Board of Advisor: Warren Bernhardt Chuck Israels Peter H. Larsen Ron Nethercutt March/April, 1990 News 1 There willbe a Tribute to Bill Evans Concert in Plainield, New Jersey on June3, 1990, Ted Brown, principal of Pznfild High School (where Bill graduaved), is organizing the event. 1 should have more details by the next issue. inthe las. issue I promised a report on te sta of jazz cducation, There isa small pice on the recent ILA. comven- tion held in January. A full-fledged report did not materialize. Those interested in jazz education should reed Hal Gale's rermark in his interview, tls viewpoints certainly prompted me to ake another ook at te contribution that atlemp to rake 10 jazz education 1 don't krow if I could agree with him entirely buthis appeal ofthe current situation is right on the money. Pianists, young and old, should take note ofthe jaz piano carp hat Jack Reilly isofering under te auspices of Harniluon Collge in Clinton, New York, There are three main reasons 10 attend: individualized instruction due to limited earollment, ow cost, andthe fact thatthe music of Bill Evans will be the min emphasis. [1 Thereis new piano publication avalable:“The Artistry of Bill Evans," edited by Devi C. Olsen and Tom Rood with transcriptions by Pascal Wetzel. [tis published by CPP/Belwin, In, 15800 NW 48th Avenue, Miami, Florida, 32014, $13.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling. One of dhese anscripions, “You Must Beliove in Spring" by Michel Legrand (form the Columbia album ofthe same name) is featured in the Februsry- Nach issue of “The Piano Stylist and Jazz. Workshep,” Ed Snanaphy and Becca Puliam, editors, Dept. A1-01-20, 352 Evelyn Steet, Paramus, NJ, 07653. (One yea, sxissues is 20) The featured uanscription is of the “head” section ofthe tune. A tearseripsionof Evans" soloonthistuneeppeared inthe Nov/Dec issue of LEE. The new book is also available from the same adress. This isoue provides some intresting glimpses into Evans" ormative years as young pianist, The interviews with Mundell a same faci ianist, Hal Galper. Hal has been the pianist for the Phil Woods ABi-Monthly Publication Dedicated to Jazz Pianist, Bill Evans Win Hinkle, Editor © 1000 LETTER FROMEVANS (0303 Publications Vol. |, Number 4, Price $4.00 Quintet for many years. Speaking of janz education, the Phi ‘Woods Quintet gave one of the most well crafied, concentrated, {iy minute workshops o the sajecof hal happens in jaca auimtet that Ihave ever witnessed. Galper'sconibauon wat Sioiican. This ocurred he TATE convention, TH Lzp sgt tn, and ackrowiedges he capable assistance Of Max Baffet, Professor of English at Soudwest Texas SUte University (Man isaisoenLE subscribe) Max rooicad mot of hi sue (nobis setion in an efor tose halls were doated ands were erosed. Scmeday I wil galher up enouh nervoto sad an siuc tomy ol igh schol English teecher. In spies of completing to clloge degrees (in music) this Od high sehool each isthe oly oe whom Thain high ess wih roger othe petd word IF hore ae eos, iis because 1d tet incorporate the coretions imo the fin Wx. 3 ack Rely ees ancthr insigulinstuliment on he Sarmiony of Bill Evans ‘Thanks to all subscribers and contributors. Without you there would be no Letter From Evans. —W. In This Issue News eee 1 Letters to LFE ee rz Interview with Bilt Scott. . 3 Notes of AJE Convention eens ‘Thematic Analysis of “Perl's Scope”... . 6 Review, Don Friedman ..... 29 Review, Last Concert in Germany . . 9 Incompatibly, A Short Story soya. Review, Hal Galper Trio ae Imerview with HalGalper........... 1 Interview with MundellLowe . . . 13 Acknowledgements . .Letter From Evans, Mar./Apr. 1990 Letters to the Editor January 15, 1990 Dear Win, Enclosed please find a check for my firs: year’s subscription 19 Lower from Evans. Please begin it with number 2, Nov/Dec. as you were kind enough io send me number 1 as @ sample, I'm 41 years of age and as T an not a musician, the transcriptions will unfortunately be over my head. I am interested in Bill's music primarily because ofa love of his phrasing. his Iytical quality, and as a jazz history buff, For the past several years I have been in the process of discovering Bill's music and 1 was surprised to discover his tie with Warren Bernhardt, I love Warren's writing and playing so much snd I think his is about the most beautiful piano around leday. When I think of tae “real” jazz piano players playing tocay. I think of Warren, Flanagan, Galper, Petrucciani, Jarret, Tyner, and Makowicz, and far my money Warren is definitely abit iller un the other fellows at the top, in my BOOK about the most underrated player around. I first heard him on a Tim Hardin album (late 60's, early 70°s), 2nd when I canght up with him again about 6 years ago, I thought I had rediscovered an old friend. It's been gracious of him to answer the few notes I've sent him, bat then, 'voalways felt that real jazz. playersare some of the ricest people around, est wishes for success with the newsletter, Veme Christensen Olathe, Kansas December 31, 1989 Dear Win, Congratulations on the first two issues of Leter from Evans. I know you're working on the editorial rough spots, but the basic idea is great and it's fascinating wo read the interviews and keep up with new releases. Aun Beauty Gerber sent me a copy of her dissertation and was very impressed. I would think that she would be a most useful >fmateril of interest to your readers. Also, enclose acopy of aletter Hal Galper sent me a while back. I told him he should write to you, buthe felt thathe’d said it once and that was enough, and would I send you a copy of his letter to me? Hore it is. I presume what from the Evans sidemen mentioned, the incident ‘must have taken place in 1963 or carly 1964, Incidentally, the first five lines of the leter refer to an interview I did on the radio with Halin which L asked for his comments on George Benson's recent revording of "I Could Write a Book” on the Fenderly album (Hal didn’t Like iat all and found it hard to believe when I old him it was Benson with McCoy Tynes), and he also commenied on Bill Evans’ playing of “Yet Ne’er Broken” on the Last Concert in Germany CD. Keep up proofieader. Sincerely yours, Phil Bailey ouisville, KY j0od work. I hope you line up a knowledgeable Page Dear Phil Got the first Letter from Evans in the mail the other day ané thought of you. How are you doing? Did the interview transpire ‘without any comments cn my George Benson citicisms? ‘Thought you mightbe interested inthis Evans interview which 1 think is nicely contrasted by Bill’scoke-induced rushing on his introduction, 1 think i's intresting to note that Win Tlinkle includes me int his list of Evans influenced pianists, as ifno one could have played” DISCLAIMER The edtior/publisher, writers and members of the Board of Advisors of LETTER FROM EVANS have never knowingly endorsed or promoted any illegal audio or video recordings.Letter From Evans, Mar./Apr. 1990 that way without having listened to him, As we discussed when ‘we talked at your interview, did everything [coukl dona to listen tohim pecauscof our similarity of conception. However, I did bow tothe inevitable when Bill played Boston fortwo weeks the Jazz ‘Workshop. Atthat time, Bill’s fourth and fifth fingers of his right ‘and were paralyzed from shooting up in them. He was playing ‘each tune very shor. und played maybe fifteen tunes a set, which was about forty-five tunesanight! I was there every nightforevery seLand he dida’t make one mistake! Unbelievable! Also the last night, last set, Billzan out of dope and was too sick to play, and he asked me to play it for him (withPaul Moiian and Gary Peacock). Tagroed and whet a mistake chat was. The house was fall and everyone was there to hear Bill and no one wanted to hear me. (1 didn’t blame them.) As soon as I started playing, 1 could fee] the animosity in theroom begin to build, After listening to him for two ‘weeks strsight, try as T might, [ couldn't help playing like Bill (especially with having Paul and Gary behind mc). leven picked tunes that Bil didn’t play in order to break out of his influence, to noavail. Of course, the audience was thinking, “Who is this Dade copying Bill Evans? J dida’t pay to hear him.” Every wune was ‘erceted with aresounding silence. At the same time Paul and Gary ‘were looking over at me,and their expressions seemed w be saying “why don't you play like yourself?" That was a set that lasted for cons! When it was over, I believe I slinked out of the club trying to look like the decor as much as possible. Lam always reminded cf this incident when someone mentions the influence that Bill had ‘on my playing. Hope all is well for you and yours, Yours truly, Hal Galper Eattor sNowe met Phil Bailey on my recent trip to Louisville to atiend to family matters, Phil invited me over to his house to chat. Phil 1s @ professional broadcaster, a working trumpet player, an avid j collector, and a Bill Evans lover. He has a very large collection of Bill's recordings as well as words in print about and by Evans. Phil wrowe the liner notes for Jamey Aebersold's recent jazt practice recording featuring Bill Evans tunes. (A review of that recording will appear inafuture issue.) also have the Ana Beatty Gerber dissertation Philmentioned and am planning anaricle on i as well as other educational werks for a future issue J met Hal Galper at the recent IAJE convention in New Or- leans. alked 19 Hal about the letter to Phil and obtained permis- sion to prin it here, Also Hal gave me a great interview which will ‘appear in these pages. Many thanks io Phil and Hal sharing thelr thoughts with LFE, I hope to urge Phil to write a piecefor LFE. January 27, 1990 Dear Win Hinkle, ‘Thank you very much for sending me the Nov /Dec. issue of LFE. Itis absolutely superb. T make my livingas a writer and bave done so for almost thirty years, One of the freelance jobs 1 had in the "70's was as jazz reviewer for the Globe and Mail, and in that wonderful capacity I was able 1 heer Bill Evans and got paid for the privilege. The first time T heard him, though, goes way back to his appearance with, the LaFaro-Motian tia at a club ia Toromo called the Town Tavern about five weeks before LaFaro’s terrible death. Sub- sequently, Lheard him many Umes in this city, and, of course, on record, I'd been listening since she pre-Miles Davis days. ‘Most of the writing dothese daysisof crime novels, My sleuth figure isasmar-ass criminal lawyer in Toronto named Crang,and ‘naturally he has Bill Evansoa his record player atall imes. mean, thie Crang has great taste. (On February 21, Doa Thompson, whom I'm sure you know, the wonderful bass player, pianist and composer (with Gcorze Shearing for many years in the "80"s), is giving a keture-recital that illustrates Bill Evans’ music. This is taking place at an art gallery in Kleinberg, which is just outside Toronto. 1 hope w attend, and if so, 1'd be glad 19 send you a repor of the evening. ‘inthe meantime, thanks again for 3 terrific publication. Jack Batten ‘Toronto, Ontario Interview with Bill Scott by Win Hinkle This is anoiherinsiatiment of “Bill. ‘able io get in touch with Bill Scott with information provided by Eugene Rehm, percussionist with she Atlanta Symphony Or- chestra. Imet Gene andwe discussed Bill Evans last sunmer when stayed in Atlaniafor afew day to attend the Aulanta Jazz Fesitval. Gene was a percussionistin the Fifth Army Band at Fort Sheridan when Bill Evans was there. Gene played drums with him in a trio oceasionallybutnever considered himselfa jazzmustctan, He 1old ‘me of a bassist that used 10 hang-out a tot with Bill but that he could not remember kis name. From Gene | learned of a reunion of the Fort Sheridan band plaaned for September of 1989. uid ‘notattend the reunion butafter some telephone researchfound oxt the name of the bats player and his phone rumber. Bassist and singer. Bill Scott was avery close friend of Evans while they were Siaitoned at F, Sheridan, near Chicago from the period 1952-54 This isa transcription ofa telephone interview. WIL: So you know Bill when you were in the Army. SCOTT: I went in the Army in June of 1951, into the Sth Army Band in Ft, Sheridan, Iinois, which is just north of Chicago. Bill ‘was one of the first guys I met thore and we struck up 2 friendship that lasted our (or his) whole lifetime, He was best man at my ‘wedding and | wes best man at his second wedding. WH: That was to Nenette? SCOTT: Yeah. Beceuse of his travels and the way he worked we ‘didn’t see each other a Jot, but we kept in touch when we could. He really was my closest and best friend. The first day 1 met him Tknew he wasagenivs. It'shard to imagine thisif you didn'tknow him early. Fie was so enthusiastic; he was an athletic guy. He was a golfer. Did you know that? WH: No. SCOTT: Ithinkkecould have gone on the circuit. His folks owned a driving range so he and his brother spent a Tot of time hitting balls. I'm telling you that he could hit balls ike whe pros. He enjoyed it but music was the ovesriding thing. (cont, next page) PageLetter From Evans, Mar./Apr. 1990 (from previous page) On the other hand, [loved the guy. When T First met him he seemed like he was fifteen years ol. WH: Was be already in the band when you joined? SCOTT: Yes. He came in the band sround February or March, and I came in June. In about September, he went w Navy School of Musicin Washington for three: four monthsand he cameback in December. At that point one day he said, "We've got to figure a way 10 get ous of this goddam bacracks.” Of course, he was a sergeant and I was only a private. said, “What are we going 10 do?” Fle said, “Mayle can work out something withthe old man (Commanding officer.” So, we looked around, There wesarcom downstairs in the berrcks, a fairly good size room. He asked the oldman if we could cleanit upif we could move in there, The old rman said if we kept it spotless he would Tet us do that. I moved down there with Bill and we had anokher guy named Frank Beneriscuto. [Now Dr. Frank Bencriscuto, he's bea te head of, the music departinent and direcior of tands atthe University of Minseso for years] Frank was another great guy and great musician, ‘WH: Was Billa flute playor in the band? SCOTT: Yes, and a very gocd one, might add. Flute and piccolo, Teil double major. He wldme thathe had gotten a scholarship in collego on flute, He was very good. He was one ofthe first guys Tever heard play jazzon flute ane he cid’ tdo it very often, Ifyou di tktowhim, it was very difficult orealizcit, especially i his ceaily life. Bill was a perfectionist and nothing was ever good enough, He put himself down alot which bothered me. We used to have long conversations about that, He was such a perfectionist, He didn’t play «lotof flue. He would take itto a session and play ita litle, but he never thought he was good enough. He was «excellent There were days when he didi’ like anything he did on the pismo, Ealy on he had a conflict that went on for a number of years. He stucied with 2 guy dawnt te college whohe said really Iknove het he was doing on the piano WH: Was ita classical guy? SCOTT: Yeah; a faily young guy and he really respected him. The guy told him “You don'trun into many people who have an ‘opportunity to become a concert pianist” and he said, “you have all tne tools and the ability.” There was a conflict about whether Bill should try to get into the classical field or whether he should go with za, He used to say "’'m taking the easy way oatbecause Jauz.comes So easy 1 me.” He used 10 say “Am L1vally blowing ‘my life because of this, because maybe the other would have been 4 lot harder but mayte the rewards would have been bigger or better.” Wea I say rewards, I don’t mean mony, That was one thing Bill almost shunaed, money. For instance, when T was inthe amy (I'm a bass player and singer, primarily a singer, 1 was the sols. in the Sth Army Band. We had aradio show once a week, Bill, Frank, and three o four other guys and Thad a jazz show for ahouta year andahalf. Asa matte of fact, wejust had a Sth Army Band Reunicn, I: really affccied me emotionally because some of the guys brought tape: that I didn’t remember Thad sung on. Bill used. say, “I don’'tknow how youcan go outand play shit music.” I cnjoy performing, maybe because I’m a singer. So i's a litle different than an instrument, He never was that way. My approach ‘was to entertain the people. His approach was you do what you do, te best you can and draw the people to you, andif they don'tcome, Paget then screw ‘em. That's a litle harsh but in a sense that’s the way heapproached it Tewas all fine and dandy until nese the end ofthe month when he would run out of money and he knew 1 worked ‘with Danny Bellock. He'd say, “Do you suppose Danny's gotany jobs where he could use me?” And I would say, “You don’: went toworkthase jobs.” and he would say I surecould.use themmoney;* TIL ust shut my mira off and go play tkom.” As soon as Danny know Bill wes available, he'd say “Sure, put him on so and so. So we'd go work the job. For instance, we were working DePaul» ‘University one time and he said he was never going 10 work one of those jobs again and soit got down to the end of the month and ‘ve got this job. We go: 10 this place, which was a gyrmnasium, witich was bad to begin with, so we walk in and he sits down a the piano, and he locks a the piano, There area few keys missing and a few ivories are off and he runs a few axpoggios and says, “This thing is shit" I said, “Hold it, you know what you said.” “Well,” be sai, “I gotto say it ike itis, it’s shit plano.” “Okay,” | said, “So in three hours we'll be out of here.” So, he goes toplay something else and says, “I can’t take it and jumps up and starts yelling: The son-of-a-bitch doesn thave any pedals.” He calls the band leader over and says, “Give Bill (Sco) your tenor; I want him to take it outside, put it inthe street, and he’s going torun over ita few times with hiscar then you and will stat even on the job.” “That was kind of typical of Bill. Ttgot worse. Thad been outon the West Coast, doing pretty go0d and when | got called into service andT ended up back here inthe ice and snow. Afier spending about two and one half years with Bill, he talked me into moving to New York. After | got ou: of te ‘Army, I moved to New York. [did the same things 1 elways did, ‘commercials. T worked with Lester Lanin and I sang and I finally ‘gota job with the Ray Charles Singers, doing backup on the Perry ‘Como Show. Bill was at the Mannes School. He started making just enough money to survive. And I mean survive. He had an ‘partment that was so small that when he moved his grand piano in here and lay downto goto sleep, his Feet were under the piano. Ho could have gotten good work, with good money and actually better music than he was doing. He would get on a subway ard ride down w Rockaway and play in some crumby joint uni five Ja the morning and then get back on the subway. Then he wouldn't ‘make any money. He stid, I'm going to be someplace down near ‘Times Square and I'm working an over-forry dans.” (They were tho worst, the absolute lowest depressing thing.) So Iweat up 0 see him one day with this half-assed band; it was just errible. AML tnese old people and he was playing piano. Did you know Tony Scott? Tony was conducting for Harry Belafonte. Tony wanted Bill i eccompany Belafonte and Bill woulde’t tke the job. “It ‘would detract from my suidying,"he said. “But what about al this riding on the train?” I asked. That's where we parted company. 1 couldn't understand. The music that fe would have been playing ‘would have been much beuce. Tony said,""Youdon’thavetomake rehearsals. When the show comeson youplay.” Another thing was that Bil did very livle recording because he didn't thiak he wast ready. That goes back to perfection which I can’t fault because he finally proved it wo me, a litte insight into what he was eelly Ike. ‘Anell ofa nie guy and funny, hc had a gscat sense of humar. WHi: Do you recall some of the tunes you sang with him, some of ‘what he considered the better ones?Letter From Evans, Mar/Apr. 1990 SCOTT: We used tohave a day off in the Army, and we had two corte fake booksand we'¢ play every tne, page after page, for sixor cight hours, maybeplay all day. We'dfind atane we thought ‘was special. He loved some of the things from Disney. We'd go see tose moviesshe loved the music. Did youhear any ofthe Tony Bennest sides? T think he had two or tree albums with Tony Bennett. I woald say over half of those tanes were oves that Bill and Lid in de Army. WH: Such as the “Touch of your Lips"? SCOMT: That's where those things originated. ‘WAH: Did you ever sing ary of his nznes? SCOTT: No, Inever did. Are you familiar with how “Waltz for Debdie” came about? ‘WHE: It was written for his niece, for Harry's daughter. SCOTT: He got out ofthe Army and went down to Louisiana and saw Harry, They were very close, In fact, I believe that [Harry's suicide] ended his life. He called meup and alked tome and ialked to my wife and she said, “You know, he won't be around much longer.” There wasa mauked ciange. Debbie was justaTiale baby, He sav bis nieoe and she knocked him out He stayed with his folks ‘and reflected and wrote and relaxed after the Army, in North Plainfield, NJ, He didn't go into New York. lt scared him for some reason. It scared me too, but I had to go there. I stayed with Bill {or about a weck. 1 went therein the frst week of October, 1954, and I stayed with Bill. Bill said, “I want you to hear something,” snd he played “Waltz for Debbie” and said “What do you think” Do you like it, 1 said “It's beautiful.” He had written it inthe summer. He said, “I wanted to surprise you with it When I saw her [neve I hail to do something for her.” ‘WHE: Didit have Lyrics then? SCOTT: No, it did not. Tony Bennett had those writen. There right have beea other lyrics, too. He had several sts of lyrics for every song that various people had writen. I don'tknow if he ever ppt thom togethor [with the music}. WH: Theppiano player, Warren Bemharct, asa lt of hisoriginal ‘manuscripis end Warren thinks [Warren knew him from 196000), « lotof the lyrics were writon by Bil SCOTT: He never thought that he was good at that. He never thought that he was a good accompanist. He used to apologize to me. worked with some ofthe very finest players. Nevar ever have I come close to working with somebody who could accompany like he did, 1s got wo the poin: it got crazy. We were together so ‘much; twas like we were inseparable when we were in the Army. It got tothe point where we communicate just by ooking at cach other. If we wanted o do something, he just played a couple of notes on the piano and I knew whathe was doing, Or1 wonld look at him and he would know what song 1 wanted. The guys used 10 ‘make fun ofthat. But it was there; it was scary almost. There were times when he would accompany me and I had the feeling that ‘vas singing. but he was doing the controlling of it. He continued vo apologize, put himself down, We used to go jam all night, at Joins, and suchand then we'dhave iocome'backand stand reveile 46:00am and ihere were nights when we just had time to change, clothes, We came in this one night; it was about thee in the morning, We come through the rehearsal hall and everybody's sleeping. We go by he piano. it wasa crummy piano, zn upright. Bil slices imo the piano. It was so dark in there we coulda’t see each other; you couldn't sce the hand in front of your face that’s hhow dark it was and he starts playing “It Ain't Necessarily So.” He plays it all the wey through, start to finish, and it was mag- nificent, He said, “What did you think of that?" Isuid,“Youknow, i's different." He said, “What do you mean, it's different.” Iscid, “Well, honest to God, got the feeling { wasn't istening toa piano ‘any more; it was like I was istening to an orchestra. T could hear the basses, the brass, the strings.” He said, “I'm glad you said that ‘because that’s what I was doing, I was orchestrating.” Then he ‘turned around and played “Summertime” the same way. It just knocked me out. I said, “You've got to keep this quiet or we"ll wake the barracks and be in a hell ofa lot of trouble” He said, "Go gota bass.” said, “We'll wake everybody up.” He said, “We'll play quietly.” So I went and got 2 bass and we're just barely playing. AS it goes on we get stronger and stronger, and the next thing we're just wailing away. To hell with everything. AI of sudden, after maybe an hour, someone tumed the lights on and there were about thirty-five guys siting along the wall. They had come in, never made a sound; we didn't even know they were there, WH: I was in an Army band in Germany. The good thing about that is getting the time, but then you have the boredom, SCOTT: He had tremendous concentrationand he never lost that. ‘He had the strongest concentration of anybody I ever remember. ‘The old man would take ten minutes, and you know how itis when the guysare trying to rehearse a part or they're playinga scale and everybody is blowing something different, it's just bedlam. He'd sit down at the piano and he'd play for ten or fifteen minutes, Practice, play right in the middle of all this crap, and he'd really be doing something. ‘WH: What are you doing now? SCOTT: It’s kind of evolved this way. I would never have believed 1 would be doing what I'm doing. I have a society ‘orchestra I play lois of show tunes, Cole Porter. I work for the Ammours, Swifts. I've done every major party in Chicago. Last year we did the Omaha Symphony Ball, the Deiroit Opera Ball, ‘and the Minneapolis Symphony Ball. —W.H. Notes of |AJE Convention by Win Hinkte FRU PN EEE OPTRA ‘The International Asseciaion of Jazz Fdvcators (formerly Na- tional Association of Jazz Educators) Convention held athe Hat Regency Hotel in New Orleans, Jan, 11-14, 1990 was the 4th that TThave attended in the fifteen years or so thatthe organization has been in existence. In the ast couple of yeas these conventions bavchad something tp offer all jazz lovers, not justjazz educators. For a very reasonable price altendees can hear the likes of The Donald Harrison Quartet, The Ellis Marsalis Quart, Tue Don Menza Quartet, The Mel Lewis Orchestra with Jon Faddis, ack Delohnette Special Edition, The Maynard Ferguson Band. Bran- {ord Marsalis, Bobby Shew, The Phil Woods Quint, The Clark Terry Quartot and The Poter Erskine Band, Participating in seri nars and workshops were such music business notables as Helen Keane, Dr. George Buller, Orin Keepnews and Bruce Lundval (Continued next page) Page 5Letter From Evans, Mar./Apr. 1990 Like other multi-day, big ticket jazz festivals one is very hard- pressedtoattendall of ureconcerisandevents hate or she wishes to, [fyou're fast on your feet its possible to catch about a third of ‘what's going on. For me ie highlight of the convention was heating the Mel Lewis Orchestra, 've heerd the band several times, the fist being, in 1975 when Thad Jones was still eo-leeding the group. This, recent performance was especially moving due to some unusual circumstances, Thad heard that Mel Lewis wasiill. ButT justwasn’t repared for what I saw in New Orleans. Mel is undergoing cchemo-therapy and radiation treatment for cancer. He has to use a ‘wheel chair to get around, Mel is still Mel Lewis, however, offering crasty commentsand sageadvice for the many young jazz players that attended his performances. ‘The Friday evening concert opened with the band on stage with ‘Mel standing in the wings, walking with the assistance of acane, ‘waiting to be called on stage to receive some kind of plague from the higher-ups of IAJE. The audience wondered if Mel had the strength to wait in une wings for what scemed like long-winded, introductory remarks. Knowing Mel, 1 know be was thinking, “come on, lets get on with it.” Mel had announced at an earlier session that he intended to play drums on the first few wines and then tam over the drum set to Dernis McGrill, a young drummer ‘who has recently been filling in for Mel with the band. Finally, the band was allowed to startand Mel played the frst couple of tunes. shard forme to describe the MetLewis approach tobig band playing. [like it great deal. In fact the Mei Lewis Orchestra is ‘one of the few big bands that I could listen to all night. Probably ‘most would agree that small groups are where most jazz takes place, duc to the nature of the beast. The Mel Lewis orchestra has always been an exception to the big bend norm, always playing with the conception and intimacy of a small group, using the ‘ensemble as an extension of ane of the voices (horns). With the writing of Thad Jones and others, this concept has evolved to an artform that has not been duplicated successfully by any other big and, ‘Mel Lewis is one of a very special breed of drummers who ‘constantly remain aware of the colors thathe orshe isconuibuting to the ensemble as well as timekeeping. The time is heard and felt fromthe first quarter-note, Mel's drumming is the best “comping” in every Since of the word, His unusually wide range of colors, especially from the cymbals, give arolling, chuming sense to the timekeeping, always in accompaniment to the music. Mel’s dram- ming is never ebstusive, even when he solos. When soloing he often jus: does what he doing behind the band, just more of it, Mel is tnekind of drummer thatcantake one drumstick and onecymtal and keep the listener totally fescinated with a myriad of timbres, pulse inflections and diversity of timekeeping. The personnel of the band has remained essentially unchanged, {or the lest five years oF so, The saxophones were Dick Oats, Ted Nash, Joe Romano, Ralph LaLama and Gary Somellian. The rythm section includes Dennis Enwin on bass and Ken Werner on Piano. Werner's playing was magnificent, He played an intro and first chorus to Thad Jones’ “A Child is Bom” which literally brought tears wo everyone's eyes. Later, in a blistering tempo Page 6 version of “Fingers” he did the nearly impossible feat of playing stride at 350 plus beals per minute. Note: In the middle of writing this piece | leamed of Mel .ewis’s death in New York City at age sixty. The performance ‘described ebove turned out to be his very last with the band. He ‘vent into the hospital shordly after retming to New York from New Orleans and never recovered. —W.H. Thematic Analysis of Peri's Scope By Jack Reilly EPH TPES ET ERECT In this second article (see pp. 5-14, Jan/Feb, 1990, issue for my first article), I will analyze the thematic material of Bill's tune, Peri's Scope. _ asic syate—, these articles, a My purpose will 32% a specific eto gain insight vocabulary into the prin. when I discuss ciples of good Bill's thematic melody writ material, I think and, in Bill’s best 1 define case, to get ine Pict side the ercative these terms before I begin mind of @ genius J cov ve some 24 the analysis as that mind or- = MOTIF an in ganized, —— terval, harmon, developed, and and/or rhythm evolved hiscom: | seems stns combining to positions by fol- fp4 al produce lowing — the memorable dictates of what shapes or pa Schoenberg calls tems; a motif ap the “BASIC SHAPE,” the s0ed thought, the germ, or idea that generates| the entire picce Because I use, in to monotony. and monotony pears Ss continually throughout a piece: it is repeated. Ropotition alone often gives rise Sols ne 3 DoaNESTS Example 1 can only be overcome by variation (sce Ea. 1a) VARIATION a change in some ofthe less important features of the motif (Ex.3) and the preservations of some of te more impor tam ones (E24), FIGURE a smallerhythmic and/or melodic feature ofthe motif* thats repeated throughout ihe piece (Ex. Ic, 1d), A dotted quarter followedby an cighthnots isa rhythmic figure Bill usescontinual- lyin "PERI'S SCOPE.” ' DIRECTIONAL TONES the range and contour (high and low ‘points ofthe heme; tho main pitches that outline the theme (Ex, Th and Ex. 2), INVERSION an ascending paticm Wat later desceaus and viceLetter From Evans, Mar/Apr. 1990 AUGMENTATION an increased time value according 1a ratio (three eights "= : notes become ji 3 idea which tripkis.clc, an = generates the DIMINUTION ‘whole pine. a decreased PHRASE a time value ac complete cording to a, musical ratio (eighth * thought, like a notes become sentence in sixteenth English (inthis notes). piece 8 RETROGRA 9° Be measures). DE the theme fee Op was smeleste) Let's look ormotit wriuea | Satreraty at example 1a inverted and ia 10 1 then written, 2» (measures 1- played, of | Ctmemne —— 2. This is de repeated BASIC wards, SHAPE. The BASIC SHAPE s, =melodic asually the first 7 figures are one fone ly "eight Ter haut note, a g on the Example 2 first beat, rhythmic syace or silence for one and one half bets. a descending fournote a wm RM” RE I a oer Example 3 scale pattern, g to d, and an ascending interval leap of a perfect 4th, d to g. The DIRECTIONAL TONES and range are casy 10 calculate, g down to d, back up to g. The range is a porfect 4th. oa scene yee te} = Example 4 ‘These are the memorable melodic features of motif 1. Butit’s the rhythmic, syncopated figures Gx. 1d) which give motif 1 its ‘uniqueness and announce that “Peri's Scope” is a jazz. composi- Thave found 6 different ways to break down motif 1 into FIGURES. Can you find moce? Motif 2 is a development and repetition of the melodic and rhythmic figures of motif 1, Just compare example 2a with my ‘analysis in example 2c. Bill's VARIATION of the four note scale ‘pattern results in a broken scale paltern in thirds. The interval leap ‘of a perfect 4th he expands to a pecfect Sth; tha is he leaped from annron ann thvtzsin oF as. BRIM es Te fiowr se Example 5 dt0 a, The syncopation he shifts to the “and-of" 4, measure threo, and again oa the “and.of 3, measure four. This last syncopated ‘note of motif 2s g, the same pitch that begins "Peri's Scope!” And it's alsoan eighth note! The rhythmic silence or space in measure 4 lasts for two beats, the same amount of rhythmic space that separates motif henaveaatoeiter «av —' is an inner 1 from motif 2.) Pa maiO>) “logician” at Are these = workhere, the relationships mind of the accidental? I, composer. for one, don’t Ob, yes, the think so. There 2is one octave. ‘Then in range of motif another VARIATION in the rhythmic pattern of measure 3 by introducing sixteenth notes and a quar‘e:-note triplet for the first time (Ex. 34). His ear immediately picks up on the sixteenth notes, so we get more of them in the very next measure! With all ofthis incredible melodic 7 around the pitch and rhythmic varis-[ tion so far ‘a! What does Mr. (aueasures 1-6), the| Evans do? He lets DIRECTIONAL the “composer TONES hint et step in, and in measure 7 he writes, nol one, Tout two g sharps, note of the piece, How does he shythmically treet these g sharps? By holding the first one for one and one half beats and syncopating the second one, This is breath- taking. [isin his measure that Bill revealstous thathe is inwardly singing, How does be reveal this? By following the g sharps with 6 beats of shythmic space: silence! Now he is abie to take a new breath, And that is precisely how we can identify the end of one phrase and the beginning of another. Measure 1 to 8 comprise phrase 1, measures 9to 16, phrase 2, and measure 17 1024, phrase 3. (See my frst article for mare on the phrase structure of “Peri’s Scope.”) monotony. Wh: They all hover the first chromatic Example 7 Page?Letter From Evans, Mar/Apr. 1980 The syncopated FIGURE in measure 7 is not unique, It reap- pears in measures 13-16, the second part of phrase 2, where Bill, the composer, fully exploitsit (Ex. 4a),as the climax or high point of Peri’s Scope.” I joted quarter note, however, that is secretly exploited by alternale yncopation; .e.every otter quarter note is placed on the “and” of the beat. To make this clear in my * analysis, I have rewritien these FIGURES in 6/8 meter (Ex. 4b) Because ofthis rhythmic complexity the inner “logician” tells Bill (onarrow therange. Now he has the opportunity to ercate melodic . FIGURES on the intervals of a major 2nd, minor 2nd, minor 3rd, and major 3rd (Ex. 4c). hope the examples will be self explanatory. Inthe next issue I will move oa to “Voicing Principles Based on "Time Remembered’.” IR. © Unichrom Productions, November, 1989, Jack Reilly, all rights reserved, Reprinted with the permission of Jack Reilly. Shirts and Caps pecially when it comes to an camity to wear such a shirt at the temptation to show itoff, Mg r Fier and ended up having a dozen or soleft. | ‘The gross receipts fromthe ne and hais will help dofray some ex} Twill continue to publish LF to completion, even if it contig rhe end of Vol. 1 in.an effort wo see the ica through In the summer of 1991 T'll take a long hard shipping and b upto three fms. For orders of four or more items add anciher 5: Frage 8Audio Recording Review Don Friedman, / Hear a Rhapsody by Win Hinkle TT | ould Lose You.” “For All We Know.” “Round at"“Olivia™ (ried Side 2: “I Hear a Rhapsody,” “Body and Soul,” “Half and Half” (Fricdman). Don Friedman, solo piano. Produced by Jor Carer. LP E-1003, Empathy Resords, 3 Fair Oak Drive, Easton, CN 05612, USA’ Recorded September 22, 1988, NYC. LF you're a Bll Evans fan you're going o love this record and if you're a pianist and seeking other pianists who approach music making in ways similar to Bill Evans’, you're going wo love tis recording. I've known several pianisis over the years whose primary objective is exprestion of the inner song, even if it requires departing temporarily from the confines of the carrent tune they erforming. (One is James Drew. now living in Mandeville, LA) In ower words, having something 10 say and saying it dominate the performance. Panists who are successful at this are the ones who leave the listener with the impression thatthe form ofthe tane is still intact. Friedman is sucha pianist. In these solo performances, Friedman freely interprets the melody, sometimes avoiding it altogether, while sectionalizing and expanding intros and “outros.” But when the take is finished the Tistener is satisfied that justice has been done othe rune and that hehasesvesdropped on the thinking, life, and psyche of the performer. Friedmam is nat particulaly interested in displaying new chord progressions or in iewving a som of personal harmonic stamp on the tune for other pianists w cop and use themselves. The Colicane changes 19 the bridge of “Body ardSoul” ae used bat quickly, without lingering, signifying that Friedman simply considers these changes “stand ad" and an accurate, effective way w get from point A 10 point B in this par of te tune, He seems tbe more concerned with opening himscl up to the listener, cracking the shell and display- ing his musical kernel. The listencr (if he really listens) can taste the fruit from the first tune and make the decision to continue to listen and enjoy the seven courses of personal communication that Fridman has prepared for w ‘There are Some obvious influences here, Friedman, like most of us ida’'t grOw up ina vacuum. I hear some Lennie Tristano at the end of “Tear a Rhapsody” as wel as ether influences. They do not interfere with Friedman's goal, but afford the listener the opportunty to listen to Don Friedman. This kind of opeanessand honesty rarely surfaces in the music being recorded today. One would assume that thisfrankness could be more resdly found inthe azz binsthan in other genres of mus ‘Tis might have been the case twenty years ago bul not io. Corainly Bill Evans exudes this quality in ninety-nine percent of his recordings. And quality is one ofthe things that makes his music special to me. Don Friedman is on the same brain wave- length. This recording may not exhibit the comucopia of all that we have come to appreciate and recognize in Evans, but Friedman succeeds in many similar respects. Lotter From Evans, Mar/Apr. 1990 Friedman has bared his musical soul here and 1 tani him for the invitation to check it out. —W-H. ‘Audio Recording Review Bill Evans, His Last Concert in Germany by Win Hinkle eR SS ESL ‘Mare Johnson, bass; Joe LaBartara, drums, Recorded August 15, 1980, Bad Honningen, West Germany. West Wind 2022 CD. West ‘Wind Records, A Label of ITM-Records, UlliBlobel Schallplatten GmbH, D-5600 Wuppertal 1, Moltkest:. 73 1,"Leter to Evan,” 2. “Yet Ne’er Broken,” 3. “Laurie,” 4. “Bill's Hit Tune,” 5. “Knit for Mary F.,” 6. “The Days of Wine and Roses," 7. “Your Stary,” 8. “But Beautiful,” 9. “if You Could See “Waltz For Debbie." First, readers should be advised that some have ardered this CD ‘only to receive a CD labeled “Bill Evans" but with masic by James Brown or some such imitation “soul music.” Apparently West Wind has a quality-control problem. I obtained the recording dough a friend in Gormany rather than from a U.S. distributor. IF you order through 2 U.S. distribator, make sure they havea return policy. The date of this session, exactly one month before Evans’ ‘numbers of smdentsand the yield from 100 students of actual front line students is aboat one in a hundred. That being the case, the other nivety-nine are totally being misled about the reasons that they are there, They're told, “You are going to bea jazz musician.” ‘They're not eally being educated into the realities ofthe sitation, tha there are no jots. WH: One of my favorite things was a remark Phil (Woods) made at aconcert sponsored by Coca Cola, down in Tampa, I guess you were there: “Do all these kids a favor; find them a gig HG: What we end up having is more teachers teaching more teachers teaching more teachers. It gets very inbred. We don't really have teachers teaching, players and really the way it's set Lup now with the profit motive involved, you need ninety-nine students to pay for the education of that one student, to pay forthe facilities, to Fay for the wachers, to pay the electric bills, the pianos, the amps, the records, whatever. Now that’s notso bad if they were being honest, and that's the problem: they're not being told the uth and what happens is they ond up paying $40,000 in four years, and most of them end up serving a valuable function in the jazz community, The logistics involved in being a funcsio Jaze musician in this world today are probably a thousand suppor. ‘people to every one functioning jazz musician, When you thi about it, we need people in the record business. Thinkof how many ‘people are involved in making a record. How many people aze involved in running a club? How many people involved in the ‘ansportation? How many people are involved in promotion and are agenis in radio and T.V. We nocd these people in the support structure. The problem is they're not being told they probably will ‘not bea frontline musician butend up because of tieirlove of the ‘music in the support structure ofthe music. I would feelalot better if they were told that up front. I discourage my students and then the ones that don’t take my advice [ ell thei, “Well you're real fools and you should come and study with me.” They're the only ‘ones I want, the fools. I ask my students inthe first class, “If you hhad a choice of quitting, if you could decide to quit, could you éo it and feel good about it?” And all those who say “yes,” Y advise them to quit now because if they can make a rational decision to (quit, hey should ot be here; they will quit. It's only the compul- sive fools who don’t have a choice, who'll stick it oat. And thore are the rare ones. So'[ would envision much smaller schools with ‘a much higher rae of selectivity and a process set up from high school though college where there is a filtering of these people, aLetter From Evans, Mar/Apr. 1990 ferrying of them from lower masters to immediate masters to higher masters. I can envision an eltemate school and it would be very successful. There are 30,000 applicants to Berkeley every year only of which only 3,000 get accepted. t could be done. ‘WH: What piano players today, in your estimation, are really making a lot of music that you would like t listen to, HG: [listen to Ahmad Jamal all the time. He is my idol, and if 1 could play like Ahmad Jamal, would be a very happy person, He is one of the most underrated and hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves. He has had probably as much effect on contemporary Jazz playing as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. He has not been given the credit, A case in point. My proof. You look skeptical. You say, “Here’s a guy with an obsession about Ahmad Jamal.” ‘WH: No. No. HG: I have g tapes of his recordings. On one recording made before 1959.as an interlude, one of hisarrangemenisissthe head to “So What WIL: Really? 1HG: Yeah, and you know Miles isa tremendous user of Ahmad’s concepts. Well. "So What" was one of the most seminal influential tunes of the century. Itchanged music. WH: Thatrecording, Kind of Blue? HG: Yean. A year before this record, “Impressions” was made, ‘you will find asan interlude toanother tuneon the album, Impres- ‘ions. Those two tunes changed the face of music, Not only that, they changed rhythm section style. Through Miles" promotion of his conceptsand Miles" popularity, Ahmad Jamalchanged the face of music and changed the way rhythm sections played. He opened rhythm sections up, and he invented “tipping,” which is a really light, airy kind of beat but sil fat and swinging, Through Miles ‘many musicians who have followed Miles without realizing ithave been influenced by Ahmad Jamal. Think of all the arrangements he's done thathave so much effecton the music, his sense of space, his compositional mode of playing. So I'm always on a soapbox about Ahmad’'s not geuing the credit dt he wuly deserves, and 1 think it’s a shame, I know thisis a leter to Bili Evans. WH: That’s cool. It’s slsoa letter about pianists and pianism, HG: He's something, he seally’s something. He plays so much siuffin two bars. ‘WH: Thank’ s Hal Galper, L appreciate it HG: My pleasure. Interview with Mundell Lowe On January 14, 1984 at the NAJE Convention by Fon Nethercutt |S RN: I'm speaking to Mandell Love about his early relationship ‘with Bill Evansandhow a friendship developed, Mundell, wehave visited cartier but, for the tape, I'd be interested in knowing when you firsi met Bill Evens, how that came about, and then what ‘wanspired in that immediate time period after you meteach other, ML: I had just come back from World War L.1'dspent, oh, three yearsor so outinthe SouthPacific.1'd gone from Camp Stoneman, California, to Guadalcanal, gone through that thing and then through the Phillipines and finally wound up in Tokyo and came home, I had gone to school in Hammond, which T'tll you about atthe end of this, which is prety funny also. Anyway, my then wile, Marjorie Hyde Lowe, and her kid brother, Raymond, had beon going to Southeastern, and so I got beck Christmas Eve 10 Hammond to my wife and young dauginer, and Raymond sti, “There's a piano player out at Southeastern you really ought 1 hea.” He says, “I've heard a lotof good musicians, but {think this guy’ sexceptionsl.” IRN: Would this have been °46 07 47? ML: No, that was Christmas of "45. And it might have been two or thee daysaier that but thats the time period. Anyway. we go Couto Southeastem and he takes me to one of those Tie, if you remember the old building, the litle rehearsal rooms, piano re~ hearsal rooms or — RN: They're sil ll tere. ML: Where I studied piano witha lady andit didn't te. Tich’t leam to play the piano. RN; Greivien Magee? ML: It could bave been Gretchen, yea. But anyway, sting in there practicing wasa young bright-faced, blue-eyed, blond-haived fellow with horn-rimmed glasses. I suppose Bill alvays did have weak eyes. And as we came in, he stopped playing and we met. He was a very congenial and very sensitive guy, Bill Evans. So Raymond introduced me wo him. We chatted for a minute, and I seid, “What are you doing here?” and he said "Well, Thad come down here o go wo college. He's from New Jersey, or was atthe time. RN: Plainfield ML: Yeah, So we talked and talked, and I said, “Play something forme. You know I've been away for three years and I'm hungry tobearsomekind of music.” So he played something on the piano for mc, just adsoluely killed me. Just, you know, that kind of sensitivity and those. . {changes}; I've always been prone to hharmonie situations: tnt's the way I hear music, kind of complex harmonic things, and that was Bill's meat, as you know. And 99 swe talked for along ime, and finally we went tothe old cafeteria andhad some coffee, remember tat. said, “Well, tomorrow I'm Teaving for New York o join Ray McKinley's band, and I don't Jexow how much longer you're going to bein school down here, ‘bat when you come to New York, you call me; find me and call ane because,” I sid, “After I spond a while with Ray, 1 want to form. group snd I°d sure like for you ta play piano in iL” And be ‘as just overjoyed, you know, being a young kid. So 1 went to New York, and he apparently stayed in school for awhile, and finally be did show up in New York, and [left McKinley, and I ‘was working off my 802 card, Then he called me up and T said, “OK, I'm ready to pu the group together now.” So we met atthe old Cafe Society downtown, Bill Evans and a young kid fromNew ‘Jersey Billhad known, a bass player named Red Mitchell, And we pt this trio together, snd it was really a good group. The only problem was it was 80 good we couldn't get booked, Val, an agent in New York, I can'remember his name, said, “O.K. let me see iffcanbookyou." Inthe meantime he handled people like Audrey Page 3Letter From Evans, Mar./Apr. 1990 Meadows, Jayne Mowdows, actors, people like that. Val Irving, that's his name, So he tied to book us for awhile. He booked us in Dean Martin’s hometown, Calumet City, Tinois. And we played there for two weeks and it was one of those places where they literally had chicken wire around the bandstand s0 they couldn't hit you with the beer bots, you know. And he booked us someplace else and someplace else. Finally either Bill wanted to g0 (0 the Anny or wo join Herbie Field; I'm not sure because the Army was breathing down his neck. He left and I got Dick Hyman who stayed on for a while to play piano. We worked for a line while, Finally, disbanded the thing. Couldn't getany work. Then [stayed in New York and I used to see Bill from time time, {saw him quit lot through the Miles Davis era. Then he'd gone away to the Army. And thea he came back and he and Tony Scott and I puta group together for litle while with Bill anda guy named Kenny O'Brien playing bass and Irv Kluger, drummer. Just the fivcofus. We workeda litle bitia Greenwich Village. Youknow, wino cared? RN: Keep ittogetner and that’s enough. Pay te reat ML: $0 usedto see Bill off and on through the ysars. Youknow, we'd meet and talk and we were friends. Thea he got very sick. 1 hhad been recording for Riverside Records for Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer, and Twas absolutely so flabbergasted at Bill, at his creativity, that called Orrin Keepnews on the phone and I played him some, not ape, but wire. Thad aa old Webcor wire recorder - remember those things? - that Tony Scott and I had inthe zpar ‘ment, And Bill ha been up thee and recorded some so I played this for Orsin over the phone and Orrin said, “He sounds pretty good, but he doesn't have a name.” $o I said, “Jesus, he’s a wonderful piano player. I think you should do something with him.” And so I think he Signed Bill for one album. And Bill made thatone album, that fist album for Riverside, nd, noedlessto say, ‘when tha thing hit the market, everybody sald, "Wow, who’s this guy?” OK, and then he became a huge name. Now I don't know ‘where Helen Keane came into the picture. | don’t remember her back inthose days’ cause Bill was kindof fending fr himself, And then after that, I believe it was when he went with the Miles Davis band, and then he got sick The next remembrance I have is living on West End Avenue at 8th Stet, and Bill called me ono night. He apparely nocded ‘money for whatever reason, and he says that his old lady has some ‘ind ofa fur coat she wanted sel, and I didn’t have any money cithor, and ittmmod aut that he was in such bad straits froma money standpcint that he had been evicted from his apartment, he and his gal, and he was sick, So I called a friend of mine in New York ‘named John Gensel who was a Protestant minister, sll is. Bu he was kind ofthe friend of the jazz musicians, sill is today. And we went up and tied w help Bill get siauued, Most of the furninue ‘we couldn’t do anything with, but we took Bill and his wife dewn, toahoteland checked them in, pai ther bill fora couple of days, and when about that ime I moved to California, which was like Christmas of "65. Then I dida’t see Bill for a whilo until [heard {rom him in 1970. And 1 went out io Urbana, Inois. to an NAIJE. {now IAJE] Convention thing out there, and Bill was on the bill, So Bill and Clark Terry and myself and the bass player and the drummer from the Ilinois band — what is that man’s name — McCarvin? Page 1 RN: John Garvey has he band ML: John Garvey, The bass payer was — my memery is jus teribie since I sopped smoking, [I below the bas player was yon Monahan, avery fine player who later sted in Dallas and died wagially ofabran vor. Ed] Anyway, wed alil se: together, a couple of original things. Then, thas when T Timmy Lyons athe Monterey Jaz Festival tha sae weekend ‘Leon Breeden and 1 et tat weekend. [Leon Brecden was hen the dtetor ofthe jac program at Nonth Texas Ste Universi 3 Denton Texas near Dalla The Iweat back o Califone teanme, Bil had Yeon gting bigger—his ze, And ho next time ran into him was athe Monterey Taz Festival have best Ging that nw fourcen year, sok was a way ack. Mus ave teen about REN: About 70, back then, "69 oF 702 ML: No. I we Lyons otha is my fourtecnth year, So it must ave buen "4 o "75 Bll was atte Monterey Jaz Festival doing ter Pano Playhouse ding. Ard he was i jst great shape, good meal ttitue and hchadhisson and his wend hn, forse reson that fell apart ‘hen the nex ie | saw him was a week belore Re tied Iva doing ie Merv Griffin Show an he came onthe show T'vent backstage to se hin and I reaied he wes ally avril. Andentlatshow, Mer decided ido thee az ars Thre fitcen mintesegmns, So hed one sogmen! with Cal “ser whois now dad, Googe Sharing and Wil, Bill Evans And Bill played, think, te last pene he ever wrow, called Stony.” havea ape ofthat which I wil snd yu, And I hised a 1d upat Dek Growe’s to ake the tne ofthe tape exacly ai played itso Ihave acopy of ual muse which Tl send along o BN: Wow! Tremendons! ML: i’ called "Your Str.” 1's funny; he tls the tory on he Show. The producer wanted him to play something fa an, you row, speedy and lsh and he say, right onthe show, Most producers want you to py this,” he says, "but I want w play something tas cme lo moan someting tome, We ued play thsand egy calle te "Didley O88 Song” Bocas it fas conscted with at kind of fgu” he sai, “bu the mre Ye planed it the more i seomed t rake sense and the more Seumalto develop.” And he sp," Eo play 18 You now. ies called "Your Story.” Ata of couse, Bil lft the show and gave him abighog | had feling tat night tee hi again and within «weak orn days be was dena IRN: Isherean abun —tisisaloaded qusin— of Bill's that You prefer more tan any ole? If yu hae t give al your Bll Evans albums away and you could ony keep one ter on ia particu tat sands out tat you would no part wih for any reason? ML: To my way of thinking — Any ofhis albums you coald do that wit, With one exsspion, {ink the symphonic album be Sid wth Claus Ogerman Tlie tha albu, bu tink —end® Bil played it beauflly — 1 had feeling thatthe mata inhibited Blom aly ding, nd dh big orskenz, fom ell ding what he wanted to do "cause Clos wrote a complete confined orchestration, and when you're dealig wih a cea: jazz musician, you cat do Ua, 1 aso be loose wih some kind* Evans. That's the only way he knew itand he. ( different; Letter From Evans, Mar./Apr. 1990 of framework that just lots all this ereativity flow within a — You know, it's lie if you're a painter, you take a frame, right? The frame, that’s @s far out as you can go, but within that, you can do anything you Want (o. Claus painted the picture in the frame, so Bill was confined, but I think any of the trio albums is pure Bill ld pay it,or hear it, rather. RN: Again, in my own way of thinking, cach of his tios was so ich of them had its own unique individaality, And the last one, of course, I wish that I had seen that one continue on awhile, to really develop and mature as some of the others had. ML: You mean the one with Mare Johnson and Joe LaBarbera? think that there is a writen sheet. Joe LaBarbera told me; he’s now working with Tony Bennett as you probably know. RN: No, Ididn't. ML: He told me recently when I saw him that Bill did write out a Jead sheet on “Your Story” before he died, but te steet that I'm refering to, the kid took off the tape, RN: Transcribed. ML: Irs just ewo choruses of st tune, RN: It's probably more sccurate than the way Bill wrote it , canse he probably wrote justa sketch, and th @ very complete thing. Anyway, PT get that to you. RN: Good. Well, want to thank you so much for your comments ‘on Bll, and we can fix these at later time, | want to change the ‘ape over, though, and talk about you. Is there anything else that —Thate to stop you. ML: No, no, that all right, RN: Youcoverediitso beautifully chronologically from your own 3s and knowledge of it ML: Well, the only thing—I don't quite know how to put this. But 1 few times I have been in the presence of originals, genius. 1 consider geniusin my frame of reference: music I'm talking about Twas lucky enough to work with Charlie Parker. I was lucky enough 10 work with Lester Young. I was lucky enough to work with Dizzy. Bill Evans, Art Tatum IRN: Of course, Clark Terry. ML: Of course, Clark Terry. Well, I still work with Clark. And also with Dizzy at Monterey. Batit's really kind of awesome to ‘sand that close to what I consider pure genius. I'm talking about people like Bil, Tatum, Parker, Diz, and, of course, Clark, all the ‘guys. Zoot Sims | feel the same about. But it’s always fascinated cand ithas a way, Ron, of, if you're not careful, or especialy in ‘my case, of intimidating you musically, because what they're oing is 50 powerful that if you stop to think about it, you'll be completely destroyed musically, Youknow, itcames your time to play and you just go [gibberish], you know. But leamed a great thing from Parker, working with him one night, and he played two cr three choruses on someihing. I's intresting, 109, all those people that I’m talking about that I really admire. They don’t play fifteen, twenty choruses on something; they play two, three shorusts and they're said it, then let somcone else play. There’s & lot to be learmed from that, but Lleamed this lesson from Bird: he fever be afraid to make & mistake, Only if you're fearless will you ever be able to create.” Think about tha: it makes 2 lotot sense, RN: True. ML: In other words, don’t edit yourself, You might think it's terrible, but someone sitting there listening to it might think it's wonderful. Interesting thought. Page 15LETTER FROMEVANS Ss Win nile Boker Mer [eee as Gees motcaton rae m3 Cay Wey | oaes ‘Winer Pak FL 2792-4856 Use {ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED DATED MATERIAL Acknowledgements LFE would like to publicly acknowledge the help and cooperation of Judy Bell and Evelyn Sasko of The Rich- mond Organization for permission to reprint excerpts of copyrighted compositions ot Bill Evans for educational use only. We also acknowledge the help of music copyists, Francis (Sonny) Annis and Russel Ward. 2 TIT | Letter From Evans, Mar/Apr. 1990 News Release pertorance camp toraze and Cassia! Ma Pianists ‘Solo Recitals, Master Classes 7 Seminars on the music of Bill Evans: r PLACE: Hamilton College, Clinton, New York DATE: Aug, 5-11, 1990 TUITION: $275 for Periormer/Participants, $125 for auditors. (Limited to 6 performers and 9 auditors) Room and board Is not included In tultion feos ‘The pertormers will each give a public solo recital, a portion of which must include several works by the late and innovative {azz planist, Bil Evans. lack Reilly, internationally acclaimed composer, pianist, author and teacher Wit Coach ihe pertormenparticipants, conduct ‘mastor classes and lead sominars on the Works of Mr. Evans. Mr, Reilly will aso perform in recttal, a program devoted entirely to the music of Bill Evans. He will interpret the compositions of Mr. Evans in solo, tro and (quartet settings. For turther information and applicetion, ‘address all inqultlos 10: Jack Reilly 125 Prospect Park West Park Siope Brooklyn, NY 11215 Phone 718-768-0053