Bill Evans - I Will Say Goodbye (1977)
MP3 | 320Kbps | RS.com | 117mb | Covers
Genre: Jazz
Allmusic.com:The title refers to the Michel Legrand piece performed twice on the date, and to the fact that pianist Bill Evans was on the verge of switching labels from Fantasy to Warner Bros. For his final Fantasy album, Evans, bassist Eddie G�mez, and drummer Eliot Zigmund perform memorable renditions of such songs as Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance," Johnny Mandel's "Seascape," and Burt Bacharach's underrated "A House Is Not a Home." The CD reissue adds two additional selections ("Nobody Else But Me" and "Orson's Theme") from this excellent series of sessions. Fine post-bop music from an influential piano giant.
Amazon.com reviewer:Bill Evans is most famous for his ground-breaking trio with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. While I cannot overstate the importance of said group, I actually think I like Evans' later trios better, any of the groups featuring Eddie Gomez. The present album does feature Gomez and drummer Elliot Zigmund, but like other albums of this period, Evans himself is the main focus. Something about the loss of LaFaro seems to have made Evans more generally assertive, and I have always felt that his command of the instrument was better later in his career.
This album features really interesting material; instead of lots of traditional standards, the material is made up of some later jazz tunes, the best example of which is Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance." Considering that Hancock is greatly indebted to Evans for parts of his style, it is interesting that Evans (and Ahmad Jamal for that matter) would use this tune on their own albums. It's a great tune, though, and Evans handles it in a way which definitely contrasts with Hancock's approach. An interesting study is to compare the present version with Hancock's rendition on Ron Carter's "Third Plane" album, also featuring Tony Williams, as well as Ahmad Jamal's treatment on "The Awakening." Each version is different and I'm undecided as to my favorite (especially when you throw in the classic original version on Hancock's "Maiden Voyage") but I like this one a lot.
The other really interesting selection is Burt Bacharach's "A House is Not a Home," a tune often precariously dangling over the dark pit of cheesyness but nonetheless a very pretty tune. I like what Evans does with it a lot, in a brief but poignant reading.
All in all, this is an extremely solid, at times beautiful and moving musical document from late in Evans' career. I would highly recommend it for its beauty, challenge, and accessibility, three adjectives that could only meet in describing an artist of Evans' caliber and genius. It may not be the best from this period (the live albums "The Tokyo Concert" and "Since We Met" are a notch higher) but that only underscores Evans' tremendously high potential on live dates. Buy this and the other two and choose how carefully and deeply you wish to listen, because it stands up on all levels.
Tracks:1. I Will Say Goodbye
2. Dolphin Dance
3. Seascape
4. Peau Douce
5. Nobody Else But Me
6. I Will Say Goodbye (Take 2)
7. The Opener
8. Quiet Light
9. A House Is Not A Home
10. Orson's Theme
