js I really enjoy the hippie era progressive big band work of Don Ellis, so when I saw this Gil Evans big band LP that featured synthesizers and other hippie era trappings I assumed I was in for a similar treat. ‘Svengali’ is just as much an odd musical trip as I hoped it would be, but it has very few similarities to an Ellis disc, other than the fact that both composers lead very modern rock/fusion flavored big bands. Whereas Ellis goes for a lot of flash and technique in his bold brassy attack, Evans is more laid-back with a very French approach to orchestration and a rambling beatnik jam session approach to arrangements. Ellis is all about precision, while Evans has a purposeful mild chaos in his orchestrations that recall some of Sun Ra’s more subtle moments.

Although the music on here is outstanding and far from gimmicky, I still like the kitsch element the analog synthesizer brings as it doubles orchestra lines and sometimes adds bizarre ambience and electronic noises. This sort of experimental approach to big band didn’t last into the 80s, but fortunately has made a big comeback in the new century. These days there are several big bands all over the world who point to Gil Evans, Don Ellis and Sun Ra as influences.

Its hard to describe the music style on here, sort of an unlikely mix of cool jazz and relaxed 70s avant-garde gets close to the mark. A lot of the music on here is extended modal jams featuring a great soloist such as Billy Harper or Ted Dunbar while the orchestra provides bizarre colorations that come and go with a casual flow. Gil Evan’s orchestra is never obtrusive in that way that big bands can be in the wrong hands.

Sean Trane Svengali is the generally-agreed masterpiece of Gil Evans in the 70’s, but if you’re a fan of Evans’ 60’s warm arrangements, you might not always find that Gil’s 70’s re-orchestration are in your tastes, because many consider the ambiances as colder, despite being of a groovier feel. Difficult to argue with that, but I certainly don’t think it’s a flaw, and IMHO this is Evans’ apex in his second career (the 70’s), after a fairly lengthy silence between 61 and 69, with only the astounding Individualism album of 64. Armed with an extensive big band - from which will emerge David Sanborn and Billy Harper (both saxmen) some time later on in the decade - Evans pulls off another very strong work, if a tad uneven at places. The weird thing about this album is that two of its longer tracks were already on the previous Blues In Orbit album from 71.

Opening on the enthralling Harper-penned Thoroughbred, the album continues with the uneven 10-mins+ Blues In Orbit, where you’ll find some odd synth sound that clash somewhat over the modern funky big-band instrumental fusion, but in general, Evans’ arrangements are quite tasty. Too bad the inconsequent (but thankfully short) rear-guard rendition of Miles’ Eleven closes the A-side. The flipside opens on Cry Of Hunger, but Harper’ slightly dissonant sax solo over some strange background clash a bit with the blues nature of the piece. This is the typical track that the 70’s-Evans-work detractors will point out as “cold feel”, but it’s nothing shocking to me. The rearranged Gershwin-classic Summertime is up next, and it is very much slowed-down, but it adds a unique feeling, reinforced by Dunbar’s excellent guitar solo up front. Cool stuff. The closing live-recorded Zee Zee is an absolutely stunning slow-paced almost-gloomy track, with some splendid Hannibal trumpet interventions.

Definitely Evans’ best 70’s album - by a long shot (haven’t heard them all, though) -, even if the first two tracks had appeared on a previous album with different arrangements, Svengali renews with Gil’s full splendour. I’ve seen the album come with a very different abstract artwork on a German label, but prefer the original one. Not totally indispensable maybe, but still rather essential.