Bill Evans was one of the first musicians to have a profound impact on me and probably the musician whose music I have consumed the most throughout my life.
His music has been a great source of motivation, inspiration and pure pleasure, whenever I have needed it.
It's hard for me to construct sentences that accurately describes the wealth of emotions I feel when Bill plays - a fact that makes me a terrible writer for a post of this nature - but I can at least give it a shot.
I think it comes down to the melodies Bill's heart inspires, the harmonies his magnificent brain produces and the utilization of dynamics by allowing the music to breathe.
His choice of notes and improvised melodies are so coherent and genuine to me. I'm especially fond of his resolutions, around the end of his solo's but in order to really appreciate it, you'll have to listen to the parts before it as well.
However, the payoff is enormous.
I invite you to listen to the below tune called Elsa, composed by Earl Zindars. Besides Bill on piano, Chuck Israels plays bass and Larry Bunker is on drums.
The entire concert is worth a listen - as is Bill's entire discography.
I can close my eyes and be pleasurably forced to take a ride on the roller coaster of emotions and end up, somehow, with renewed energy, optimism, happiness and motivation. And mind you, I've been listening to Bill for over two decades and I'm still to this day awe-inspired by his music.
This next tune is called Detour Ahead. Accompanying the master himself, is Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass and Alan Dawson on drums.
Thank you Mr. Evans for all the pleasure and happiness your music has given me.