Bill Evans Guitar

In 2019, following their joint tour of Japan, guitarist Robben Ford and saxophonist/keyboardist Bill Evans recruited jazz bassist James Genus and Steely Dan drummer Keith Carlock to cut The Sun Room in a Nashville studio. The group is back with Rolling Stones' bassist Darryl Jones in the bass chair. Recorded in the same studio, this set's focus relies heavily on a more rockist jazz-funk and blues. Common Ground was co-produced by the saxophonist and Clifford Carter, and its nine tracks clock in at just under an hour. The session gets unruly early on with "Ever Ready Sunday," a mean, funky, jazz-rocker. Kicked off with a power chord vamp by Ford, Jones rumbles behind Carlock's snare and hi-hat breaks. Evans solos on soprano and Ford follows with a meandering meld of jazzy arpeggios and blues licks.

Mixing laid-back melodies with go-for-broke jams with some of the greatest names in modern instrumental music, saxophonist Bill Evans lives in the middle ground between smooth jazz and what could easily be termed of as contemporary jazz fusion. On his Zebra Records debut, Touch, the distinction is based on each song's sense of adventure. "In Your Heart," for instance, is the kind of right in the pocket, sweet little slice of passion that radio drools over, made unique (as Evans does on all tunes) by switching off from the high tones of the soprano with the darker shades of tenor to better discuss the emotional complexities of love. Likewise there's the cool, urban-flavored "Remember," which features subtle vocal chanting floating off in the distance. But then there's the edgier side of Evans intertwining his soprano with Lew Soloff's staccato trumpet energy on the brisk blues of "Dixie Hop," and kicking up all sorts of dust on the last two tunes, "Back to the Walls" and the ten-minute "Country Mile."

After providing an abundance of hard-edged, aggressive jazz-funk and jazz-rap on Live and Escape, Bill Evans surprised his followers by being so relaxed on Starfish and the Moon. This excellent, highly melodic CD was hailed as "Bill Evans' acoustic album," which was misleading because Starfish has its share of keyboards and synthesizers as well as electric bass and electric guitar. But it is accurate to say that the rap-free Starfish uses more acoustic instruments and less amplification than one had come to expect from the soprano and tenor saxophonist, who favors subtlety on such introspective, lyrical jazz-pop as "The Last Goodbye," "Something In the Rose" and "I'll Miss You." Even when he gets into a funk-minded groove on "Whiskey Talk" and "Shady Lady," Evans is moody and evocative rather than intense…

There seem to be a flurry of pianoless CD tributes to the late pianist Bill Evans in the mid-1990s, by far the most successful is this release by the extraordinary guitarist Howard Alden. He waited until he started playing a seven string guitar to fully explore Evans' rich and often difficult melodies, as he was then able to keep them in their original keys while being able to round out the original harmonies by playing the low notes himself on the extra string. Of course, it doesn't hurt him to have the talented bassist Michael Moore (who worked for a time in Evans' trio) and drummer Al Harewood on hand. Another thing that make this CD stand out from similar efforts is Alden's willingness to concentrate on the less familiar works by the pianist.

Bill Evans & Jim Hall - Intermodulation (1966) {2003 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24bit Remaster UCCU-5143}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 129 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 76 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 41 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1966, 2003 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-5143 | Verve LP V6-8655
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano / Guitar

A magnificent follow up to the Undercurrent album from the team of Bill Evans and Jim Hall – and like that one, a set that features amazing interplay between piano and guitar! Hall's guitar has never sounded better – and in the airy company of Evans, it takes on many of the same qualities as on his famous late 50s recordings in the Jimmy Guiffre trio. Bill's work is great too – almost more tonally focused than before, with perfectly chosen notes that resonate beautifully in this very spare space. Titles include "Jazz Samba", "All Across The City", "Angel Face", and "Turn Out The Stars".

Bill Evans & Jim Hall - Undercurrent (1962) {Liberty Japan, CP32-5187, Black Triangle Early Press}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 147 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 73 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 43 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1962, 1986 United Artists / Liberty / Toshiba EMI | CP32-5187
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano / Guitar

A legendary set from the team of guitarist Jim Hall and pianist Bill Evans – both already wonderful players on their own, but really hitting a magical sort of space here together! The record is a classic in understatement – the inevitable meeting of two players who'd both made a career out of saying more with less – and both Evans and Hall manage to make this special sort of sound when working together in such a space – spare, but never short on ideas – filled with color and tone, but never overdone. The tracks are long and dreamy, and the piano/guitar lines seem to float in the air, suspended on naught but idea and imagination.

Jacob Fischer Trio - My Romance: Tribute To Bill Evans (2013) {Venus Japan VHCD-78285}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 454 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 151 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 163 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Venus Records Japan / Pony Canyon | VHCD-78285
Jazz / Post Bop / Cool / Guitar

Danish native Jacob Fischer is a rising star and one of the most in-demand jazz guitarists in Scandinavia and Europe. Born in 1967, the self-taught guitarist began working as a professional when he was 17 years old, and since then has participated in over 200 recordings. His fifth album as a leader, and his debut from the Japanese label Venus Records, is an ambitious project: A tribute to Bill Evans with a simple trio with Martin Wind on bass and Tim Horner on drums.