Bill Evans, byname of William John Evans, (born August 16, 1929, Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.—died September 15, 1980, New York, New York), American jazz pianist known for lush harmonies and lyrical improvisation, one of the most influential pianists of his time.
What is Bill Evans best known for?
Bill Evans, byname of William John Evans, (born August 16, 1929, Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.—died September 15, 1980, New York, New York), American jazz pianist known for lush harmonies and lyrical improvisation, one of the most influential pianists of his time.
Why is Bill Evans important to jazz?
Bill Evans, one of the most influential and tragic figures of the post-bop jazz piano, was known for his highly nuanced touch, the clarity of the feeling content of his music and his reform of the chord voicing system pianists used. He recorded over fifty albums as leader and received five Grammy awards.
What was Bill Evans addicted to?
But like many geniuses, Evans died too young — in 1980, at the age of just 51, after years of cocaine and heroin addiction.Was Bill Evans a junkie?
Drug addiction and death During the late 1970s, Evans kicked his heroin habit, with the help of methadone, only to become addicted to cocaine. He started with one gram per weekend, but later started taking several grams daily. His brother Harry’s suicide may have also influenced his emotional state after 1979.
What happened to Bill Evans pianist?
A friend once said that Evans’ death in 1980 was the result of “the longest suicide in history.” … The virtuoso jazz pianist, who died at age 51 from complications of cirrhosis and untreated hepatitis, has influenced generations of musicians.
Why was Bill Evans influential?
Bill Evans, who died 35 years ago this year at age 51, has remained a central influence on how pianists play jazz. His conception of the jazz trio became the model for balancing the good of the group with individual freedom in the modern rhythm section of piano, bass and drums.
Who invented modal jazz?
Despite Davis’s distinction as the pioneer of modal jazz, the framework for modal thinking owes as much credit to Russell and his Concept. Russell’s search in the 1950s for a scale of “unity”—a scale that could embody the sound of a chord— was a primary influence on Davis’s development at the end of the decade.What does modal jazz sound like?
The term “modal jazz” refers to improvisational music that is organized in a scalar (“horizontal”) way rather than in a chordal (“vertical”) manner. By de-emphasizing the role of chords, a modal approach forces the improviser to create interest by other means: melody, rhythm, timbre, and emotion.
What type of jazz is John Coltrane?John ColtraneGenresHard bop modal jazz free jazz avant-garde jazzOccupation(s)Musician composer bandleader
Article first time published onHow did Bill Evans play?
Evans was an incredibly lyrical pianist, but he had the ability to be forceful and ambitious as well. Evans’ expressive piano work inspired a whole generation of players who appreciated his unique harmonic approach, his introspective lyricism, and his unhurried improvisation along with an analytical perfection.
How did Bill Evans learn piano?
Born William John Evans on Aug. 16, 1929, in Plainfield, N.J., Evans was fascinated by music from an early age — as a toddler, he would eavesdrop on his older brother’s piano lessons. By the time he was 6, he was taking lessons himself and displaying an uncanny ability to read and absorb music.
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. While this was not his favorite instrument, from playing it, he may have learned how to make the piano sing which became a hallmark of his style.
What did Miles Davis say about Bill Evans?
So Davis chose Bill Evans because (in his own words, as recounted in Peter Pettinger’s biography Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings): “He can play his ass off.” Davis was more specific in his autobiography (Miles: the Autobiography, co-written by Quincy Troupe): “Bill brought a great knowledge of classical music, people …
Did Bill Evans play with Miles Davis?
Evans would join Miles Davis’s band in April, 1958, replacing pianist Red Garland. During this period Evans’s opportunities and focus on his own career would lead him to depart the group, then rejoin in early 1959 for the recording of Davis’s epic Kind of Blue. “Bill had this quiet fire that I loved on piano.
How can I learn jazz modal?
- Target Guide Tones.
- Avoid Avoid Notes.
- Start a phrase at the start of the progression.
- Build up tension as the chords build up in tension.
- Resolve tension as the chords resolve in tension.
- End the phrase at the end of the chord progression.
Who recorded Kind of Blue?
Miles Davis: ‘Kind of Blue’ In 1959, seven now-legendary musicians in the prime of their careers went into the studio to record five simple compositional sketches. The result was a universally acknowledged masterpiece, the best-selling jazz album of all time: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue.
How did Bill Evans learn jazz?
Evans recalled first hearing jazz at the age of twelve or so: the big band recordings of Tommy Dorsey and Harry James, followed by the great jazz instrumentalists. His brother, who was already absorbing the idiom, was learning the trumpet and playing in the school rehearsal band.
What was Bill Evans childhood like?
His father was of Welsh descent, his mother was of Russian Orthodox background. His mother was an amateur pianist and gave Evans his first piano lessons at home as well as at her church. At the age of 6 he started classical piano training and later added flute and violin.
Who was the leading modal jazz practitioner?
What type of mute did Miles Davis use?Harmone MuteWho were the leading practitioners of modal jazz?John Coltrane and Miles DavisWhat was the general music character of Mile’s mid-60’s rhythm section?Unique, eratic, avant garde, fresh and new
Is Giant Steps modal?
Ironically, just as Coltrane was reaching a height of chordal complexity in “Giant Steps,” Davis was pursuing simplification through what is called modal organization of music, a system in which compositions are based on scales (often called modes), not chords.
Is bebop A modal?
In bebop, cool, and hard bop, the chords change very quickly; in modal jazz, on the other hand, the modes (the musical scales to be used for improvisation) change very slowly, often just once or twice in a chorus.
Why is kind of blue so important?
Kind of Blue is regarded by many critics as the greatest jazz record, Davis’s masterpiece, and one of the best albums of all time. Its influence on music, including jazz, rock, and classical genres, has led writers to also deem it one of the most influential albums ever recorded.
What made Coltrane famous?
John Coltrane, 1926-1967: The Famous Saxophone Player Helped Make Modern Jazz Popular Around the World. Coltrane discovered jazz by listening to the recordings of such jazz greats as Count Basie and Lester Young. … He was one of the greatest saxophone players of all time. He wrote jazz music.
What did John Coltrane accomplish?
John Coltrane was an acclaimed American saxophonist, bandleader and composer, becoming an iconic figure of jazz in the 20th century with albums like ‘Giant Steps,’ ‘My Favorite Things’ and ‘A Love Supreme. ‘
