy and humorous books. His shelves held works by Plato, Voltaire, Whitehead, Santayana, Freud, Margaret Mead, Sartre and Thomas Merton; and he had a special fondness for Thomas Hardy's work. He was fascinated with Eastern religions and philosophies including Islam, Zen, and Buddhism. It was Evans who introduced John Coltrane to the Indian philosophy of Krishnamurti.
Reception
Music critic Richard S. Ginell wrote: "With the passage of time, Bill Evans has become an entire school unto himself for pianists and a singular mood unto himself for listeners. There is no more influential jazz-oriented pianist—only McCoy Tyner exerts nearly as much pull among younger players and journeymen."
During his short tenure with Davis in 1958, when the band left New York to go on the road, Evan…
Legacy and influence
Evans has left his mark on such players as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Paul Bley, Keith Jarrett, Steve Kuhn, Warren Bernhardt, Michel Petrucciani, John Taylor, Vince Guaraldi, Stefano Bollani, Don Friedman, Marian McPartland, Denny Zeitlin, Bobo Stenson, Fred Hersch, Bill Charlap, Lyle Mays, Eliane Elias, Diana Krall, Ralph Towner, John McLaughlin, Lenny Breau, and Rick Wright of Pink Floyd, classical pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Denis Matsuev, and many other musicians in jazz an…
List of compositions
Evans's repertoire consisted of both jazz standards and original compositions. Many of these were dedicated to people close to him. Some known examples are: "Waltz for Debby", for his niece; "For Nenette", for his wife; "Letter to Evan", for his son; "NYC's No Lark", an anagram of Sonny Clark in memory of his friend the pianist; "Re: Person I Knew", another anagram, of the name of his friend and producer Orrin Keepnews; "We Will Meet Again", for his brother; "Peri's Scope", for girlfr…
Notes
1. ^ Ginell, Richard. "Bill Evans". AllMusic. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
2. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 9th edition. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
3. ^ Light, Alan (November 2, 2006). "The All-Time 100 Albums". Time. Archived from the original on November 17, 2006. Retrieved August 19, 2008.