Lee Evans

Gil Evans - The Complete Instrumental Charts For Claude Thornhill 1942-1947 (1999) {Musisoft MJCD 154}
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© 1942-47, 1999 Musisoft / Masters Of Jazz | MJCD 154
Jazz / Bebop / Big Band / Sweet Bands

For many years, Claude Thornhill's orchestra of the Forties and early Fifties was frequently referred to as a musicians orchestra, as it focused as much on the musicians as the music itself. Thornhill's music was clearly way ahead of its time, yet today his sumptuous, mellow jazz sound remains one of the biggest influences for many contemporary big band jazz arrangers. He worked to extend the range of a popular dance orchestra by continually adding new harmonies and voices. In the truest sense of the word, the Thornhill orchestra was an experimental group and this experimentation made mostly exciting and provocative listening.

Bill Evans - The Complete Fantasy Recordings (1989) {9CD BoxSet Fantasy FCD-1012-2 rec 1973-1979}
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© 1973-79, 1989 Fantasy / ZYX Music | FCD-1012-2
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano

Bill Evans' Fantasy recordings of 1973-1979 have often been underrated in favor of his earlier work but, as this remarkable nine-CD set continually shows, the influential pianist continued to grow as a musician through the years while holding on to his original conception and distinctive sound. The collection has all of the 98 selections recorded at Evans' 11 Fantasy sessions, including nine numbers from a previously unreleased 1976 concert with his trio. In addition, Evans' appearance on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio program is tacked on as a bonus and it is actually among McPartland's finest shows, a fascinating hour of discussion and music with Evans.

Bill Evans - Live '64-'75 (2006) + Rome Concert 1979 (2006) [2xDVD5]
2xDVD5 -> 7.31 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 4:3 | English (LinearPCM, 2 ch / Dolby AC3, 2 ch)
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© 2006 Realin' / TDK / Impro-Jazz | DVWW-JIDG / JJ 515
Jazz/ Post Bop / Modal Jazz / Piano

Bill Evans features five separate performances by one of the most revered pianists in music history. This collection covers an 11-year span, highlighting Evans’ ever-deepening artistry as he performs with four different all-star rhythm sections, including the stunning duo of bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Alan Dawson. This DVD includes for the first time on home video Evans’ renditions of the rarely performed “Sareen Jurer,” “Blue Serge” and “Twelve Tone Tune Two.” Among the many surprises in this collection is a live performance of “My Melancholy Baby” with saxophonist Lee Konitz.

Lee Konitz - You and Lee (1959) {Japan Verve DSD Mini LP UCCV-9329 rel 2007}
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© 1959, 2007 Verve Music Japan | UCCV-932 | DSD mastering
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Big Band / Saxophone

A beautiful lost session from Lee Konitz – one that has him blowing beautifully over larger backings penned by Jimmy Giuffre – all done with that great blend of modern and swing that Jimmy was bringing to his best work of the 50s! Bill Evans and Jim Hall provide support in the rhythm section, using their fluid styles of piano and guitar to gently swing the tunes without pushing too much on the bottom – so that Lee's flowing solos on alto are allowed to glide majestically over the top! The Konitz presented here is a rare one, and an extremely charming player who's more concerned with tone and soul than on some of his other more modern outings of the time.

This 1982 meeting between the veteran alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and the young pianist (19 at the time of the session) Michel Petrucciani is a success on all counts. Konitz's fragile alto is complemented by Petrucciani's lush backing in "I Hear a Rhapsody," while their abstract approach to "'Round Midnight" and "Lover Man" are both very refreshing. Konitz is unaccompanied for his wandering "Ode," while the pianist is featured alone on his complex portrait "To Erlinda," which is dedicated to his first wife. Petrucciani and Konitz wrote the brief closer, the lively blues "Lovelee," during which they initially play apart from one another before joining forces to close with a flourish. This was only Petrucciani's third recording, yet he plays far beyond his years; this recommended CD will be difficult to find due to the demise of the Owl label.

Lee Ritenour's first solo album for his new i.e. music label is a good one, one of his best actually, whether staying in the strict jazz-lite format that marks a lot of his previous work or straying into the other idioms that pop up here. Whether emulating Wes Montgomery's octaves or curling around in single-string fashion, Ritenour's playing is irresistibly tasty and swinging, perhaps more so than ever, and the material has real melodic interest — more so than anything his former group Fourplay was performing around this time. Among the most interesting swerves off the track are the title tune, which mixes reggae with Montgomery in a very appealing way, and a surprisingly effective closing take on Faurй's "Pavanne."

This exhibition has come to fruition due to the expertise and generosity of many people. I offer my sincere thanks to all of the people who responded to my research inquiries and to the institutions and individuals who granted permission to quote or publish material from their collections. I would especially like to thank the lenders who have shared their collections. Their generosity and enthusiasm for the project are greatly appreciated.