There is much to admire here: the subtle harmonies, the inner voicings, the use of modes, the novel melodic lines, the nuances, the use of dynamics.
Elemental Music 5990447
Bill Evans (piano); Eddie Gomez (bass); Marty Morell (drums)
Recorded at Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Norway, 26 June 1970
1.COME RAIN OR COME SHINE / 2. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOU LIFE? / 3. 34 SKIDOO / 4. TURN OUT THE STARS / 5. AUTUMN LEAVES / 6. QUIET NOW / 7. SO WHAT / 8. GLORIA’S STEP / 9. EMILY / 10. MIDNIGHT MOOD / 11. WHO CAN I TURN TO? / 12. SOME OTHER TIME / 13. NARDIS
“I’m sorry, Bill Evans is great. I love Bill Evans but who wants to hear what he played every day for a month on a European tour? It’s probably the same tunes every night.”
Nils Winther Steeplechase Records
I was shocked when I read the quote from the eminent head of SteepleChase records. It seems to strike at the heart of jazz. Is Winther arguing that artists should choose different tunes constantly? I have heard Duke Ellington play the introduction to “Rockin’ In Rhythm” scores of times and yet every time Ellington finds something new. Miles Davis played “So What” every night. Boring? Isn’t it what jazz musicians do: making their music always new?
I have heard numerous recordings by Bill Evans, nothing is ever routine, there is often something very special. On occasions, you will find transcendent moments. The greater the artist the more chance there will be remarkable moments.
When I listen to the Bill Evans Trio I like to start with “Nardis”. Morell’s brushwork has all the finesse that he would go on to develop. The recording here is so clear that you can hear the individual brush strokes. Gomez has such a great technique and his flexibility and the resonance he achieves on the higher notes is impressive. Once again, the clarity of the recording of the bass is so incisive that it becomes such an integral part of the piece. When Evans starts to swing and Gomez and Morell get behind him supporting the adventurous energetic improvising, it is exhilarating. Morell’s solo is lively, musical and driven with the bass drum pulsing and complementing the snares.
The album was recorded at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival on 26th June 1970.
Evans’ biographer, Peter Pettinger, observed Gomez at that time. “In those days Eddie Gomez in full flight was one of the great phenomena in jazz. With his newly developed strength, and with confidence born of a good year and a half in the trio, he was being given generous solo space. A powerhouse of dynamism, he consistently galvanized whole sets. He was the master of all his pianist’s unusual sequences, and no tempo seemed too daunting for his lightning-finger coordination, a scurrying activity that constantly enlivened his solos.
It alternated with a lyrical invention, sometimes harmonized, as with LaFaro, guitarist-fashion across the strings. Occasionally the phrasing would be punctuated by a plunge to the depths, the instrument punished by a great slapping, as if to clear the air for the next assault on the peaks. This blatant exhibition of string vibrating on fingerboard characterized, to an exaggerated degree, all his playing, and contributed to his rhythmic power.”
When Marty Morell arrived after DeJohnette had left, Evans had six years of stability. Morell with great humility describes in the album notes how he joined the trio. Evans settled on what would prove to be his longest-serving rhythm section—this line-up continuing until 1974.
Zev Feldman has excavated numerous examples of Evans’ work on both Elemental records and Resonance records. “Behind The Dikes” (The 1969 Netherlands recordings.) “Some Other Time” (The Lost Session From The Black Forest) (2016) and “Another Time” (The Hilversum Concert) (2017). “Inner Spirit” (Buenos Aires) “Tales” Live in Copenhagen”. All these feature the same production qualities and design language as the present album.
Evans at the time of the recording had moved from heroin to a methadone program and that seemed to affect his playing. There is more energy, as Marc Myers points out in the notes accompanying the release. The tempos of some of the pieces are noticeably faster. Evans’ admirers frequently mention the debt that Evans owes to Debussy, Satie and Ravel.
Evans is obviously enjoying the concert. He creates a dynamic version of “34 Skidoo,” a melancholy version of “Turn Out The Stars” and a thoughtful reading of “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?” On “Quiet Now,” Evans negotiates the complexities of the piece with its changes of pace.
Nils Winther might criticise Evans for his limited choice of material but there is much to admire here: the subtle harmonies, the inner voicings, the use of modes, the novel melodic lines, the nuances, the use of dynamics, the way that Evans emphasis the role of the bassist and drummer, the way that Evans expressively integrates his own drama and struggles into his music.
As with most Feldman releases, the package includes an interview with Evans conducted by Norwegian critic and impresario Randi Hultin at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival; new interviews with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Marty Morell, members of the pianist’s longest-lived trio, an interview with Norwegian pianist Roy Hellvin, who was in the audience at the performance; reflections on Evans’ art by pianists Aaron Parks, Craig Taborn, and Eliane Elias; and concert photographs by Arthur Sand.
