GIL EVANS — Svengali (aka Gil Evans) (review)

GIL EVANS — Svengali (aka Gil Evans) album cover Live album · 1973 · Progressive Big Band Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
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.
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