#27: Bill Evans: Conversations with Myself

Details: Bill Evans (1929-1980), Conversations with Myself.  Verve, 1963. Total time: 43:59.

My father's favorite musician again.  Here he is overdubbed playing piano, dueting and even seemingly trio-ing by himself.

This is the first time I've really listened to this entire album although I've heard Evans recordings for much of my life. The opening chords are startling--sounds so much like Debussy. Once again a reminder of Evans' roots studying classical music as a youngster.

The recording technology that enabled this overdubbing in 1963 must have been remarkable to see in action.

Also this album reminds me of another virtuoso pianist and contemporary of Evans:  Glenn Gould. Both men died tragically young and at about the same age,  and both were masters at the piano who experimented with recording technologies. I wish I had gotten the chance, like my father and brother Michael, to see Evans play piano in person. 

Most of the Evans recordings in my collection were either my father's or were given to me by him. My dad had an expansive collection of LP  records.  I used to joke that he had every recording ever made by Evans including a few that Evans himself was unaware of. 

#5: Bill Evans at Town Hall

Details: Bill Evans Trio, Bill Evans (1929-1980) at Town Hall, volume 1.  Recorded live Feb. 21, 1966 at Town Hall in New York City.  Verve, 1967. Total time: 53:00.

Here is the first of many Bill Evans albums to come provided I can keep this project going.  My dad's favorite musician by far, Evans was a wonderful,  thoughtful, incisive, precise jazz pianist whose technique and musicianship including melodious legato can almost be called classical.  In fact if I recall correctly he was classically trained.

My father had a zillion Bill Evans albums and I grew up hearing them when my dad would play them.  It's probably not true but I like to imagine my dad in the audience for this performance as he could've been in the area at that time.

Anyway this is only volume 1 of the gig which for some odd reason I never noticed till today.  Will have to look around for vol. 2.

Musically this is Evans at or near his best with wonderful songs including standards like "I Should Care" and "Who Can I Turn To," "Spring Is Here" and "Make Someone Happy," and Evans' own poignant composition in memory of his father who had recently passed away... It sounds almost like Debussy.  "My Foolish Heart" was one of my dad's favorites and that is on here as well.

Lastly will close this entry by recalling my dad taking my brother Michael to see an Evans gig at the old Bunky's nightclub, then located on Regent Street, shortly before Evans' death at just age 51.  Too bad no one recorded that gig; today it'd be all over YouTube and GrooveShark.