Search - Bill Evans, Don Elliott :: Tenderly: Informal Session

Very early and VERY informal

JayMusic | NJ, United States | 07/27/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is early Bill Evans, (around the time he was just starting his own recording career) in an informally-taped practice session with Don Elliott (vibes and some 'vocal percussion') at Elliott's home in Connecticut, circa 1956-57. If you're a total Evans aficianado or a professional pianist, you'll find a lot here to discover in Bill's emerging harmonic thought processes, as we hear him working out changes and hanging loose and easy with some blues progressions, but its often tough going with the clunky old baby grand here. Some distortion now and then, as well as traffic sounds from outside etc., don't help much either and even conversational fragments between the two men are included as well. Tunes such as "Laura", "Stella By Starlight", "Everything Happens To Me" and Evans own "Funkallero" are featured, all of which the pianist would professionally record later with his various trios. Elliott adds spark to Bill's introspective comping with his often bright and bluesy vibes, but this "informal session" is not for those with just a casual aquantance with the later work of this jazz piano master. As a historical document it has its fascinating points to ponder for musicians -- and Evans' genius was quite clear even then as we listen to him slowly experimenting with some obtuse almost classical chordal voicings after one tune is over, and he occasionally offers some clever pianistic examples of what was to come. Again, if your a devoted Evans fan, you'll be quite taken, albeit in an almost "voyeuristic" way, since this was just a taped-for-fun session between two friends, and never intended for release. That being said, its otherwise hard to recommend this to the general jazz listener, except for the reasons cited above."

The Infinite Beauty of Bill Evans

JayMusic | 08/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you want to hear an amazing, transcendant rendition of "Thou Swell" and gorgeous solo work on "I'll Know," don't miss this album. The roots of Evans's greatness are clearly evident throughout. Also evident is an almost compulsive, relentless drive and determination as he works the keyboard. Most of the album is solo. There's a lengthy and interesting rendition of Airegin here as well. This is a true boon to Evans fans."