BILL EVANS (PIANO) — Everybody Digs Bill Evans (review)

BILL EVANS (PIANO) — Everybody Digs Bill Evans album cover Album · 1959 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
An overlooked gem in the 'cool jazz' genre?

Perhaps not to jazz fans or piano players, but listeners who are looking to explore deeper and haven't heard much Bill Evans should not miss this. His second LP, this predates his phenomenal work on 'Kind of Blue' and makes use of the same wonderful block chords that are heard there. If you were hoping that the man who, in all likelihood, wrote parts or all of 'Blue in Green' and 'Flamenco Sketches' was able to cut it as a leader, then look here.

A trio session, with Evans on piano, Sam Jones playing bass and Philly Joe Jones on the drums, it is not sparse by accident, and manages to sound full when it needs to.

For Evans' more reflective playing, 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' has the soulful 'Peace Piece' that brings 'Kind of Blue' to mind (and is essentially the precursor to the song 'Flamenco Sketches') but in a stripped down, solo format, one that provides for a beautiful six or so minutes. It is one of the only original compositions on the album; the rest are interpretations of standards among others. The gentle 'What is There to Say' for example, keeps the backing quiet, with Jones playing brushes.

Elsewhere, Evans swings. He races through Rollins tune 'Oleo' and injects a nervous energy and snap to big band composer Gigi Gryce's 'Minority', another standout track on the record. Cole Porter's 'Night and Day' is almost unrecognisable and 'Tenderly' gets a reworking too.

It's an innovative album that helped change the way the piano was played in jazz, albeit one that perhaps could have used a fourth instrument at times. Then again, that may have taken something away.

Four stars for me.
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