Where Should I Start With Bill Evans? - Fixanswer

Widely considered to be one of the

greatest jazz pianists

of all time, Evans’ use of harmony and his inventive and impressionistic interpretation of the jazz repertoire has few peers.

What made Bill Evans unique?

Bill Evans: ‘

Piano Impressionism

‘ Evans’ introspective lyricism and subtle, Western classical flourishes have echoes in a legion of fellow keyboard players. As a leader and composer, he introduced an influential, highly interactive approach to trio and small-group performances.

What style of jazz is Bill Evans?

Bill Evans	Genres Jazz, modal jazz, third stream, cool jazz, post-bop	Occupation(s) Musician Composer Arranger	Instruments Piano	Years active 1950s–1980

Was Bill Evans left handed?

I would argue that many (thought not all) of the greatest jazz pianists dedicate an impressive portion of their mind to voice leading their

left hands

even while improvising. The prime example of such a pianist is Bill Evans. … His left hand provides multiple important factors to the sound even just during the melody.

What happened to Bill Evans?

Evans was

the Senior Meteorologist for Eyewitness News This Morning and Eyewitness News at Noon

. He is now on WLNG Radio. … Evans has appeared on the show “How Stuff Works” on the Discovery Channel and Live with Kelly and Ryan.

Did Bill Evans write so what?

The piano-and-bass introduction for the piece was written by

Gil Evans for Bill Evans (no relation)

and Paul Chambers on Kind of Blue.

Why was Bill Evans so good?

The way Evans built and connected chords and improvised melodies gave

his playing a romantic quality that contrasted

with much of 1950s bebop. Classical composers such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Aleksandr Scriabin were influences, along with jazz pianists Bud Powell, Lennie Tristano, and Horace Silver.

Why was Bill Evans influential?

Bill Evans, who died 35 years ago this year at age 51, has remained a central influence on

how pianists play jazz

. His conception of the jazz trio became the model for balancing the good of the group with individual freedom in the modern rhythm section of piano, bass and drums.

How did Bill Evans learn piano?

William John Evans (1929–1980) of Plainfield, New Jersey began studying piano

with his older brother Harry around age 5

. … Bill moved to New York in 1955 where he studied composition and made connections on the music scene, the most significant of which came in 1958 when he was recruited by Miles Davis.

What is a jazz in music?

Jazz is

a kind of music in which improvisation is typically an important part

. In most jazz performances, players play solos which they make up on the spot, which requires considerable skill.

Did Bill Evans have a drug problem?

Sometimes, reality is too harsh. So Bill Evans escaped by turning to addiction:

first to heroin and, later, cocaine

. His life was one of perpetual heartbreak. A friend once said that Evans’ death in 1980 was the result of “the longest suicide in history.”